New Treasure Hunt Coming In January

So December has been a little crazy, what with getting ready for Christmas and all. Sorry there hasn't been a treasure hunt this month. There will be a new one coming in January. Hope you have a Merry Christmas and remember to...

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How to use riddles, trivia, and other puzzles to make treasure hunt clues

You've probably noticed that the answers to most riddles, trivia questions, or puzzles are not thing or places around the house (or elsewhere for that matter) where you would hide a treasure or a clue. So how can you use these things to make a treasure hunt? Well, here are a couple of ideas how you might use riddles, trivia, and puzzles to make clues for a treasure hunt.

The first way that you might use the answers is to have them answer several riddles, questions, or puzzles and then line up the answers so that certain letters will reveal the hidden location. You can use the first letter of each answer or you can line up the answer in such a way that you use different letters from each answer. Here is an example where if you correctly answer three riddles, you are led to where the next clue or treasure will be...the bed.

Another way to use and answer to lead to a location is to remove some letters from the answer so the letters that are left spell out a location. For example, the answer to the following rebus puzzle is split personality.

If you remove the letters spltpesality (split personality) you're left with iron, which would be the next clue. Look for where the iron is that you press clothes with.

You could make the clue a little more tricky by removing the explanation and just use pictures.

You can also play around with the letters that need to be removed. Using an anagram we can make the name Sally Tippets so instead of saying cross out spltpesality you can say cross out Sally Tippets

This can still be a little difficult to find answers that will work with the letters in the right order. It will be a bit easier to find answers that work if you tell the treasure hunters that they will need to unscramble the letters that are left to find the next location. The answer to the following rebus puzzle is "hitting below the belt". If we remove the letters from the phrase "the low tight ten" we are left with the letters i-b-b-e-l which can be rearranged to form the word bible. The next clue is hidden in the bible. Here is an example of how you might do this clue.

Treasure Hunt Clues: Rebus Puzzles

Rebus puzzles are picture puzzles that represent words or phrases. Rebus puzzles are fun to use for clues for a treasure hunt because they add a visual component to the treasure hunt. Here are some rebus puzzles that you can use for clues when making a treasure hunt. The first group of clues are for things around the house. You should be able to click on each image to make it bigger if you want. Then you can print it and cut it out for your treasure hunt.

BATHTUB

BED

CHAIR

CLOSET

CUPBOARD

DRYER

SHOWER

TOASTER

TABLE

WASHER

Treasure Hunt Riddles For Around The House

If you are making a treasure hunt and are looking for some good treasure hunt clues for around the house, look no further. These are all in traditional "what am I" riddle form. Some of them are fairly easy and some are much more difficult. If you are looking for easy rhyming clues for kids you should check out our treasure hunt clues for around the house easy rhyming clue page.

This isn't your traditional riddle page. It's not built to let you read the riddle and try to figure it out. I've listed the answer right above the riddle. This is so that you can quickly scan the riddles and find things or places that you may have around your house that you could use as hiding places for clues or treasure. Hopefully this will help you be able to make your treasure hunt easier, quicker, and with less work. ENJOY!

Things You Might Find Inside the House

An arrow
I have many feathers to help me fly.
I have a body and head, but I'm not alive.
It is your strength which determines how far I go.
You can hold me in your hand, but I'm never thrown.
What am I?

Bananas
A time when they’re green, a time when they’re brown,
But both of these times, cause me to frown.
But just in between, for a very short while,
They’re perfect and yellow, and cause me to smile!
What am I talking about here?

Bathtub
Boats sail the high seas in me,
But not a man is lost at sea!
My shores are shiny and slick,
But my waters won’t make you sick!

A Bed
I have a head but never weep,
I have a foot but never walk,
You come to me for what you need.
or
What has a head and a foot but no body?

A Book
I have no voice and yet I speak to you.
I tell of all things in the world that people do.
I have leaves but I am not a tree.
I have pages but I am not a bride or royalty.
I have a spine and hinges but I am not a man or a door.
I have told you all, I cannot tell you more.
What Am I?

