Discover the Best Places to Metal Detect

Metal detecting is the art of thrilling treasure hunts. It can turn your walk into an exciting treasure. Finding the right place is essential whether you’re a curious beginner or a seasoned detectorist. In this article, we will learn about the 30 best places to metal detect. From historic battlefields to sandy beaches, these locations are valuable finds for treasure hunts.

Beaches: Prime Metal Detecting Spots

Beaches are the most famous places for tourists to visit. Millions of people visit beaches each year and accidentally lose valuable items like coins, jewelry, and keys in the sand. The tide can bury these, but it can also back them onto the shore.

Necklaces, watches, sunglasses, gold rings, and even historical artifacts are potential finds on beaches. The best times to use metal detectors are early morning and after a storm.

Old Homesteads for Hidden Treasures

Long gone homes or Abandoned homes are valuable collections of old coins, historical relics, and households. Over time, items from former residents were left behind or lost.

The potential finds on old homesteads are old tools, relics, coins, and even household objects or furniture from bygone eras. You must use historical maps to track homesteads that are no longer visible.

Why Parks Are Great for Metal Detecting

Parks are the gathering spots for families, festivals, and picnics. Many people visit parks yearly, making it one of the best places to metal detect. Depending on the park’s age, you can get toys, jewelry, coins, and relics.

Try to detect near picnic areas, older trees, and walking paths, as these spots had the most consistent foot traffic. So if you want to detect metal, then you must include parks.

Civil War Battlefields for Detectorists

The American Civil War left many artifacts, including buttons, personal items from soldiers, and bullets. Potential finds on Civil War battlefields include cannonballs, bullets, buttons, belt buckles, and even personal items like old coins.

Try to check for restrictions because many battlefields are protected. Almost 6-7 years ago, I watched a show named “Americal Digger” every day. The show is hosted on the Discovery channel. I recommend watching this show to learn about metal detectors on Civil War battlefields.

Relics at Old Churches

Churches have been places of gathering for centuries, making them the perfect place for finding religious artifacts, coins, and personal items. You can get coins, jewelry, historical items, and religious relics here.

Try to focus on walkways, under large trees, and churchyards. It can be heard from people who once upon a time hid various treasures under trees. So here you can test your luck.

Farmlands: Rich Ground for Finds

Farmland is one of the most perfect places for metal detectors. Because these places have been worked on for centuries you can get old farming tools, buttons, coins, and artifacts related area’s history.

Take permission from landowners before detecting. Watch the Americal Digger show to learn about farmland metal detecting. In this show, you will learn how to talk with landowners and how to deal with them.

Detecting in Rivers and Creeks

In the past rivers and creeks were essential for trade and transportation. They lost many items in the rivers or creeks water. Traders may have dropped tools or coins along these waterways. So here there is a maximum chance of getting tools, coins, relics, and historical items from traders. But try to focus on areas fording points. Also, try where people would have gathered or crossed.

Playgrounds: Small Treasures Await

This is one high-traffic area. Children and parents often lose their coins, toys while playing, and small jewelry here. So here is a maximum chance of getting small jewelry like rings and earrings, modern coins, and even toys.

Try to detect underwinds, branches, and slides because these are common areas for dropping things. If you choose evening time, it could be the best place to metal detect.

Fairgrounds and Valuable Finds

Fairgrounds is a crowded place where people have lost their jewelry, coins, and small items. Fair events often go back decades; what people drop can remain buried.

The potential finds on fairgrounds are coins, small jewelry, tokens, and other valuable items. If you want fresh drops, visit just after the fair ends. The place won’t be crowded.

Old Inn and Taverns for Treasure

From 1700 to 1800, Inns and taverns were busting with visitors. While stopping for a drink or a night’s rest, travelers often lost their buttons, coins, and small items.

So here is the maximum chance of getting old coins, personal items from guests, relics, and buttons. But you must take permission from property owners and focus on areas like gardens and paths.

Abandoned Railroads: Hidden Artifacts

Railroads were very famous during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Travelers and workers may have dropped tools, coins, or other items waiting or working at the stations.

The potential finds on fairgrounds are old coins, buttons, railroad artifacts, railroad tokens, and many other things. You should look for rail crossings and old stations where workers or passengers gathered.

Exploring Old Battlefields

The Revolutionary War and earlier conflicts, often dropped buttons, bullets, and other personal effects from combat and soldiers. You may find military insignia, items from soldiers, buttons, and musket balls here.

Some spots have restrictions, so always be aware of research law. Try to look for less-famous skirmishes nearby. The most common palaces for old battlefield metal detectors are Saratoga National Historical Park, the New York Revolutionary War site, and South Carolina. So Old Battlefields can be one of the best places to metal detect.

Finding Treasure in Schoolyards

Children always lose their things in school, so schools may have toys, jewelry, and coins dropped by children over the years. Coins, jewelry, and sometimes toys are potential finds on fairgrounds. Try to look for spots with older schools to metal detect. The most common palaces for schoolyard metal detectors are New York City Historical School, Concord Academy, and Horace Mann School.

Deserted Mining Towns

Ghost towns rush with gold and silver across the American West. These towns were abandoned, leaving behind tools, coins, and other relics. Here you may find mining tools, equipment, old coins, and personal items left behind by miners.

