Metal detecting can present a lot of undiscovered treasures to individuals by using a high-quality metal detector. In this guide, we are going to discuss some of the best places that you can visit to find gold while metal detecting.
Sometimes you have to think outside of the box to find effective locations that could reveal gold. It’s important to do research and look into the history books, historical maps, and advice by locals for an opportunity to discover hidden treasures like gold.
One of the best places to metal detect for gold is near large bodies of water like rivers, ponds, and lakes. Sandy areas near bodies of water are some of the best places to metal detect for gold, as well as rocky areas that produce ore. If you are looking for gold coins and gold jewelry, old houses, and sites where old houses stood can be a great place to find gold.
There’s no exact science for being successful as a metal detector. If your ultimate goal is to track down gold, then you’re going to have to pay a visit to a location where gold has been in the past. The problem is that other people have likely visited these locations as well which reduces your overall chances of finding anything.
The ultimate goal is to find a secret location where large amounts of gold may have been in the past. This is a difficult formula but there are certainly many locations out there that could present you with the opportunity to find golden treasures.
If finding pure gold or gold ore is not your thing, consider the fact that you can find gold coins and jewelry in places like old homes, parks, and beaches.
Can You Really Find Gold With A Metal Detector?
Absolutely. Metal detectors pick up both ferrous and non-ferrous items, so gold will definitely be on the radar for a metal detector. Some people find small gold items like coins and jewelry and others use their detectors to find small nuggets of gold while gold prospecting.
They make specially equipped metal detectors for finding gold ore and chunks for prospecting. These metal detectors can cost quite a bit, however, for a serious gold prospector this can be an essential tool.
Top Locations To Find Gold With A Metal Detector
Finding gold can be an exciting achievement when metal detecting. Sometimes you can get lucky and come across valuable items like gold. In this section, we are going to take a look at a few possible locations where you might be able to find gold with your metal detector.
The Beach
Millions of items get thrown into the ocean every single year. Most of these items are trash, which is incredibly unfortunate for the ecosystems that live in the ocean. In addition to a whole lot of trash, sometimes somebody loses gold jewelry in the ocean and it can wash up somewhere on a beach.
Your local beach might be a great place to visit with your metal detector if you want to take a chance at finding a valuable gold object buried in the sand.
See our article for Can You Metal Detect on Beaches
Abandoned Gold Mines
There are thousands of abandoned gold mines across North America and metal detecting around any of these locations could present you with an opportunity to find gold. These are common locations that people visit but with thousands of them spread around the country, it’s possible that you could start searching around an abandoned gold mine and find something valuable nearby with your metal detector. Source.
Local Parks
If you don’t want to travel a long way with your metal detector to potentially find gold, then you still could have decent chances by visiting your local park. Sometimes families go to the park and lose coins, jewelry, or other valuable objects that could then be found by your metal detector.
Your Own Property
As crazy as it sounds, people have gone out on their property and searched for gold with their metal detectors. There have been some pretty impressive findings in people’s own backyards, but, likely, you might not come across anything too valuable unless you’re really lucky.
Where Can I Metal Detect for Gold for Free?
The best places to metal detect for gold without having to pay for access to land is to metal detect in public places, like beaches, parks, and other publically accessible areas. Some places might require a permit, so make sure to double-check the local laws in an area where you would like to hunt for gold.
I have found gold rings and other objects at swimming beaches, and even lakes where people swim. Public parks are probably my favorite place to metal detect for gold since most of them do not require a permit in my area.
How Much Hidden Gold Still Exists Above Ground?
There have been several attempts to determine how much hidden gold may exist above ground, ready to be discovered by a metal detector. It’s impossible to exactly predict how much gold may be hidden out in the wilderness somewhere. Hundreds of thousands of tons have already been mined by human beings and a small percentage of that has likely been lost or abandoned in locations that are accessible to metal detectors. California is still a great place to find gold, among other states. Source.
You also have to factor in the possibility of somebody losing a gold piece of jewelry. This happens every single day and these lost valuables can stay hidden for dozens of years before they are ever discovered. That’s why it’s very important to travel to locations where people may lose their jewelry. Common locations can be beaches, lakes, campgrounds, and parks.
See our article for Best Places to Metal Detect for Old Coins
Which Metal Detector Is Best For Finding Gold?
Two commonly used technologies are integrated into metal detectors. The two variants are “PI” (pulse induction) and “VLF” (very low frequency) metal detectors. A VLF metal detector is generally equipped with two separate coils. The transmitter coil is designed to send electrical signals into the ground. The other coil is recognized as the receiver coil.
Many VLF metal detectors are affordable, easy to operate, and they are still very effective at finding gold objects.
Once you are capable of using a VLF metal detector, you should be able to upgrade to a PI metal detector with a very minor learning curve. A Pulse Induction metal detector is a little bit different than a VLF metal detector. Instead of using two separate coils to send and receive signals in the ground, this type of metal detector is usually only equipped with a single-coil. These types of metal detectors are great for finding gold.
There are also metal detectors that specialize in finding gold! You can find those here.
See our article for Types of Metal Detectors
Final Thoughts
Going out on a treasure hunt with your metal detector can be exhilarating. While there are no guarantees that you’ll actually come across a valuable golden object, that possibility always exists and you never know what you are going to find. You might find lost objects that are extremely valuable and sometimes you may even find raw metals that happen to be extremely valuable.
If you intend to use your metal detector to find gold, then you should pay a visit to several of the recommended locations that we have listed above. These are some of the most common types of locations where people have found valuable objects with their metal detectors. There’s still a ton of gold hidden out in the world, just waiting to be discovered. Sometimes your metal detector can help you to find these hidden treasures in the most unexpected places.