Here is a simple way to find low spots in the sand, that usually hold hoards of beach treasure. Sometimes these depressions are subtle. When you’re out on the wet sand, pay attention to how high the waves are pushing the water up on the beach. The ocean/water level will remain uniform all along the shoreline, so if the beach remains level, the line of the water that moves up on the beach should be like a fairly straight line running up and down the beach.

How to spot low points when beach detecting

If, when looking down the beach, you see a small section where the water is pushing up the beach further than the surrounding water…. good chance that’s a low area. The water level of the ocean remains constant up and down the beach so the only way water can continually move farther up the beach is for the beach to be lower in that area. Obviously, the calmer the ocean, the easier it would be to detect a low spot.

It has been said, although I don’t necessarily agree, that most beaches are sterile (no good targets) down to just beyond the distance where targets might be detected. A small drop in the sand of an inch or so might be all you need to get a hit on a good target that you might not otherwise hear.

In my opinion there are three keys to successful metal detecting. Those keys are Patience, Practice & Persistence! When I bought my first metal detector I did so because I just new I was going to find hoards of lost treasure. I just new the old picnic grove down the street had thousands of dollars worth of old silver coins just laying there ready to be found by me with my new metal detector. I was going to be rich, if not rich, I was damn sure I was going to make ton of money cashing in all those old silver coins and gold jewelry I was going to find.

I really don’t need to say it, but you already know what happened soon after buying my first metal detector. I didn’t find squat! Not even a stinking wheat penny! By this time I began to become very inpatient and to be quite honest I was ready to ship that metal detector right back to where it came from, but I didn’t! I began to accept the fact that me finding huge amounts of treasure was just not going to happen, so I  started taking interest in the small, historic odds and ends I was finding. This lead to a true enjoyment in metal detecting and a growing love and respect of history and its forgotten artifacts.

To make a long story short I became a very patient hobbyist, enjoying the little things that make the hobby of metal detecting so great. Something else started happening at about this time, I started making some really swell and respectable finds! Silver coins, some gold jewelry as well as a few Indian Head cents. These higher valued finds were not jumping out of the ground left and right, but at about the same time I started slowing down, having a little patience and enjoying myself I started finding some really great stuff!

Many years later and patience is still my number one tool to successful metal detecting. We all go through are adjustment phases, our trials and tribulations, but if we dont overcome these and let patience take over our success at metal detecting will be nil! Patience is your number one key to becoming successful at metal detecting.

Using a metal detector and being successful with it is no different than anything else. If you want to become good at something what do you do? The answer is, you got it, practice, practice, practice! I often compare my metal detecting to that of a person that plays an instrument. In order to become good with that instrument you have to practice playing that instrument as often as possible. In time you that instrument will become an extension of yourself. Metal detecting and learning your metal detector are no different. In order to use your metal detector well you must practice using it until it becomes and extension of yourself.

With enough practice you will have no problem tuning your metal detector for just about any situation. With enough practice you will come to know your detector so well that in most cases you will have a pretty good idea of what your going to dig before you actually dig it up! And of course practice takes patience!

The key to metal detecting and making consistently good finds is persistence. The moment you give up and loose steam is the about the same time your finds and going to go south!

Combine these three keys to better metal detecting and I assure you that bigger and better finds are in your future. Be aware of them every time your out metal metal detecting.

Choosing the right digging tool is as important to you as choosing the right machine to detect with. Not much is said about digging irons; so I’ll take this opportunity to help you choose the right one for you.Some people like to build their own diggers. I’ve seen some great designs that should be mass marketed! two of mine are handmade and are very effective for the type of hunting i like to do. the first thing to take into account is your build. obviously, a small and slight man would not want to carry around a long handle shovel all day. Long wooden handled shovels like the ones you see in the hardware store or in your shed are a definite no – no, and serve little purpose unless you’re out in the middle of the bush digging 6 feet to the treasure chest. they certainly don’t have any business on a lawn or in a park. the second thing to take into account is where you’ll be detecting, and what type of ground it is. Again, you obviously don’t want to use a hand trowel in hard ground. allow me to describe some of the different diggers in our hobby.

