Metal Detecting for Gold

Here's a very good article by Greg Strayhorn on metal detecting for gold. With the current astronomical gold prices, hunting for gold has seen a tremendous resurgence. A feature on the local news this week detailed two local gentlemen who are panning a local creek here in upstate South Carolina. They are finding gold, and had the vials of gold to prove it. Detecting for gold requires a different mindset and technique from detecting for coins. Read on to see how one veteran detectorist does it... 

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There are basically three kinds of metal detecting for gold: nugget hunting, metal detecting for gold rings, and detecting for gold coins. There are many different types and levels of metal detectors, so it is difficult to know which metal detector would be the best metal detector for you if you are hunting for gold.

For eons mineralized quartz arteries and unexposed ore bodies have been shedding pure gold for nugget hunters to find. The best spots for nugget hunting are the desert areas in Midwestern states like Arizona and California. Although many gold nuggets have been uncovered, geologists agree that 95% of the gold in our western states has yet to be found. Most of this gold is in the form of nuggets that are in reach of a good gold metal detector.

Remember that gold prospectors during the gold rush did not have a metal detector and could not see the gold. Therefore, many of these nugget rich spots have been left un-molested. For this type of hunting for gold the best metal detectors would have the correct frequency for gold detection. Metal detectors that operate at higher frequencies are good for detecting gold nuggets. This is difficult because most detectors operate at a low frequency to be able to ignore iron and to go deeper in the ground.

A good solution to this problem is the Treasure Hunter XJ9-3050 with its dual frequency technology. The problem is that gold has the same magnetic field as iron so many gold detectors will also get a lot of false signals. Pulse induction metal detectors are great for nugget hunting as they have a special technology and operate at extremely low frequencies and can find gold nuggets deep in the ground. The Minelab GPX-4500 is a favorite among gold nugget hunters but these are also not great at tuning out trash items. You should always consider a gold nugget find as a good indicator that there are more nuggets in the area. Gold nuggets are very rarely found by themselves. The best all around metal detector for gold nugget hunting is probably the Treasure Hunter XJ9-3050.

Hunting for gold rings is another type of gold hunting. Gold rings are different than gold nuggets because they are often alloyed with other types of metal. They are usually close to the surface and sometimes cannot be tuned out or selected for with a notch filter even with the best metal detector. By far the best place to look for gold rings is at the beach. Particularly in the shallows of a dropping tide at a popular resort location. The reason is because many vacationers do not realize that the colder water can make their fingers shrink and unsuspectingly lose their highly valuable ring jewelry.

Also, the shallow water is the most recent area that was occupied by vacationers. Miami's south beach is notorious for one of the most lucrative metal detecting spots on the planet and many of the local metal detectorists are very secretive and territorial about their spots. Because you will find many other types of jewelry besides gold, it is best to have an all purpose type of metal detector for ring and jewelry hunting. A great metal detector for beach hunting is the fully waterproof Treasure Hunter Poseiden detector.

It really helps to have a metal detector that can work well in the water fully submersed as well as being very capable in dry sand. Of-course dry sand metal detecting in popular resort areas is also highly recoverable detecting. Another great detector for these conditions is the Garrett GTP 1350 or the Treasure Hunter 3019. Both detectors have many different modes for different target selection or rejection and can detect small targets at large depths. Don't forget your sand scoop when detecting at the beach!

Metal detecting for gold coins is an entirely different animal and different strategies must be applied. This type of find is the most rare and valuable among treasure hunters. The best areas to find gold coins would be shipwrecks. The best and most valuable type of find and the fantasy of every treasure hunter is to find a new shipwreck with gold bullion coins and similar gold treasure. This type of find is extremely rare, but there are undiscovered shipwrecks with treasure to be found. The best place to look is along the shipping routes in the Caribbean where tons of treasure was taken from the Americas to Europe and of-course there is the notorious Pirate booty to be found.

For these spots you would need one of the more highly advanced underwater metal detectors like the Treasure Hunter Poseidon underwater metal detector. Also, rare gold coins have been found washed up at all the beaches of the East Coast, and indicates that there is much more treasure hidden out there. Overall the best metal detector for gold hunting would probably be the Treasure Hunter XJ9-3050 because of the dual frequency allows it to detect gold at great depths. Just remember that treasure is where you find it and you must be out there hunting it with your metal detector to find it!

Metal Detector Town is a website for all things metal detectors. Whether you are metal detecting for gold nuggets, rings, or coins, we have the best metal detector to suit your needs. http://www.metal-detector-town.com/index.php Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Strayhorn

Keys to Metal Detecting at the Beach

Metal detecting can be a wonderful hobby, but it can also be an unexpected source of income. Although you certainly cannot plan on paying your bills with your finds, you can plan on some nice finds, which make metal detecting one of the few hobbies that can pay for itself. Many detectorists have paid for their equipment many times over with their finds. 

