Six Myths about Metal Detectors that Are Costing You Money

Recycle and Refine GoldRecycle Precious Metals
Written By Barry Lenson

A lot of people buy metal detectors, take them out to the beach once or twice, then stick them in a closet or a garage because they didn’t find anything. In our informed opinion, that is a mistake.

Here are some common misunderstandings about metal detectors that could actually be robbing you of the dollars you and your detector could be making every day you head outdoors to do some hunting.

Myth One: “I bought a low-end detector that is too weak to find anything.”

This can be a costly mistake. It is true that an expensive, top-of-the-line metal detector can find metal items that are further below ground. But even low-end detectors can often find items that are not deeply buried, and in softer earth and sand. In other words, you can take even a cheap detector to the beach and find lost items of jewelry and other items people lose every day. So dust off that cheap detector you bought and head out today. And if you start finding bits and pieces of jewelry, lost cellphones, and other items with your cheap detector, you can always upgrade. There are many varieties of gold scrap to be found.

Myth Two: “Nobody really finds anything valuable with a metal detector.”

This is completely false. A website called Recent Metal Detecting Finds is only one place where metal detector enthusiasts post photos of the coins, jewelry, and other items they found. Take a look at it. It’s inspiring. And the fact is that if you take your detector out this weekend, you too will probably have some discoveries to report.

Myth Three: “The beach is the only place to use my detector to find lost items.”

Sure, beaches are great places to find lost items of jewelry, for a very good reason. It’s because large numbers of people visit beaches most every day during the warmer months, where they lose all kinds of things. But there are plenty of other areas where metal detector enthusiasts are finding treasures every day. They include the sites of old buildings, the areas near walls that surround graveyards, and even open fields where buildings or wells were once located. Civil War battlefields are another place to find treasure with your detector.

Myth Four: “Metal detectors can only find ferrous metals.”

Just to review, ferrous metals are metals that contain iron – metals like iron, and steel. We do not know where this idea came from, but we have heard people voicing it. In fact, metal detectors can find non-ferrous metals that include gold, silver, and even aluminum. If it is made of metal, your metal detector can find it.

Myth Five: “Anything you find with a metal detector belongs to you.”

Unfortunately, this is not the case. So before you go prospecting with your detector, talk to the person or entity that owns the land where you will go hunting. If you go hunting in a cemetery that is owned by a church, for example, the items you find there could well belong to that church. If you go hunting on a Civil War battlefield that is a National park, talk to a ranger. Yes, it is fun to find interesting historical items and turn them over to the organization that owns the land where you found them. But it is even more fun to find items that belong to you and that put money in your pocket.

Myth Six: “Metal detectors cannot find platinum.”

This is wrong. Metal detectors can find platinum items that are buried underground or covered with sand. The thing is, people who use detectors don’t find these items very often, because statistically speaking, they are rare. For every 100 pieces of gold jewelry that are dropped on a beach, for example, maybe one platinum engagement ring is lost. (That is just an estimate.)  

And When You Find Something, Call Us!

We are always excited to speak with metal detector users who call us to talk about the coins, jewelry, and other items they have found during their explorations. We are here to test your discoveries, tell you what metals they contain and if you choose, recycle them and pay you the full amount of money that you are due.

Give us a call at 800-426-2344 to tell us about your finds. And until we hear from you, happy hunting!

Barry Lenson
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