A broom
I have a many legs, but cannot stand.
I have a long neck, but I have no head.
I cannot walk and I cannot see
But I keep things neat and tidy as can be.
What am I?

Candle
Little Nanny Etticoat
In a white petticoat,
And a long red nose;
The longer she stands
The shorter she grows.
or
My life can be measured in hours,
I serve by being devoured.
Thin, I am quick
Fat, I am slow
Wind is my foe.
or
My life can be measured in hours,
I serve by being devoured.
Thin, I am quick
Fat, I am slow
Wind is my foe.
What am I?

Carpet
What goes up and down stairs without moving?

Chair
What has arms but can't hug?
or
I have two arms and four legs. I am not a person. What am I?

Chimney
Black within and red without;
Four corners around about.

A Clock
This thing runs but cannot walk, sometimes sings but never talks.
Lacks arms, has hands; lacks a head but has a face.
What Am I?
or
What has a face but no head?

A dictionary
I'm where yesterday follows today, and tomorrow's in the middle. What am I?

An egg
What has to be broken before it can be used?
or
A container without hinges, lock or a key, yet a golden treasure lies inside me.
What am I?
or
In a marble hall white as milk
Lined with skin as soft as silk
Within a fountain crystal-clear
A golden apple doth appear.
No doors there are to this stronghold,
Yet thieves break in to steal its gold.

Fan
I have hands that wave at you,
Though I never say goodbye.
It's cool for you to be with me,
Especially when I say, "HI."
What am I?

Fire
Feed me and I Live
Give me Drink and I Die
What Am I?
or
No legs have I to dance,
No lungs have I to breathe,
No life have I to live or die
And yet I do all three.
What am I?
or
Give it food and it will live;
give it water and it will die.
What am I?
or
I am always hungry,
I must always be fed,
The finger I lick
Will soon turn red.

Glove
When I am filled,
I can point the way;
When I am empty,
Nothing moves me.
I have two skins,
One without and one within.
What am I?
or
As I walked along the path I saw something with four fingers and one thumb, but it was not flesh, fish, bone, or fowl.
or
What do you fill with empty hands?
or
What has fingers but can't type?
or
I have no feather, nor flesh, nor scales, nor bones. But I have fingers and thumbs of my own. What am I?

A Jigsaw Puzzle Piece
I come in different shapes and sizes.
Part of me are curves, others are straight.
You can put me anywhere you like, but there is only one right place for me.
What am I?

A kitchen strainer
Big as a biscuit, deep as a cup, Even a river can't fill it up. What is it?

Lamp
I shine, I wear a hat, and have a tail. What am I?
(A Lamp; the bulb shines, the hat is the lamp shade and the tail is the power cord)

A Lock
It doesn't bark, it doesn't bite but still won't let you in a house. What is it?

A Match
Take out and scratch my head, I am now black but once was red.

Mirror
I look at you, you look at me, I raise my right, you raise your left. What am I?
or
What turns everything around, but does not move?

Needle and thread
Old Mother Twitchett had but one eye,
And a long tail which she let fly;
And every time she went over a gap,
She left a bit of her tail in a trap.
or
I had but one eye and a long tail which I let fly;
Every time I went through a gap, a bit of her tail I left in a trap
What Am I?
or
An iron horse with a flaxen tail.
The longer the horse runs,
the shorter his tail becomes.
What is it?

Onion
You use a knife to slice my head and weep beside me when I am dead. What am I?
Take off my skin, I won't cry, but you will. What am I?

A piano
I am a box that holds keys without locks, yet my keys can unlock your deepest senses.
What am I?

Piggy bank
My body has a dozen heads or more,
My tails don’t wag when you walk in the door.
Count the ways you can hold me tight,
Or use me for a special night!

Popcorn
What makes a loud noise when changing its jacket, becomes larger but weighs less?

