Several different kinds of metal detectors exist, I will explain how they work while trying not to get too technical. There are three major classes of metal detectors available.

The first type of metal detector is the PI, which stands for Pulse Induction. Pulse induction means that you are creating an electromagnetic pulse that exits the coil, bounces off a target, then returns to the coil giving a report on the target it hit.

Pulse induction detectors are usually more sensitive to smaller and deeper targets. The down side is they also pick up more trash targets and have a difficult time telling good targets apart from bad targets.

Another detector type is the VLF, which stands for Very Low Frequency. This kind of detector is versatile and commonly used. It uses phase demodulation to discriminate between types of metallic objects like iron and gold. It does a good job at telling the difference between good objects, like gold and treasure, and trash such as nails, bottle caps etc.

Yet another is the BFO, or Beat Frequency Oscillator. The beat frequency oscillator is a low cost circuit design. It has two coils, one at the end of the arm of the detector and one in the control box on the handle. These coils form a pair of tuned oscillators. The oscillators are tuned so that the difference in their frequencies is an exact multiple of each other. The presence of any metallic object will produce a change in either oscillator and thus produce an audible beat frequency harmonic tone.

Each of these technologies has trade-offs, usually between cost and their ability to sense small valuable objects. Newer advances are coming every day. Most of these are in the area of using special digital signal processing of the return signal. Every conductive object has a peculiar signature spectrum that tells a bit more about the object and can also be filtered out to separate junk (iron & aluminum) from Gold Treasure. As technologies advance the price for more capable equipment drops. This in turn opens new depths and more trashy areas to be hunted for treasure.

Please remember to hunt responsibly, avoid trespassing and fill your holes when you are finished. Enjoy hunting for buried treasure!

Metal detecting is a comparatively new hobby. Sure there have been hobbyist type metals detectors for decades but new and superior detector technology has come out in recent years. The metal detector is an electronic device which can sense metallic objects buried in the ground. Finding a lost gold ring or old valuable coin can be really exciting, but even just picking up a few dollars of change at the local school can be loads of fun and a lot of good exercise. Once the operator is well practiced, it is possible to dig targets out of the ground with so little disturbance that the spot cannot be seen afterward. The biggest advantage of modern detectors is that most of the time they can actually differentiate trash from valuable coins and silver jewelry. Hobbyists are using their detectors to hunt lost treasure caches, prospecting for gold nuggets or just locating lost coins and jewelry at local parks and schools.

There are many varieties of metal detectors with technologies and features designed for certain characteristics and certain types of uses. All of the technologies currently in use work by putting electrical energy into a coil which creates a magnetic field and then sensing the response of a metallic object to that magnetic field. Some types of detecting equipment are specially designed for hunting deep caches and treasure, others for general purpose coin and jewelry hunting, and still others for underwater or beach hunting. Another type of detector is designed specifically to prospect for gold nuggets.

Most new folks considering the purchase of metal detecting equipment to get into this exhilarating hobby want to know what model will be best for them. There are a large number of models from the different makers, and the decision is not easy. It is often said that there is no one detector that can do it all perfectly. This is a true statement. The goal of the “general purpose” machines is to do as many of the specialty applications as well as possible. This always requires some degree of compromise in the design of the detector. No general purpose machine can do all the specialty applications as well as a set of detectors, each designed for a specific special purpose.

No discrimination system on any detector is absolutely perfect, even though they are very helpful in most situations, as no one wants to dig up trash. There are always tradeoffs in any target ID system design, and even the best systems available today can be fooled sometimes, and although it works 90 percent of the time, it cannot always differentiate between some types of targets and some types of trash. The discrimination readings are influenced principally by the target shape, size and conductivity of the metal. As an example, nickels, some pull tabs and rings all appear the same to VLF type metal detector ID systems. Most men’s wedding bands and ladies gold rings read in a similar range in my soils. The lower end of that range includes junk foil, and the upper end includes many types of pull-tabs and cut up bits of aluminum can.

Yes, there are still valuable coins and jewelry at local parks and schools, old houses and residences, sports fields, church yards, campgrounds and other places where folks congregated in the past. With a metal detector, you can get your exercise and pick up a little treasure while you are at it!

The tools and methods you will use to find treasure under water really depend on what you’re looking for. Most recreational treasure hunters will find that sifting works best for them.

As with other treasure hunting methods, it’s good to have a plan in mind as you begin your search. You can mark out your search area with stakes in shallow water, or buoys in deeper areas. Deep water treasure hunting is an activity that you should never attempt on your own. Always take a treasure hunting friend with you, and notify someone else where you are going, what time you plan to be back, etc.

For the purpose of this guide, we will focus on treasure hunting methods that can be done in shallow water. While experienced Scuba divers can certainly venture into other territories, the average recreational treasure hunter will probably have more luck skimming the shoreline for jewelry, coins and other valuable lost at the beach.

A snorkel kit is a great tool for any underwater treasure hunter. Snorkeling allows you to keep your eyes on the ocean or lake floor as you carefully tread over top, searching for treasures. You can use an underwater metal detector as you snorkel, sweeping the coil over the bottom as you move along.

If you’ve ever snorkeled, you already know why marking out your search area is necessary. You can quickly get off track with only the ocean floor to guide you. Pick a natural landmark if you must, and look up often to be sure you are on track. In cooler water, a wet suit is a must. It will protect you from the cold water and keep you warm all day. In warmer climates, a wet suit is unnecessary but you will still need to wear gloves. There may be sharp cans, rocks or other objects just below the surface of the sand that could hurt your hands if you grabbed hold of one.

What would you be searching for underwater? Well, people lose all kinds of items at the beach. It is an area that can be searched often, as there is a constant supply of new treasures from forgetful and unfortunate swimmers who’ve lost their rings, necklaces, cell phones, earrings, watches and more. Coins are another popular find at the beach, though you are more likely to find new coins that were lost recently than you are to find valuable old relics.

Underwater treasure hunting poses its own unique dangers, even in shallow water. Before setting out, it is important to do a bit of research about the fish and plant life that live in the body of water you are searching. You may want to avoid certain areas at specific times of the year. If there are poisonous fish or plants, you must be able to recognize and avoid them.

Some treasure hunters simply use a sifter to search the top inch or two of the sand on the ocean floor. Others use a magnet to seek out any metallic objects.

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