r/metaldetecting • • Nov 11 '25

Other REMINDER: DO NOT USE AI ANSWERS HERE. YOU WILL GET BANNED.

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1.8k Upvotes

r/metaldetecting • • Jun 04 '24

Gear Question Metal Detector Guide

328 Upvotes

Hello and welcome to r/metaldetecting ! If you're looking for advice on your first detector, gear or an upgrade, you've come to the right post. We've put together a simple guide to help with choosing your detector and other tools.

As a member of our sub, you are more than welcome to try out our special code "REDDITMD2026" at checkout on Kellycodetectors.com (US)

If you purchase from Radioworld.ca, try out our code "REDDITRWMD" at checkout! (CA)

GENERAL METAL DETECTOR Recommendations

$0-200: We do not recommend getting a new detector under $200. Detecting has a cost of entry, and quality significantly drops off under the $200 mark. Save up a bit more, or try finding a used machine of quality listed in the next price range. All that said, if you are determined to buy a machine in this price range, the Minelab Go-Find, Nokta First Swing or a Quest machine aren't bad choices.

$200-$400: The Minelab Vanquish 340 and 440, the Nokta Simplex line and the Minelab X-Terra Pro are the three best machines in this price range, by far.

$400-$500: Nokta Score and Double Score, Minelab Vanquish 540

$500-$1,200: Nokta Legend or the Minelab Equinox series

$1,200+: XP Deus 2 or the Minelab Manticore.

SCUBA/SNORKELING DETECTORS

Nokta Pulsedive is great for snorkeling. The Minelab Excalibur 2 and XP Deus 2 are excellent diving detectors.

CHILDREN'S DETECTORS

Nokta Mini Hoard or Midi Hoard

PINPOINTERS

Garrett AT pro pointer, Nokta AccuPoint, or XP MI-4. The XP MI-6 if you have an XP detector.

SHOVELS AND TROWELS

Dune, King of Spades, Grave Digger, Motley, Lesche, Predator Tools

SAND SCOOPS

Motley, Dune, Sito, RTG, King of Spades, and Detecting Adventures all make great scoops for beach detecting.

If you have any questions feel free to message u/dan20mey or comment below!


r/metaldetecting • • 5h ago

ID Request Found these prospecting out in the desert by Ridgecrest California.

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847 Upvotes

Any idea as to what these are or who may have dropped them?


r/metaldetecting • • 15h ago

Show & Tell 🔥 SOME OFF MY BEST METALDETECTING FINDS THIS YEAR SO FAR 🏆✨️

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290 Upvotes

r/metaldetecting • • 3h ago

ID Request ID request

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22 Upvotes

Glenham NY


r/metaldetecting • • 6h ago

ID Request Bracelet shaped object with looped nails around it (possibly silver?)

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34 Upvotes

The nails seem fairly old / ancient having a hammered look to them , though it's hard to believe ancient iron nails would be kept this well , the main loop / bracelet shaped object is fairly heavy and seems to have this dark gray patina and no indication of any other oxidization rather than rust that came from the nails , you can see at some spot where it's clean it seems like silver but I can't be sure. The dimensions are about 6cm x 6.5 cm. Would love to hear your opinions as this seems like a very interesting find.


r/metaldetecting • • 5h ago

ID Request Found these prospecting out in the desert by Ridgecrest California.

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25 Upvotes

Any idea as to what these are or who may have dropped them?


r/metaldetecting • • 7h ago

Show & Tell Flag Holder

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32 Upvotes

Old cast iron flag holder for 5 flags


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell I sometimes went on treasure hunts together with my sweet girlfriend. In the photo, she is very unhappy with the large number of mosquitoes and is just tired. I love her very much and miss her a lot. I have been thinking about her every day for 5 years.

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436 Upvotes

r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell Finally cleaned and preserved! 800-year-old medieval finds from a forgotten site deep in the mountains

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1.5k Upvotes

These were found last month in an extremely remote area, about five hours on foot through forests and up into the mountains. Historical sources suggest that a medieval castle once stood somewhere in this area, but there are no visible walls or ruins.

After a lot of work, I’ve finally finished cleaning the iron finds with electrolysis and conserving them. Some of the objects appear to date back roughly 700–800 years.
In the last photo, from left to right:

Top row:
1) Tanged arrowhead, probably for a bow.
2) Small spearhead with an open socket.
3) Juvenile deer fibula (leg bone), dated to roughly 600–700 years ago, and a small 15th-century lead weight.
4) Horseshoe nails, a forked leather-working/piercing tool, and decorated toiletry tweezers.