Potatoes
What has eyes but can't see?
or
What has a skin and more eyes than one? It's very nice when it is done.

A ring
It has no top or bottom but it can hold flesh, bones, and blood all at the same time. What is it?

Shoe
I run over fields and woods all day. Under the bed at night I sit not alone. My tongue hangs out, up and to the rear, awaiting to be filled in the morning. What am I?

A sponge
I have holes on the top and bottom. I have holes on my left and on my right. And I have holes in the middle, yet I still hold water. What am I?
or
I have holes in my top and bottom, my left and right, and also in my middle. But I can still hold water.
What am I?

A Stamp
What goes around the world and stays in a corner?

A Stapler
With pointed fangs it sits in wait,
With piercing force it doles out fate,
Over bloodless victims proclaiming its might,
Eternally joining in a single bite.
What am I?

Table
What has legs but can't walk?

Teapot
What starts with a T, ends with a T, and has T in it?
or
I start with a T, end with a T, and have T in me.
What am I?

A telephone
You answer me, although I never ask you questions. What am I?

A telephone book
What book was once owned by only the wealthy, but now everyone can have it? You can't buy it in a bookstore or take it from the library, it is usually given to you.

A tennis ball
What do you serve that you can't eat?

Towel
What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries?

A Watermelon
There was a green house.
Inside the green house there was a white house
Inside the white house there was a red house.
Inside the red house there were lots of babies.
What am I?

A yardstick
What has a foot on each side and one in the middle?


Things You Might Find Outside the house Or In the yard


Mailbox
What one word has the most letters in it?

Tree
I have a bark, but I have no bite. I'm rarely still, but I never wander. What am I?
or
In spring I am gay in handsome array
In Summer more clothing I wear
When colder it grows I fling off my clothes
and in winter quite naked appear.
What Am I?
or
I am mother and father, but never birth or nurse. I'm rarely still, but I never wander. What am I?
or
Reaching stiffly for the sky,
I bare my fingers when it's cold
In warmth I wear an emerald glove
And in between I dress in gold

A See-Saw
I go up but at the same time go down,
Up toward the sky and down toward the ground.
I’m present tense and past tense too,
Come for a ride just me and you.
What Am I?

Treasure Hunt Ideas, Clues, and Help

Would you like to make a treasure hunt but need a little help? Well you've come to the right place. Get help with treasure hunt ideas as well as help with writing treasure hunt clues. We have several articles about how to make a treasure hunt and also treasure hunt ideas. We have lots of treasure hunt clues you can use to make your own treasure hunts.

Treasure Hunt Clue Ideas
Treasure Hunt Clues For Around The House (Easy Rhyming Clues)
Treasure Hunt Riddles For Around The House (Trickier Riddles)
Treasure Hunt Clues For Around The House (Rebus Puzzles)
How to use riddles, trivia, and other puzzles to make treasure hunt clues

Treasure Hunt Clues

In order to make a fun and exciting treasure hunt, you need to have great clues. Some may say that the treasure is the most important part of the treasure hunt. I disagree. While it is exciting to find the treasure, the real thrill of a treasure hunt is the hunt. That’s why we enjoy them. In order to have a great hunt, you need great clues. There are a lot of different ways that you can make clues for a treasure hunt. Some are more appropriate for some ages than others, but the key is to make clues that are a bit challenging, but not so hard that the treasure hunters get frustrated. Here are some ideas for different kinds of treasure hunt clues.

Picture Clues
This type of clue can be used for all ages depending on how you take the picture. If you are making a treasure hunt for small children just take a picture of where you have hidden the next clue. If you are making a hunt for older children or adults, you can zoom in on the object and just take a picture of a part of the object. Another strategy you can use with pictures is to take a picture of where the next clue is or the treasure and then cut it up and have the treasure hunters have to put it back together like a puzzle so they can find where their next destination is.


Rebus Puzzle
Rebus Puzzles are picture puzzles usually made with words or letters. They cryptically represent a word, phrase, or saying. Probably most of us have seen Rebus Puzzles at one time or another but didn’t know what they were called. The following are typical examples of a rebus puzzle.

