Where is the best place to metal detect?
Verdict summary
The best places to metal detect are where many people gathered over a long time: old homesites, parks, schoolyards, fairgrounds, swimming holes, beaches, picnic grounds, old roads and stage stops. Historic maps show where these places were, even when nothing is visible today.
Compare an old topographic map or aerial photo with today's satellite view to find farmsteads, churches, schools and camps that have gone. Always get permission on private land and check local rules in parks.
Sources: USGS historical topographic maps; Historic aerial photographs.
How do you find old house sites? Old house sites show on historic maps as small black squares, and on the ground as foundations, cellar holes, chimney falls, old wells, and non-native plants such as lilacs, daffodils, yucca or fruit trees. LiDAR reveals foundations and old roads hidden under forest.
Can you metal detect on the beach? Usually yes: most public beaches allow metal detecting, and beaches are among the best places to find lost jewellery and coins. Some beaches are off-limits, including those in national parks and seashores and in some state parks, and some areas restrict digging in dunes or protected habitat.
How deep can a metal detector detect? Most hobby metal detectors find coin-sized objects down to about 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 inches) in typical soil. Larger objects can be detected deeper, and pulse-induction machines and large coils reach further, while mineralised soil reduces depth.
Primary sources cited
- USGS historical topographic maps
- Historic aerial photographs