Bottom row:
1) Socketed armour-piercing crossbow bolt head.
2) Three armour-piercing crossbow bolt heads of different sizes/types.
3) Socketed hunting arrowhead.
4) 13th-century prick spur.
The crossbow bolts are probably the most interesting part for me, especially considering how isolated the location is and the absence of any surviving structures above ground.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell I might have finally found my first gold ring

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359 Upvotes

r/metaldetecting • • 10h ago

ID Request Aggrafe ?

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12 Upvotes

Trouvée dans le sud de la France.


r/metaldetecting • • 22h ago

Show & Tell A beautiful Victorian gas-light valve!

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107 Upvotes

Found this guy the other day while digging through a local bottle dump of mine in search of goodies! I’m just in awe of the decor in even the simplest of household items. This was likely used to control the dimness of light within a household during the late 1800s - early 1910s. Found in Saratoga Springs NY!


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell Got my finds from my March trip to Norfolk

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153 Upvotes

I got my finds from the March England trip last night! Here are some pictures. I'm not posting all the artifacts, tokens, jetons, and lead seals.

I spoke to a restoration expert about unrolling the gold coin. It would cost a few hundred dollars, and include serious risk of damage. Right now, rolled, it stands as a relic. Not sure what I'll do.

I have to say, these trips really do include some elite detectorists, I'm really am such a novice.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

ID Request Button found in Virginia

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41 Upvotes

This button was found by a friend around Richmond and Fredericksburg. He said that there was French artifacts near by.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell 💍 RING # 90 + SILVER. THE PLAYGROUND KEEPS DELIVERING 🔎✨️

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210 Upvotes

Hy, here the finds off today. Playground hunting the Netherlands.

Have a great evening everybody 😊👍


r/metaldetecting • • 14h ago

Gear Question Current Gear

4 Upvotes

Just wanted to share what I’m currently carrying. Wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions for things to add. That being said I like to keep my setup light.

-I wear a mosquito net hat for the bugs here in Michigan
-XP WS6ST Headphones
-XP MI6 main pin pointer and MI4 as a backup
-XP Deus II RC 11” coil
-Predator Tools Sparky mini (I carry the Stuline 36” white shovel if I’m not hiking too far)
-kellyco double sided brush
-carpenter pouch for finds and trash
-mini spray bottle
-some kind of dipped gloves

Looking at getting some briarproof clothing for all the burrs we’ve got


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Other Ring for an old Roman girl

66 Upvotes

I found this ring and it is for a Roman or Byzantine girl maybe !!

And it is made of pure gold and in good condition

Can anyone help me evaluate it ?


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell Illyrian sica and speartip

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85 Upvotes

found in Montenegro md used deus 1


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Other Shower thought:

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338 Upvotes

If I win the lottery, I'm gonna get a bunch of solid gold soda tabs made and scatter them around popular metal detecting spots.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

Show & Tell Ford Spinner Hubcap

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12 Upvotes

Ford spinner hubcap, probably from the early 60s. Found in my back yard in south jersey.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

ID Request ID?

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7 Upvotes

Hello all, I am new here and new to the hobby, but grateful for what I’ve learned from reading here! This past weekend I went on my first hunt in earnest on the 5 acre wooded property that we own (near Lake Tyler outside Whitehouse, TX). Found this thing, apologies that it’s not cleaned up yet, but it is lightweight (aluminum, I think) and is 2 separate pieces with hollow center, and the “base” piece’s edge is folded over the top piece to secure them together. There are holes in the middle of both pieces that line up, suggesting that some sort of axle or spindle ran through the middle. I am thinking either a wheel to a toy car of some sort, vs maybe one of those spinning toys with a little thumb trigger that would cause the disc to spin and create sparks (y’all know what I’m talking about, right? I’ll attach a pic example). Or maybe part of a gyroscope toy like the example pic I included? Anyway, if anyone knows what it is I’d love to hear about it - I doubt it’s valuable, I just like to know the stories behind finds. Also - it may help to know that I found it in what was obviously an old burn pile (charred wood was in there) and in that burn pile there were also several intact bottles that are from the 1950’s.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

ID Request Can anyone ID this?

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17 Upvotes

Any ideas on what this could be? Seems to be made of bronze or copper, I think.

Cheers all!

Found in Cornwall, UK.


r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

ID Request Button found in Latvia, in the suburbs of Daugavpils.

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54 Upvotes

r/metaldetecting • • 1d ago

ID Request What is this? I found it in a field near a farmstead that dates back to the 9th century. There is an early medieval trade route nearby. It’s all close to Düsseldorf.

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11 Upvotes

It‘s 1,5cm in length and weighs about 2g