(For Instance)

(Too funny for words)

Often times rebus puzzles are created by adding or subtracting parts of words. These are probably the easiest to turn into clues.

(bathtub)

Ciphers
A cipher is a way to make a word or message secret by changing or rearranging the letters in the message. There are lots of different types of ciphers. One of the most basic ciphers that many of us may have used when kids is a number cipher, in which each letter of the alphabet is represented by a number. For example a=1, b=2, c=3, and so on. Using this method, can you figure out what the following cipher text says?

24 13 1 18 11 19 20 8 5 19 16 15 20

Word Search
This type of clue is a variation on a normal word search puzzle. You create a word search pattern using letters from the word of the clue as well as letters from another word or phrase. Then you have the treasure hunters cross out all the letter found in the other word or phrase and the only letters left make the words of the clue. Depending on the age of the treasure hunters, you can put the letters in order, or mix them up. If the treasure hunters are a bit more advanced then mixing the letters up and having them unscramble them would be a bit more challenging.
Here is an example. The instructions of the clue might read, cross out any letter found in the phase “I am cool”



Once this is done, the only letters left (from left to right on each row) are u-n-d-e-r-t-h-e-b-e-d (under the bed).
Rhyming Clues
Using rhymes is a very popular way
to write clues for a treasure hunt today.
There is just something about a clue that rhymes,
feels more like a treasure hunt from olden times.
The difficulty of the clue you should gauge,
depending on the treasure hunter’s age,
A simple description and quite direct,
or a difficult riddle to create a challenging effect.

Word Clues
There are a few different ways that you can disguise words to make clues. One way is to hide a word in a sentence. For example the word SOFA could be hidden without the underlining in a sentence like...”There are three features of a telescope that enable them to extend the power of our vision.” The clue would read something like... "Your next clue location is hidden in the following sentence. The letters are written side by side and sequentially, but may involve more than one word in the sentence."

You could also write a clue location with dashes in the place of every vowel in the sentence or phrase. For example, “under the bed” would become _nd_r th_ b_d. You could increase the difficulty a bit by removing the spaces. _nd_rth_b_d


The possibilities for writing clues are endless. There are so many different kinds of puzzles out there that you can adapt for clues to treasure hunts. Other things I’ve used for clues include sudoku puzzles, crossword puzzles, trivia, GPS coordinates, maps, brain teasers, logic puzzles, and math.

Treasure Hunt Clues For Around The House

Need to hide some treasure? Want some help with some treasure hunt clues for kids? If you are putting together a treasure hunt and need some clues for places around the house you’ve come to the right spot. Most of these clues would be great for children as they are not too difficult. All of them are rhyming clues related to common places or things that you would find around the house. Many of the clues could refer to the place where you keep the items, for instance the dishes clue might lead to a clue hidden in the cupboard where you store your dishes. Also feel free to modify the clues a bit to make them more personal and fit your home if you want. Hopefully these treasure hunt clues will help you create some fantastic treasure hunts for your children...and make it a little easier on you. If you can think of other common places around the house that you would like to see clues for let me know in the comments and I'll see if I can get some written.

Silverware
You'll find a clue with tools used to eat
Hurry now your hunt is almost complete.

Refrigerator
A clue to find where you keep things cold
Where to go next is what you'll be told.

Couch
To find this clue put on your thinking cap
It's where you might sit or even nap.

Clock
It has two hands, they are always straight
Pointing sometimes at three and sometimes at eight.

Television
Here you see drama, comedy, even the news,
Watch so many things, how will you choose.

Computer
Letters, a screen, and even a mouse,
look around, you'll find it somewhere in the house.

Bed
When it gets late and you turn out the light
This is the place you'll be found each night.

Socks
You’ll need to think hard to solve the next clue
Find a covering for your foot, but it’s not a shoe.

