Metal Detecting & Prospecting
Related Articles
How to Make Money Metal Detecting Coins in Public Places
The fastest way to make money metal detecting is coin hunting in public places with a good detector. This article covers the best places with higher concentrations of coins, as well as how to find them faster.
10 Metal Detecting Tips to Help You Find More Treasure
The metal detecting hobby can fill your pockets with rare coins, silver, and gold. Check out my 10 tips to help you find more treasure with your metal detector.
What Clothing Should I Wear While Metal Detecting?
Are you relatively new to metal detecting and wondering what to wear? Here we explore some options for you to consider to make sure you're well prepared.
9 Metal Detector Holidays in the UK
Discover a range of different metal detectors holidays to take advantage of in the UK. Find out more here.
4 Important Inexpensive Basic Tools for Gold Prospecting
Besides the iconic gold pan, there is a fistful of tools that are simple, yet will enhance your experience in your search for gold. Your recovery rate will be better, especially for fine gold. This article will focus on the magnetic separator, the classifier, the pin-pointers, and the metal trowel.
Identifying Gold Ore: What to Look for
While most amateur gold prospectors are looking for placer gold, it doesn't hurt to be aware of the physical properties of gold ore. As prospectors wander the desert landscape in search of placer, they observe hundreds of acres of rocky mountainous country that might show signs of possible gold ore.
Tips for Finding More Old Coins Metal Detecting
Finding old coins with a metal detector is a bit more challenging than finding modern coins that are usually near the surface. Check out my tips to help you find more old coins for your collection.
How to Dig Metal Detecting Holes Responsibly
Digging holes responsibly when metal detecting is respectful to both the property owner and the hobby itself. Check out my tips on recovering your finds without ruining grass and making a mess.
3 Must-Have Metal Detecting Digging Tools
Using the right digging tools for metal detecting makes cutting open dirt plugs a lot easier. Check out my recommendations for the best metal detecting digging tools that I personally use.
6 Places to Metal Detect Without Permission
You should always check your local laws before you go metal detecting anywhere, but there are several places you can typically metal detect without permission.
Rare Old Coins I Found With My Metal Detector
This article showcases some of the rare coins I found with my metal detector, as well as the gear I use to find them.
How to Get Permission to Metal Detect Private Property
Asking a homeowner for permission to metal detect their yard might sound scary, but it's a lot easier than you think. With most public places already being hunted out, it's a lot easier to find rare coins and relics on private property.
Tips for Underwater Metal Detecting Old Swimming Holes
Old swimming holes are great places to metal detect for rare coins and valuable jewelry. Check out my tips for metal detecting in the water and recovering cool stuff.
How to Find Deep Silver Coins With the AT Pro Metal Detector
The AT Pro metal detector is capable of locating deep silver coins in the ground. Check out my tips for using this machine to find those deeper coins that others have missed.
Tips for Metal Detecting Sidewalks and Curb Strips
The grass between the curb and the sidewalk is a good place to go metal detecting for coins and rings. Check out my tips for metal detecting sidewalk grass.
My Review of the Gray Ghost Amphibian Headphones for Metal Detecting
Your metal-detecting headphones should be waterproof if you plan to find and recover submerged objects. Check out my review of Gray Ghost Amphibian headphones to find out if they're good for treasure hunting in water.
My Best Metal-Detecting Finds (So Far)
Check out some of my best metal-detecting finds to date.
My Review of the Lesche T-Handle Shovel for Metal Detecting
Are you looking for a t-handle shovel for metal detecting or gardening? Check out my review of the Lesche t-handle shovel to find out if it's worth it.
The Best Metal Detecting Sites for Old Coins and Rings
Are you looking for the best metal detecting sites to find old coins and rings? These are the places where I make my best finds.
My Review of the Lesche Digging Tool for Metal Detecting
Check out my review of the handheld Lesche digging tool for metal detecting. I discuss the product's pros, cons, and overall value.
