Making The Most Of Your Money

Finding Buried Treasure – A Coin Collector's Guide To Finding Deeply Buried Coins With A Metal Detector

23 June 2016 by Glen Robinson

There are many great reasons to own and use a metal detector, especially if you are a coin collector. The thrill of hearing the various tones and the excitement of getting your hands in the dirt to see what amazing piece of metal you found is quite a rush. But it can be hard to find coins that are buried deep, which is often where the oldest and rarest coins can be found. Can you imagine digging up a ancient coin that hasn't been held by human hands in a hundred or more years? It's this type of hype that turns amateur metal detectorists into dedicated coin collectors. Keep reading to learn how you can find those special coins that are buried deeply in the earth.

Choose A Spot

First things first, you need to choose an area to hunt for rare and old coins. Look at old maps to find colonial homesteads, old farms, or ancient battlegrounds. Areas rich in history are good choices. Before you start swinging your metal detector, check with the local authorities to make sure it's okay you hunt there. If needed, obtain permission from the property owner. Then, pick a small area of about 2-square feet to concentrate your search in. Then, slowly start sweeping your metal detector over the ground, hugging it like bee looking for pollen. Go over the same area several times and listen for any signal emitting from your metal detector. A faint bleep may be the only sign of something amazing under your foot.

Listen For The Right Signal

Since you are looking for the deep coins, listen for quiet signals that are narrow. Now go back over the same area, and focus on 1-square foot of ground at a time. When you hear a signal, slow down the swing of your detector and hone in on the exact spot of the buried item. You will notice that if you move the metal detector by as little as a half inch, the signal will be gone. 

You are looking for a "round" signal, which means the beep will have the same tone and characteristics no matter what angle you scan it. It should also have well-defined edges, which means it begins and ends at obvious points, instead of hesitating, fluttering, and fading in and out. Always dig up these "round" signals. Sometimes they are coins, sometimes they are junk. But never assume either one, as you could miss out on a rare or interesting find.

Tuning Your Metal Detector To Get More Depth

If you are a serious coin collector with a metal detector, then make sure your detector is equipped with a manual threshold adjustment, manual ground balance, and adjustable sensitivity knobs. Put your detector into discriminate mode and turn the threshold clockwise until it won't turn anymore. Your hits will be louder, and deep items will sound like they are just below the surface. Set the ground balance to neutral or slightly negative to decrease the chances of false signals. Play around with this each time you take your machine out, because the best setting depends on the soil conditions. Turn the sensitivity dial up, but not so high that you are getting false signals. Depending on your specific machine, you want to be in the red zone or 3/4^th of the way around.

With these tips, you will be well on your way to digging those coins deep in the ground to add to your coin collection. Before you know it, you could be the envy of coin collectors around the world. To learn more about coin collectors in your area, visit their website.  

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