The Relic Hunters Spade - this is usually an old army surplus shovel that the guys fold into a 90 degree angle and use like a pick. it’s very effective, but good pinpointing skills are necessary. and it’s cool that you can park it on your shoulder while swinging your machine! or you can choose to hang it from a “d” ring, found at almost all hardware stores.

The Lesche and Lesche Type digging Tools - these are specialized diggers that are mass marketed and are great for most types of detecting, whether you’re detecting a yard, in a park, or even at the beach. They are compact and are built strongly, and often have serrated teeth to help deal with roots. Just an all around great tool to have. Most come with a pouch or a “d” ring. Most are a bit pricey, but are well worth it.

The Stainless Steel Combo Beach Digger - These tall diggers have a spade and retrieval basket combination built in together. When a target is acquired, the beach hunter simply scoops up sand into the basket and either shakes it or allows water to run through the basket, separating the target from the sand in short order. Areally neat digger, and even neater to watch someone using one who knows what they’re doing with it.

Probe and Coin Popper Types – Some people like to “probe” out their target while it’s still in the ground, make contact with it, then use a popper to pop it out of the ground. Probes can be made of almost anything – old long shank screwdrivers, cut out of an fiberglass fishing rod etc, and can double for the popper. Excellent pinpointing skills are necessary here as well, as damage to the target can easily happen if not done right. Lots of practice is required!

Straight Spade - I have a 2′ long straight spade that i use in the bush and fields a lot. It’s fast and efficient. The spade itself is about 6″ wide, and 8″ long. I also have the handle marked with a sharpie up to 12″. I just simply carry it in my left hand whilst swinging with my right.

Trowel Type Diggers – These types of diggers are good for lawn and park hunting, where the ground is almost stone free, and where there are few obstructions you would expect to encounter in the ground. They are good for retrieving shallower finds, but because of the handle configuration, are not much good at any depth. But still, they are good diggers for some applications. They’re really good for exposing shallow layers – archaeologists really like ‘em.

Straight Blade Types – One of the diggers i built is a 12″ long, 1″ wide blade that is excellent for stabbing into the turf, making a quick turn of the wrist and POP! out comes a nice sized plug. The other digger I built is the same length, but has a 3″ wide rounded flat and serrated blade for the heavier yard and park digging. They both fit my needs and hunting style well. Some people also like to use the small serrated sheet rock saws for cutting through difficult roots.

The Butter Knife and Tablespoon Types – Well, I hope we never have to resort to using our table ware to dig with! However, old butcher knives that are purposely dulled are good turf diggers too. They are very quick to cut a plug out, and not to mention, a great crime deterrent! Imean, who’s gonna mess with a guy with a 14″ butcher knife in his back pocket? nobody.

Whatever digging tool you decide to purchase, make sure it fits the type of detecting you’re doing. obviously, i would never take a trowel digger into the woods with me, or take my straight spade into someone’s yard. each digger has it’s own purpose and application. Nothing will get you run off faster out of a man’s yard or out of a park than using the wrong digger for the job. Use your common sense and judgment. Would you want someone to dig up your yard with a wooden handle shovel? I think not. So, please use your best judgment and common sense and always remember to cover up your holes. It’s a good idea to occasionally check your diggers for wear, cracks, breaks, and even sharpen them once in a while. Anyone with a simple grinder or a file can do this. It prolongs your tool’s life and makes for easier digging. It’s also helpful to spray the handle or shank with bright orange paint like i have. That way, if you do happen to lose or drop your digger, then it will be much easier to find.

It seems not much is ever said about the digging tools we depend so heavily upon, so i thought it might be a good thing to open this topic to discussion. Remember, choosing the right digger, and taking care of it, is just as important as the machine you choose to use. If you take care of your digging tool it will take care of you. Good luck my friends, and happy hunting!

To hobbyists like us becoming proficient at metal detecting and maximizing our time out means everything. It means the difference between making a few good finds, or finding a pocket full of trash.

The first step to becoming successful at metal detecting period, is knowing your metal detector! You need to learn your metal detector inside and out. Learn its settings and what each setting does. There are other articles posted on our site that go in depth on this subject, this is not one of them! I will assume that you have been using your metal detector long enough and already know enough about your metal detector to tune it accordingly.

