Metal Detecting Guides & Reviews

Cleaning the wrong coin the wrong way can wipe out its collector value. Learn how to sort your finds, gentle methods by metal type and what to avoid.

Civil War relic hunting is legal mainly on private land with permission. Learn the federal and state rules, how to research camps and routes, and how to hunt safely and respectfully.

Old maps, land records, newspapers and lidar can lead you to forgotten homesteads. Here is a step-by-step research workflow and the field signs that confirm a site.

Old coins turn up where people gathered and handled money for decades. Here are 15 proven site types, how to evaluate them, and which places are off-limits.

UIG's Gold Digger is a VLF detector; the Ground Scanner and Watch Detector are 3D imaging devices. Here is how their manufacturer-stated specs compare and who each one fits.

What BR Systems says the Gold Step Pro Max does, how its 3D imaging and live-scan functions work in practice, and who this ground-scanning detector realistically suits.

BR Systems' three long-range gold locators compared on manufacturer-stated detection systems, calibration and design, with honest notes on how long-range technology should be used.

Mega Detection's Mega Scan Pro and Gold Star 3D Scanner compared on manufacturer-stated sensors, systems and software, with realistic notes on what scanners can show.

Mega Detection's Infinity Max Pro packs 12 manufacturer-stated search systems into one kit. Here is how they map to the sensors in the box and who the platform suits.