Washer
Soap and water but it doesn’t clean hands
Used with Tide, Cheer, and many other brands.

Dryer
When your clothes are wet this comes in handy
for hiding clues it’s also dandy.

Oven
Turn up the heat it will help you bake
Cookies, casseroles, even a cake.

Toaster
Your bread goes away but it will return
Don’t leave it too long or it will burn.

Family Picture
A place where you’ll find that the family all came
together as one behind glass in a frame.

Shower
A place where water falls down like rain
after it falls on you it goes down the drain.

Under Kitchen Sink
Under where you get dishes clean
if you do them by hand and not by machine.

Blender
This machine spins food and drink around
When it is on it makes a very loud sound.

Freezer
Without this summer wouldn’t be very nice
we wouldn’t have Popsicles or water with ice.

Dinner Table
Your looking for something that can circles or squares
It’s usually made of wood and is surrounded by chairs.

Chairs at the Dinner Table
You sit here when you want to eat food
keep your elbows of the table you don’t want to be rude.

DVD player
Slide a disc in and watch a movie or two
This is where you will find your next clue.

Fireplace
It provides heat and also some light
it’s where you’ll find wood that’s burning bright.

Dishes
They’re round and flat and used to hold food
that is, until all our food has been chewed.

Cups
To find the next clue, you’ll have to think
you’ll use one of these if you need a drink.

Books
To locate the next clue you’ll need to use your mind
A book about ______ is what you’ll need to find.

Peanut Butter
You put it on sandwiches with jam or jelly
It’s good on a spoon, but better in your belly.

Potato Chips
These can be a great crunchy snack
Eat them with dip or put them in your lunch sack.

Shampoo
Use this to remove from your hair grease and dirt
It comes out of a bottle with a squeeze and a squirt.

Toothbrush
This with some paste can remove plaque
if you don’t use it enough your teeth may turn black.

Where you keep pens or pencils
To find the next clue would be a delight
It’s near tools you might use to draw or to write.

Microwave
A metal box with numbers is usually the norm
For this thing that helps us get our food warm.

Printer
From the screen to the paper is what this does
Picture or print where a blank page once was.

Where you keep your keys
They let you in or start your car
Without these you wouldn’t get very far.

Comb
With out this at you all would stare
It will help you keep control of your hair.

Vacuum
You often use this to finish your chores
It sucks up the dirt right off of the floors.

Iron
If you like to look nice, you use this a lot
It gets wrinkles out and is often quite hot.

Telephone book
Now find the next clue, no time to play games
look for a book full of numbers and names.

Garbage can
If you think a bit you’ll find this clue in a flash
It’s full of old papers, chewed gum, and trash.

Piano
Here you’ll find keys, but they won’t start cars,
you’ll also find books with notes written on bars.

Pillow
You’ll lay your head here when your about to count sheep,
It often gets fluffed before you go to sleep.

Cereal Cupboard
The next clues location I’m about to disclose
look where you might find Chex or maybe Cheerios.

The Mystery Of The Seven Ciphers Has Been Solved!

Thanks to all those who played. The Mystery Of The Seven Ciphers has been solved. Stay tuned for the solution.

Treasure Hunt: Mystery Of The Seven Ciphers

(This Treasure Has Been Found)

Let the hunt begin!

You can click on the image to make it bigger. Good luck and have fun!!!

Lost Treasure Legends

I'm trying to put together as many lost treasure legends as I can find. Often I do not have the time to research each legend myself, so many of them are really just a starting off point so that you can do some research and see what you can come up with.

I've organized them by state.
For a list of states alphabetically, click here.
For a list of states by region, click here

If you know of other treasure legends, feel free to e-mail them to me at cryptictreasures@hotmail.com or simply put them in the comment section under the appropriate state.

Have Fun and Happy Hunting!!