You must research ghost towns in the state. Focus on the areas around banks and old houses.

Metal Detecting on Sports Fields

Sports playgrounds attract large crowds during games. Spectators often lose their coins, jewelry, and watches during these games. So most probably you will find here jewelry, coins, and sports memorabilia. Try to detect on sidelines, areas where fans gather, and bleachers. The most common palaces for sports field metal detectors are Wrigley Field, Chicago, Fenway Park, and Boston.

Fishing Piers: Dropped Valuables

Here people try to catch fish and often drop items like keys, jewelry, and coins into the water while fishing. Even they can lose their items on the surrounding shore or pier.

So most probably you will find here fishing gear, Jewelry, coins, and small valuable items. Your priority should waster then focus on the edges of the pier and where people often sit to fish. The most common palaces for fishing pier metal detectors are California, Texas, and Santa Monica Pier, California.

Old Campsites: Relics of the Past

Early hunters and settlers used camp for rest and sometimes they often left behind their old tools, relics, and coins. So The potential funds of old campsites are tools, coins, and relics related to early hunting and camping. Try to focus on areas near trails and fire pits area where people might have set up camp.

Finding Under Old Bridges

People crossing bridges over the centuries often lose their items like tools and coins. Time and water can erode the sound under and around the bridge, exposing these things.

So most probably you will find here coins, buttons, and small valuable items. The most common palaces for old bridge metal detectors are the Golden Gate Bridge, in San Francisco, and the Brooklyn Bridge, in New York City.

Boat Launches: Key, Coins, and More

While people docking or launching their boats, often lose keys, coins, and valuable things on the water. Because of the hustle and bustle of loading and unloading boats can lost items in onshore or water.

You can find coins, keys, jewelry, and boating-related items in the water or onshore. Try to detect near docks, parking areas, and the water’s edge. People drop items here. It could be one of the best places to metal detect for you.

Fields Near Old School

School fields are usually used for recess, sports, and activities. So children and guardian often lose their valuable things here. So most probably you will find here coins, jewelry, old toys, and school-related items. Sports fields, picnic areas, and playground equipment are the best places in old-school fields for metal detecting.

Old Hunting Grounds

These have been used by Native Americans, early hunters, and settlers. Bank then these were good places to hide something. So you may find here coins, bullets, tools, and personal valuable items.

But you must research before you select a place like historic hunting trails and campgrounds. Also, search around clearing and fire fits.

Treasure in Swimming Holes

A swimming hole is a natural swimming spot that has been used for centuries. Visitor often loses their coins, jewelry, and other personal items in the swimming hole or on the surrounding banks.

Most probably you will find here coins, rings, necklaces, and other valuable things lost by swimmers. Try to focus on where people enter or leave the water.

Circus and Carnival Sites

Carnival and circus sites attract large crowds. People often lose their small valuable items here. So most probably you will find here carnival tokens, small jewelry, coins, and something valuable. Don’t forget to check the ground where food stands and rides were set up. Because these areas are most busiest palaces during these events.

Construction Sites for Hidden Finds

When a property is excavated for new construction, people bury items from previous occupants. So those places are one of the best options for finding tools, old coins, buttons, and even personal items. If you want to start metal detectors in private construction sites, always ask for permission from the property owner. Don’t miss old buildings which were demolished.

Old Marketplaces: Coin and Relics

Early marketplaces were central hubs for activity for bartering, buying, and selling. Here too many coins and items were lost. So most probably you will find here trading tokens, tools, old coins, and relics. A historical map can help you to locate the old marketplace. Try to focus on nearby stalls or where people gather.

Ghost Towns: Rich in Forgotten History

Ghost towns are remnants of the American gold rush, historical events, and mining booms. People left behind a wealth of items, from personal belongings to coins.

Most probably you’ll find here tools, old coins, household items, and relics. Always focus on building stands such as stores, homes, and saloons.

Exploring Woods and Forests

Hikers, hunters, and travelers used trails, campsites, and clearings in forests for centuries. Most probably you will find old hunting gear, tools, and sometimes items that were left behind by early settlers. You should search around campsites and old trails.

Old Roads and Pathways

Trails and roads those used by early travelers, traders, and settlers, may hide tools, coins, or something valuable. So most probably you will find here buttons, tools, coins, and somethings larger relics from carriages. Try to focus on rest stops, intersections, and areas where travelers might have set or rest. Chimney Rock, Nebraska, and Route 66 are the most popular spots for metal detectors. So Old old roads and pathways can be one of the best places to metal detect.

Metal Detecting at Old Military Bases

Old Military Bases are rich in history. These places may contain buttons, bullets, and other military items left by soldiers. So the most potential finds of Old military bases are bullets, old weapons, buttons, and personal items from soldiers. Try to search near frill fields, parade grounds, and barracks. Don’t forget to take legal access, or you will be in jail.

Exploring Historical Sites

Historical sites often contain artifacts and relics. Most potential finds of historical sites are buttons, relics, coins, and some things personal from early inhabitants. Don’t forget to take permissions as most of them are protected.

I hope you read through this article about the best places to metal detect and it’ll help you to find the perfect place for you. Join with 5000+ people to get a weekly free newsletter. Now it’s time to hear from you. Share your experience if you have any.