The beach is one of the favorite spots for people who are into metal detecting.  Not only are they able to find coins and jewelry,  but they can enjoy their surroundings while at the beach. If your spouse feels left out when you spend a day hunting, then you owe it to them to take them to the beach. Maybe they'll love to lay on the beach or play golf while you detect.

The soft sand along the beach makes finding different kinds of treasures enjoyable. It is more like having fun than finding treasures even if there are not so many finds after a hard day's metal detecting activity.  Just getting the sand beneath your feet, listening to the rumbling waves along the seashore, and the beautiful scenery is worth the trip, treasures or not.

However, if you really want to get a good start in beach metal detecting, it is best to keep these things in mind as you head to the beach...

1. Saturate the area...

With the growing popularity of beach metal detecting, many people are enticed to try the activity. It is not surprising to find many people crowded onto a small area of  beach.

In this situation, competition in beach metal detecting becomes tight. This means that you probably will have a little less chance of finding treasures. It's OK. 

In order to get an edge over the others, why don't you saturate a small segment of the beach or find a beach that is not quite as popular. Any beach for metal detecting is always worth visiting. Be different. 

2. Do not be overly concerned about your metal detector...

Yes, the price of a metal detector cannot be underrated.  Yes, metal detectors as well as their coils can be expensive. I'm not surprised that many detectorists baby their coils and try not to scratch them by keeping them too far above the sandy beach. But if you're going to the beach, this is one of the considerations. If you don't get your coil on top of the sand, you're not going to find treasure. Consider buying a coil shield. They are generally less than twenty dollars and will serve you well. Be brave. 

3. If possible, avoid the common times...

Beach metal detecting is extremely popular these days. That's why a few people seem to get the best results. Truth be told, most of these are searching at times when others aren't. Your odds of finding a nice ring are much greater late in the afternoons than early in the morning. Likewise, if you can search a beach during the week when you're the only one detecting, your odds go up. Be smart. 

4. Search the unusual places...

Don't follow the other detectorists. Make your own path. Search areas where you're not expected to search. Get in the storm drains, and around the showers. Search the pathways to the beach. March to the beat of a different drummer. Be creative. 

Digging in the soft sand can be such a pleasure, compared to digging through roots and clay. Plan a trip to the beach and you might luck up and pay for the whole trip with one good find. Here's wishing you Good Luck and Good Hunting!

Metal Detecting at the Beach

Summer is almost here. Now would be a great time to go to the beach to do a little metal detecting. I almost went to Charleston this weekend, actually had my bag packed, but the weather wouldn't cooperate. John Wright has structured a good article on hunting at the beach and I'm going to reprint it here...

Metal Detecting at Your Local Beach....

Metal detecting on the beach is a very popular hobby among people who live near the coast. The beach is also a great place for new comers to the trade to start with metal detecting. It's very common to see someone metal detecting on the beach while you are having fun in the sun, as many people have the misfortune of losing valuable while at the beach. This is where the treasure hunters find their treasures.

With metal detecting growing so much in popularity, metal detecting on the beach is becoming more competitive. However there are still ways to come home with more than just trash.

Always think of where are spots that others might have missed. Places where people gather but treasure hunters miss. For instance, life guards only gather where people are allowed to swim at the beach, but on the other side might be people who just want to tan in the sun, foot paths that leads to the beach.

Another part of the beach you might want to visit is where fishermen, joggers, surfers and dog walkers, etc go about. Even smaller beaches are good places to look.

Most people who metal detect work Monday to Friday, so the best time to go metal detect, on the beach is on Friday or Sunday nights. Friday nights to find the treasures left by everyone who visited the beach during the week or Sunday nights to find what has been left behind after a busy weekend at the beach. But you have to know that if you are metal detecting in a place like the beach, you are going to find a lot of worthless trash, but don't waste your time deciding what you think might be trash, dig up everything and sort it out at home.

However, remember that it won't be your metal detector that gets the credit here, it's all up to you on how much treasure you find on the beach, depending on how quick and thorough you are with your searches. Simply put, the more you dig up the better the odds of finding valuable treasures. But don't try and dig up the whole beach in one night. Work at a pace that you are happy with and make sure you don't miss something in an area.

The beach is one of the best places to find lost jewellery and change. Also remember to always go through all the junk you take home with you before you throw it away, you never know if there is something amazing in there that you didn't see the first time around.

Remember to fill up all the holes that you dig when you're done with them. You don't want someone to hurt themselves in a hole you dug. A big part of metal detecting is being courteous towards others during your adventures. Also remember, the closer you keep your metal detector to the ground the higher the chances of finding lost treasures.

John Wright is a metal detecting expert. For more great tips on metal detecting on beaches visit http://www.metaldetectingcenter.com.