Lost Treasure Legends Alphabetized By State

Click on the state that you are interested in to read about lost treasure in that state.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New MexicoNew York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Lost Treasure Legends Organized By Region

Northeast
Division 1 (New England)
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut
Division 2 (Mid-Atlantic)
New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey

Midwest
Division 3 (East North Central)
Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
Division 4 (West North Central)
Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa

South
Division 5 (South Atlantic)
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Division 6 (East South Central)
Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama
Division 7 (West South Central)

Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana

West
Division 8 (Mountain)
Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico
Division 9 (Pacific)
Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Hawaii

Metal Detecting: Real Treasure Hunts For Lost Valuables

Metal Detecting Menu

What is Metal Detecting?
Metal Detecting FAQ
Metal Detectors: How do they work?
Metal Detectors: Are they all the same?
Metal Detectors: How do I buy one?
Metal Detecting: Getting Started
Where to go metal detecting
Metal Detecting Tips
Metal Detecting Glossary

Metal Detecting FAQ

1. Are most metal detectors basically the same?

Metal detectors are like cars, they have many different technologies, features, and performance characteristics for their intended use. There are five basic types of metal detectors:

General Purpose-Coin/Relic/Treasure
Gold Prospecting
Underwater & Salt Beach
Cache Hunting/Deep Searching
Industrial & Security

Some metal detectors are designed specifically for one type of searching. For example, gold prospecting detectors are designed to be extremely sensitive to small pieces of gold. General Purpose models are typically not designed to detect metals as small as a grain of rice, however, offer far superior trash metal rejection compared to prospecting models.

When purchasing a metal detector, it is important to consider what type of metal detecting you will do most often, and prioritize according to your typical usage.

2. How deep do metal detectors detect metals?

The most frequently asked question and unfortunately the most difficult to answer! Most general purpose models are factory equipped to search for coin & jewelry sized metals at depths of 8 to 12+ inches depending on metal size and alloy. To significantly and consistently detect beyond 12 inches requires larger accessory search coils, and/or to give up attempts to eliminate trash metals. The 15" search coil responding to all metal alloys can detect larger metal items (coin jars) at depths up to four feet. However, sensitivity to single coins is greater with smaller search coils. White's TM 808 can detect 55 gallon drums at 16 feet, car-sized metals at 20 feet. However, it is not likely to respond to individual coins or pieces of jewelry.

Detection depth varies with many factors:

The size, shape, exact metal alloy, and orientation of the object in the ground. Objects of a greater surface are detected at greater depths. For example a coin lying flat exposes a greater surface area than a coin laying on its side and will be detected at a greater depth.
The size of the search coil. Search coils come in a wide range of sizes and shapes- 4", 6", 8", 9.5", and 15". There are also differences in the configuration of the coils inside the search coil producing different shape search patterns. The larger the search coil, the deeper it can detect larger metal items. However, it is more difficult to use in trashy areas with less depth to small metal items. Smaller search coils provide better separation in high trash and better sensitivity to small metals.
Soil conditions and the amount of minerals in the soil. The higher the soil mineralization, i.e. the presence of magnetic and/or conductive properties, the more difficult it is for a metal detector to cancel the interference these soils produce. Detection depth is reduced in severe grounds. Depth may increase or decrease with subtle changes in the soil conditions, more noticeably with the entry level models. Soil mineralization varies widely around the country & around the world.
The experience and skill of the operator. There's no substitute for experience. Knowing how to operate your detector and understanding the signals will significantly increase depth.
The metal detector used and the selection of settings, particularly All Metal or Discrimination.


3. What types of things will a metal detector help me find?

All metallic objects. Example: gold, silver, iron, nickel, copper, brass, aluminum, tin, lead, bronze. Metal detectors will not detect nonmetal items such as gemstones, diamonds, pearls, bone, paper, or stone figures.

4. What is discrimination?

Discrimination is the ability of a metal detector to tell the difference between different types or alloys of metals. This allows you to selectively dig up only those types of metals likely to be of interest to them. There are audio (speaker/headphone) types of discriminators and visual (meter, LCD) types. Most higher end models have both types. The idea is to increase the odds in favor of digging valuables, and decrease the odds of digging trash.