This tip is actually a vary simple concept that should be easy enough for anyone to grasp. So lets begin with one of the most important aspects of this metal detecting tip.

You need to set goals for each outing! Its that simple, set goals for each trip out and follow those goals as best you can. In order to do this you should take a couple things into consideration, the most important of which are where you will be metal detecting and what it is you would like to find. For example, if you will be metal detecting a turn of the century town square you will most likely be targeting old coins, so silver and other high registering metals should be on the top of your list. Where as if you are heading to the beach for a few ours of detection time your targets are most likely going to be of the gold jewelry variety. So targeting gold and lower hitting metals should be your goal for your time out.

Im sure you see where I am heading here, if not lets continue laying all of this out….

One of the biggest misconceptions in metal detecting circles around the globe is that you have to run your metal detector wide open and dig everything in or to be successful. This is just not true and especially not true to the hobbyist that has a very limited amount of time on his or her hands. To people like us discrimination is everything!

If you have a limited amount of time and you are metal detecting at the beach, hoping to find a nice piece of gold you dont want to waste your time digging a pocket full of clad. Eliminate clad out of your diet completely and dig only the targets that are potentially gold. By doing this you will not only maximize your time, you will also maximize area and improve your chances of finding gold.

This concept works extermely well for the hobbyist that is pressed for time, which includes the vast majority of us. If you fit into the person with allot on his or her plate category and dont have much time to go metal detecting I encourage you to give this a good run on your next few metal detecting trips. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at your results.

Great Exercise

Walking is one of the greatest exercises and one of our great pleasures. Geocaching offers us a walk with a purpose. It entices us to walk further, and most time unknowingly. Time and distance just seems to fade away. We look forward to ‘going Geo caching’ a whole lot more than ‘another walk around the block’! And, of course, there’s that mad dash when we spot the cache that really gets the blood flowing!

Quality Family Time

Geo caching offers a chance for us to participate in something together. Today’s schedules can get quite hectic and we find Geocaching is a great grounding point. We have also had the chance to share this with other family members and have had a great time. We have several friends with young families that Geocache and it’s a real treat to see the children’s eyes light up when you mention ‘treasure hunting’!

Items you want to take to the park are;

* Metal detector with at least a 6″ coil

*Flathead Screw driver or other digging instrument.

*String or rope to line out your search area.

*Sand Scoop for sand play box, volleyball court or any other play area with sand.

*Water for drinking. Maybe some snacks.

If you have lived in the area for a long time you have an advantage in locating some good older parks in your city.

Sit down and think about how certain location were 20, 30, 40 years ago. Maybe you went to a local school some 25 years ago. That would be a good place to start.

Later on I am going to tell you how we found gold in a city park, worth over $300.

I like coin shooting parks early in the morning. Not so many lookie lookers. Some of the best places to coin shoot at schools and parks are around and under swings, slides, jungle gyms and similar play ground equipment.
Basketball courts, Volleyball courts are very good. This is were the sand scoop comes in handy. Don’t forget any concession stands at the parks.

Before you map out your search, sit down and look over the search area. Visualize you doing what a person would be doing at the site. Lets use a volleyball court with sand base. The first area you want to search is around the
fringe of the court in the grass. People will sit along the edge to watch the amateurs play. When you get a hit, use your flat nose screw driver to push down to the item and rock it back and forth. This will generally move the coin or item to
the surface.

The next area of the court is in the sand. You can lay out some cord to do a grid search so you don’t overlook any section of the court. When you get a hit, use your sand scoop. We have found coins, jewelry, rings in many sand

courts.

Kids seam to have a lot of loose change these days, far cry from my days, when fifty cents let me in the movies, two hot dogs and a coke. Check under the swing sets, you can locate some nice change there.

Coin Shooting is fun. Takes patients and control but sometimes it pays big.

GROUND BALANCING. ## Some people seem to have problems with ground balancing a manual ground balance detector. To do this is really an easy operation. The first most important thing is not to think that it is going to be hard. If you do this you will only talk yourself into it and it will become hard. Ground balancing is a operation whereby you compensate for any ground effects that interfere with the detector being used. If this is not done properly, noises will be caused whilst detecting and the real targets will not be obvious.

