Guides & Learning Center

What to look for in a kids' metal detector by age, how much to spend, the extra gear they need, and how to make the first hunt a success.

Who owns the land decides the rules. National parks, national forests, BLM land, state parks, city parks, beaches and private land explained.

Texas beaches, state parks, city parks, Corps of Engineers lakes and private land each have different rules. Where you can detect and who to ask.

Typical metal detector prices from kids' models to gold detectors, what each price range buys you, the accessories to budget for, and how much you really need to spend.

Yes, but it depends on the gold, the ground and the detector. How small and how deep detectors find gold, which types work best, and where to look.

The four settings that matter on almost every detector, what each one does, and simple starting points so your first hunts are quiet, steady and productive.

A pinpointer is the one accessory almost every detectorist says they should have bought sooner. Here is what it does, when you can skip it, and what to look for.

VLF and pulse induction detectors solve different problems. Here is how each one works, where each one wins, and how to tell which your ground needs.

Florida beaches, state parks, county parks and the water each have different rules. Here is where you can detect, where you can't, and who to ask.