Metal Detecting For Beginners

Metal Detecting for beginners is something I have wanted to write about for a while. Over Christmas my husband and I binge watched the BBC series ” The Detectorists” we also watched “The Dig” and we both quickly became fascinated with British history. We normally have completely different hobbies. Dave likes fishing and tinkering around in his man-shed, while I enjoy writing, crocheting or binging a good tv series. Discovering metal detecting has really brought us closer together and given us a hobby we can both enjoy. We have always been big history buffs, but now we have a real interest in finding and collecting our own little pieces of history .

We are still very new to the hobby, but here I will tell you all the things we have learned over the past year of becoming detectorists!

Watch You Tube Videos

Almost everything we learned about detecting, we learned from this iconic duo! Watching their hilarious videos will not only teach you about what tones you should be listening out for, they will also have you in fits of laughter. These guys are honestly like the Ant & Dec of metal detecting. They just seem to bounce off each other with the constant banter! I highly recommend you subscribe and watch their videos. Morley who owns Detecting Somerset, also runs The National Ring Recovery Service. Offering FREE help to find lost jewellery and valuables. They simply ask for a voluntary donation to their fund raising for Cystic Fibrosis. Morley and The National Ring Recovery Service even featured on Sarah Beeny’s “New Life In The Country” When Sarah’s husband lost his ring, they came to the rescue and recovered it! How bloody cool is that! Anyway, if you want to learn the best tips and tricks, You Tube videos are the way to go!

Metal Detecting For Beginners – What You Will Need

Metal Detector

I highly recommend making sure this is the right hobby for you before you rush into buying a detector. This is quite an expensive hobby when it come to equipment. If possible, get a friend who owns a detector to take you out a few times before you commit to anything. When you come to buy a detector, do your research. We both went for the Vanquish 540 as it’s simple and easy to use. It’s a great little machine. Minelab is a well known brand in the detecting world. Make sure when you buy your detector you buy from a well-known brand. Buying something cheap and cheerful probably won’t even find you a ring pull.

Pin pointer

You will also need a pin pointer. You really do need one. We tried detecting without one in the beginning and it took aaaaagesss just to find a bottle top. A pin pointer will help you locate your find in the hole or in the dirt or sand you have already dug out. We both went for the Garrett aka Garrett the carrot.

Spade and Hand Held Digger

Obviously you will need a spade to dig up your finds, but if you’re just starting out, you don’t need anything fancy. Any old spade from your local hardware store will work. We also got a plastic cat litter scooper for the beach which works great and was only £2! We did later treat ourselves to a couple of root slayers which have come in handy in the dryer months. I do really recommend The Root Slayer when you are sure you want to carry on with the hobby.

Finds Bag

Again, if you’re just starting out, you don’t need anything fancy. A simple 80’s bum bag will work well. Also, you are sure to dig up a lot and I really mean a lot of rubbish while you’re learning the tones of your detector. I recommend taking a carrier bag along with you to collect any rubbish you find. If you want to splash out on a proper finds bag, This is the one we have.

This is really all you need as a beginner. As you progress, you can collect other bits and bobs that might come in handy such as a toothbrush and water spray bottle etc.

Where Can You Metal Detect?

Metal Detecting For Beginners- Here in the U.K, you can metal detect on most beaches check out THIS MAP to see where you can detect. Everything that’s purple is fair game. If you’re looking for in-land detecting, you will need to get permission from the land owner. My best advice is to do some research before contacting a land owner. Look at what history is in that area etc. Look at old maps. If you’re shy like me and you don’t want to just knock and ask permission, you can always write to local farmers or land owners. You can also join your local metal detecting groups. They sometimes organise group digs where you can attend for a small fee. If you’re local to Somerset then join us in the Detecting Somerset group.

Get Insured

Getting insured is really important. You most likely won’t be able to attend a rally or a group meet without insurance. You can get your NCMD card here. It’s only £8 a year so just do it.

Always Check Your Hole… And Fill It.

Always check your hole. If you find one coin, there could be more. Don’t just walk away thinking you are finished just because you found one item. You could also find a bottle top, think you’re done, but actually there was a gold coin sitting right under it and you just walked away! While we’re on the subject of holes, always fill yours! It’s just respectful. Leaving a hole open, could cause another person or animal to hurt themselves. Also if someone has been kind enough to let you use their land, the least you can do it leave it as you found it.

Cleaning Coins

Always research what you have found BEFORE you attempt to clean it. Sometimes cleaning something can do more harm than good. If you’re unsure, ask someone more experienced. Cleaning items has to be done very carefully.

Dig Every Hit

When you first start out, dig every single hit. This will help you recognise the different tones of your detector. You could even bury some items in your garden and wave your detector over them. You will soon be able to tell the difference between a coin and a lump of iron.

Don’t Get Discouraged

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find anything right away. Remember there were people around dropping coins and burying hoards for thousands of years and the metal detecting craze only started in the 70’s there is still plenty of treasure to be found out there. Also, don’t focus on finding treasure. That’s not what this hobby is all about. Obviously it would be nice, but honestly some of the most interesting things I have found are completely worthless but everything has a story and it’s all part of history. That’s what I believe metal detecting is all about.