The way I instruct people to learn this function is as follows and I believe it is an easy way to remember. I first set up the audio threshold so that you can just hear it. Next I instruct them to only listen to the threshold when the coil is being brought down towards the ground, indicating to never listen to what happens when the coil moves away from the ground. I then explain that it is like a radio, that is when the audio becomes to loud you turn it down and when it becomes quiet you turn it up. This is the same principal with metal detectors.

When bringing the coil down towards the ground and the audio threshold decreases, then turn the ground balance up, which is normally clockwise. If the audio threshold increases when the coil is being brought down towards the ground, try another spot just slightly away from that spot. The reason being that they may be trying to ground balance over a target. If it still increases, then turn the ground balance down. This is done until a very slight positive signal is obtained when the coil is being brought down towards the ground. This is a very slight increase in audio threshold. Most areas require a slight positive ground balance but we have found several areas in Victoria where a slightly negative ground balance is required.

With a manual ground balance detector, ground balance will have to be adjusted more often, if the ground mineralisation varies a lot. With an auto ground track detector, it optimises for ground effects (averages out ). With a manual ground balance, precise ground balance can be achieved but the operator must work at it. If remembering this way of ground balancing, that is if a radio is too loud you turn it down and if it’s too quiet you turn it up. This is exactly the same with detectors. The most important thing to remember, is to listen to the audio only when the coil is being moved towards the ground and never when the coil is moving away from the ground.

GENERAL MAINTENANCE. ## After using a detector, especially when beach hunting, pull the stems apart and wash them in fresh water. It’s surprising how many people fail to do this. If this is not done, after awhile the stem will seize due to sand binding them tight and sometimes will become virtually corroded together making it very hard to separate when required to do so. Its also a good idea to wipe the whole detector and coil over with a damp cloth using fresh water.

Always use a coil cover when detecting. It’s surprising how many people fail to do this. We often see units come in that have not used coil covers and the coils are in very poor condition. Usually we find the bottom of the coil extremely worn and even worse, the sealant joining the two halves of the coil together badly cracked or even the coils cracked. If moisture happens to enter the coil through these cracks. it could mean the end of the coil. If one intends to sell the detector at a later date, and the coils are damaged, don’t expect a good price as it makes it hard to resell in this condition.

If storing a detector away for any length of time, please remove the batteries. It’s still surprising how many detectors are coming in for repair due to batteries leaking. Battery leakage can cause severe damage to a detector and can become very expensive. Prevention is better than a cure and is also cheaper, so don’t leave any batteries in a unit when storing as you are only asking for trouble.

BEACH DETECTING. ## Detecting on the beach can be done with any detector, but if you are not using a detector designed for coin hunting you will have to dig every target. It is preferable to use a detector that has discrimination to eliminate some of these nuisance targets.

Using the older style T.R. discriminator, you must keep the coil at a constant height otherwise noises will be heard when the coil is moved up or down in relation to the ground surface. I found the best way to use these older style detectors was to detect in the ” All Metal ” mode ( known also as G.E.B. ) and when a target is detected, I would then switch to T.R discrimination and check the target. A technique called ” Scrubbing ” is really worth learning as you will find that you locate many more targets. I did this in both V.L.F. and T.R. mode. Scrubbing is where you keep the coil on the surface all the time. Make sure that you are using a coil cover, otherwise you will wear a hole through the coil. My coil covers use to last me about four months, but the extra targets I found more than paid for it.

When working the wet sand, always work towards the water and going away from the water. There are two main reasons for this. The first being when you move the coil left to right, the moisture contents of the sand will be more constant side to side than working parallel to the water. By working this way, it will reduce noises that are caused by the changes in moisture content. With motion detectors, which most coin machines are today, false signals can be obtained at the end of each swing if working parallel to the water. Working towards and away from the water should stop this. Another thing also to remember is not to use too much sensitivity, as this could also make the unit unstable as well. Most detectors these days have more sensitivity than is normally required.

The other reason is that if you work parallel to the water, you could be missing all the good targets. By working towards and away from the water, you will notice that usually a pattern will form on the good targets as well as the light rubbish. By observing this, sometimes you can actually discover where all the good targets are, and you can work this area. This can sometimes become very rewarding.