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How to Find Old Coins With a Metal Detector

Collecting old or antique coins is a popular hobby. It can be fun and exciting when you find a new coin or when you discover that a coin in your collection is a rare find that could be worth quite a bit of money. One way that coin collectors find old coins is by locating them in the ground, on beaches or in shallow waters with a metal detector.

Things You'll Need

Metal detector
Sack

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase a metal detector. Metal detectors can be purchased online or in specialty shops in your area. Expect to spend about $200 for a quality metal detector. This may seem like a lot, but coin collecting is an investment. Your metal detector will help you increase this investment.
- 2
  Decide where you want to search for old coins. Common areas include schoolyards, parks, beaches or even your own backyard. Don't limit yourself to just one place. Search all over your town or plan a trip with friends to search for old coins. Look over a map of the area before traveling there to get an idea of how much ground you'll need to cover.
- 3
  Turn on your metal detector. Once you've reached your destination, follow the manufacturer's instructions for turning on your metal detector. Most metal detectors aren't complicated and require very little effort to turn on.
- 4
  Walk slowly in straight lines across the area where you're looking. Be strategic about how you walk to make sure you cover all the ground. You don't want to skip certain areas or overlap areas where you've already looked. Walking in straight lines will help, but don't forget to look in crevices and under logs or bushes when possible.
- 5
  Put the coins you find in a small sack to keep track of them while you search for more. Make sure the sack closes tightly and doesn't have any holes in it. You want the old coins you find to stay secure.

Coin Collecting