My Review of the Garrett Pro Pointer AT (Garrett Carrot)
Check out my review of the handheld Garrett Pro Pointer, and find out if it's a good pinpointer for metal detecting.
My Review of the Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector
Check out my review of the Garret AT Pro metal detector that covers the advantages and drawbacks.
Spiral Wheel Gold Panning Machines: Automated Gold Recovery
Most amateur prospectors want a way to take the hassle out of hand-panning for gold. Many tools have been devised over time to simplify the process including miller tables, sluices, nugget buckets, and blue bowl concentrators. A spiral wheel gold panning machine is one more to consider.
Fine Gold Recovery With a Blue Bowl Concentrator
One of the most popular devices for separating fine placer from black sand concentrates is the famous Blue Bowl Concentrator. It is a type of gravity dam—the black sand is washed up and over a hollow plastic cone leaving only fine gold along the base of the cone and the bottom of the bowl.
The Miller Table: Refining Fine Placer Gold
One frustrating aspect to amateur gold prospecting is the difficulty refining gold from black sand pay dirt. There are a number of devices around that make the task easier, but for my money, a Miller Table with its regulated slow water flow and attracting surface is the best.
Why the Nugget Bucket Concept Is Golden for Panning
Since time immemorial, man’s efforts have been directed at one thing: making life easier, including when it comes to developing gold-prospecting tools that eliminate much of the demanding work of mining. A Nugget Bucket reduces the gold-panning process significantly.
The 13 Worst Metal-Detecting Blunders
Metal detecting is an exciting and mentally relaxing pastime; it is truly treasure-hunting. Many new at the hobby, however, make some horrendous blunders.
How to Find Gold Anywhere—and Why You May Not
What most don't realize is that you can find gold, silver and gemstones near your own home. But there are a few reasons you probably won't.
Panning for Gold in Your Backyard
If you want to try panning for gold, you might want to practice the techniques at home in your own yard.
How to Set Up and Use a Gold Sluice Box
The sluice (usually a wood, metal or plastic channel) allows water in a running creek to pass through with the heaviest of material (gold) settling behind riffles. Here's why setup and cleaning are crucial.
Ways to Test Gold Ore in the Field
So, you want to search for gold ore. How do you identify good gold prospects? If your strategy involves crushing any and every rock you come across, you'll be crushing for the rest of your life and won't find a flake. Here are some simple field tests you can perform to help you narrow your search.
Find Placer Deposits, Gold Quartz Veins, Piedmonts, and Minerals
Finding gold in the wild is hard. Where to to pan for gold is of paramount importance. Whether placer gold deposits or hard rock gold, you need an edge. Here are some gold geological considerations.
How to Clean Dirty Coins in a Rotary Rock Tumbler
People using metal detectors often find dirty, unusable coins that they would like to clean up a bit. Here are some tips with photos for using a rotary rock tumbler to clean and polish coins.
Making Arizona Placer Gold-Mining Easier: The Dry Washer
Some basic gold prospecting supplies are essential for large mining companies and the recreational gold-miner. Dry washers are a type of equipment useful in the dry southwest, particularly Arizona.
The Best Ways to Clean Metal-Detecting Finds
Found coins are usually in too poor a state to be used unless they are cleaned up first. Even banks will not accept them. Metal detectorists all need to clean their treasures, but what are the best ways? Here we have a look at the various household liquids that can be used, as well as different rock tumbling machines and electrolysis.
Where to Pan for Gold: Tips for the Amateur Prospector From a “Pro”
Every river in the world contains gold. However, some rivers contain so little gold that one could pan and sieve for years and not find even one small flake. Learn where to pan and where not to pan.
Where to Find and What to Look for When Gold Prospecting and Panning
New gold prospectors have a problem on their first gold club outing. They've heard about panning for gold, and maybe how to use recovery equipment, but on claim arrival finding a spot is a new story.