Let’s keep it simple from the start. First of all, there are numerous areas around where you live that are good areas to explore with your detector. I would first start out at your local park or school. If it’s a county park, you may need a metal detecting permit from your local county parks and recreation department. I have found lots of great finds at parks and schools—not necessarily always old, but of some value. Some of these items include tax tokens; old railroad trolley tokens; Indian head pennies; wheat back pennies; mercury dimes; buffalo nickels; half dollars; diamond, silver, gold rings, charms, necklaces, and many other valuable items.

Fantastic finds just waiting for you

In case anyone might misunderstand, there is nothing wrong with hunting parks, playgrounds, and schools. Good coins and artifacts are still being found in such locations. Old, valuable coins and jewelry still turn up in parks and such places that are supposedly “hunted out.”

Old school houses like this one, with their play grounds are excellent places for detecting

Mining Claims
Recreational Gold Panning