8 Best Gold Metal Detectors In 2023

Yes, because gold is metal a normal metal detector can detect gold. Even some underwater metal detectors will give off readings for gold. What makes gold detectors different from regular metal detectors is that they are better equipped to find smaller sized targets in highly mineralized ground. This means you will have a better chance of finding small gold nuggets or even large gold flakes with a metal detector for finding gold.

Gold metal detectors may also have a few different features, like ground balance adjustments, which can make finding gold easier depending on the different locations that you are hunting in. These features are commonly what makes a gold detector the better choice over a regular metal detector for those who want some of those shiny, golden nuggets.

This will depend on the size of the target that you are looking for because the size of the coil directly affects the size of targets that a gold detector can find. Smaller sized coils are best for small targets because they are more sensitive. Smaller coils are also great for locations with a lot of trash, where you are looking for smaller sized targets. Larger coils can read deeper into the ground and quickly cover areas. However, you will lose the sensitivity of a small coil and large coils tend to struggle with high mineralization.

Along with size of the coil, there are two different types of coils to choose from too. Concentric coils have the best discrimination and are perfect for locations with a lot of trash. Widescan coils don’t have as high a level of discrimination but do a lot better with locations that have high ground mineralization. The best type of coil will depend on the specific location that you are hunting for gold in and the environment of that location.

Most gold detectors cannot search very deep into the ground because small gold nuggets won’t lie that deep in the soil. In the natural environment, you shouldn’t have to dig too deep to find small nuggets of gold, which means there is already a limit established. For some gold detectors, this will suit their needs and wants.

To give you an idea of depth, a gold nugget that is half the size of a grain will normally be found about two inches deep. A gold nugget the size of a match head may be found as deep as five inches and really large pieces of gold could be found deeper than a foot or more using Pulse Induction Technology. Ultimately, the size of the nugget will correlate to how deep it is found and the larger the nugget, the deeper it will be buried.

If you are a gold hunter who is out looking for large pieces of gold like bricks or you want to find hidden treasure chests, you will need a different type of detector. For deep seeking gold hunting enthusiasts, a two box metal detector should go the depth you need to find buried treasure. These types of detectors won’t find small pieces of gold but could possibly find large amounts of gold or silver that has been buried deeply in the ground.

Ground balancing is a setting that you can adjust on a gold detector, which increases the technology’s detection depth in mineralized ground. The ground will likely have a lot of other metals or elements, like salt, which will trigger or respond to the detector’s transmit field in the same way that gold would. You’ll likely get a lot of false readings, which can be frustrating because mineralization can hide small pieces of gold.

Most modern gold detectors will use an automatic ground balance, which means the detector will choose the best setting for you. This is a quick and convenient way to use your metal detector for finding gold, but it can also cause problems when you want to make manual adjustments for mineralization. Manual is a great option to have when you want to really learn how to maximize your chance of finding gold. Other detectors use a tracking ground balance, which means the gold detector will continuously scan and adjust the ground balance for you.

Ultimately, you will need a ground balance feature to ensure that you are picking up and reading the small pieces of gold that you are searching for and that discrimination doesn’t become a huge problem or waste your time with you digging up worthless items. The ground balance feature can really help gold hunters increase their chances of finding small pieces of gold and ultimately making gold hunting an exciting hobby.

This is always the big question of gold hunters and once that doesn’t come with an easy answer. Even with the best metal detector for gold, every location is different, and the wrong place will have you detecting nothing. For light hobbyists, using a gold detector can just be a fun activity, whether they find gold or not. For serious gold enthusiasts, they will likely have maps and details about the best areas or locations to find gold.

The best answer for finding gold is to do your research and try to find details about gold producing areas near you. You may find information in books, online, or even gold metal detector reviews. You can also just take a chance and start by searching your local parks for a fun and easy day getting into the swing of gold prospecting.

Whether a gold detector is legal in the USA will actually depend on the state that you are in and the specific area that you are in. Overall, the USA doesn’t have a yes or no answer to whether a gold detector is legal because in some parts it may be legal and other parts illegal. This is why it is important to check the area that you are in and what laws are tied to any metal or gold detectors.

If you are in a specific state, you may want to do a quick search about whether gold detectors are legal in the state. Usually, if they are legal in a state, there are a few areas where it is safe to try your luck. Parks and beaches can be great places to try using your detector. If you have private property, you can always try finding anything buried there, but be very careful of not crossing over into private property that isn’t yours.

You should also be wary of government owned properly like state parks because gold detecting may not be legal. In some state parks it is legal, but you are not allowed to disturb any geological, archeological, plants, or animal remains to get the treasure underneath. Other laws may state that you are allowed to use a metal detector for gold and silver, but any holes that you create must be refilled. One area that is forbidden to search across all of the USA is National Parks. In our National Parks it is illegal to use any type of gold, metal, or deep searching detectors.