5. Can a detector be set only to respond to gold?

No. There are too many variables with exact alloys and sizes to pin it down tightly enough to dig only one type of metal. For example, a large piece of gold may read high on a display or audio discrimination scale and a small piece of gold may read low on that same scale. Gold with some copper, silver, or platinum within its natural alloy will indicate differently. And other metals with similar electrical characteristics may read identically. Lead and aluminum are the most difficult common trash metals to eliminate. Even with the most sophisticated detectors available, expect to dig some trash. But a good discriminator increases the odds in your favor.

6. What is operating frequency?

Frequency in a metal detector is referred to in kHz. (kilo hertz). It is the number of times the signal is transmitted and received by the detector every second. For example a metal detector operating at 6 kHz will transmit and received 6,000 times per second, and at 50 kHz 50,000 times per second.

As a rule, lower frequency detectors offer better sensitivity to copper and silver and better overall detection depth and trash rejection. Most general purpose models operate at lower frequencies.

Higher frequency detectors are more sensitive to small metals and natural gold. However, they have difficulties with discrimination against nonferrous (not-of-iron) metals. Their sensitivity to small metals makes them tedious to use around trashy areas. Most gold prospecting detectors operate at higher frequencies.

7. Are there any good places left to hunt?

Nobody gets it all. Just because an area has been hunted before doesn't mean a person with patience and a modern detector can't still find the "good stuff" just about anywhere. Spending time with research can still turn up places which may never have been searched. Seasonal changes such as storms, frost heaves, and erosion, can also renew areas, particularly beaches.

8. What is the difference between "two filter" Classics and the higher end "four filter" models?

Two filter and four filter are terms used to describe the amount of electronic circuitry a metal detector uses to deal with both discrimination and ground mineral elimination. A two filter model will work great in low to medium ground minerals and offer faster response between close together targets in trashy areas. Two filter models are user friendly, lightweight, and less expensive. Four filter models typically detect deeper in mineralized ground, have superior audio discrimination and depth, and offer more advanced features.

9. What will target ID displays or meters do for me?

Many models have displays that indicate the likely identification of the metal detected. This is in addition to the audio discriminator. Once an audio signal of interest is heard the display will give a second, independent, opinion about whether the target is a good target, or trash. You dig less trash with an ID display.

ID displays are a very accurate measure of a targets "electrical phase". Unfortunately, many different metals have the same electrical phase. The Target ID will increase your odds of digging good alloys and decrease your odds of digging trash alloys. If, in a given area, a particular indication consistently turns out to be trash, such indications in that area are likely to continue to be trash and can be ignored.

10. I want to go metal detecting with friends and family. Will more than one detector interfere with each other?

Yes. Like models operating on the same frequency will interfere with each other if operated within 100 feet. To search with a partner nearby, at least one of the instruments requires the frequency shifting feature.

11. What about all these different sized search coils? Do I need accessory search coils?

The standard equipment search coil is ideal for all-around searching. A person may want to use a smaller search coil for extreme trash (lots of close-together targets). A person may want to use a larger size for increased depth. Larger search coils 15", are recommended for larger targets (jars of coins) at extreme depths. Remember, with a 15" search coil, sensitivity to coin sized targets decreases.

12. What about a carrying case for my metal detector?

For everyday use, the gun style detector bags are recommended. The detector and accessories can be installed and removed easily, without taking the detector apart. Shock-proof cases are intended for more serious storage and travel.

13. Do I need headphones?

Headphones will increase battery life, increase privacy, and increase your ability to hear signals clearly against background noise. They are of benefit to those even with good hearing. Crisp sound is typically more important than wide frequency specifications. In most cases, higher impedance headphones (100 ohms) offer crisper sounds.

14. What about rechargeable batteries?

Rechargeable batteries will save you money if you use your metal detector often, at least once or twice a week. If you use your metal detector once a month, rechargeable batteries will not likely save you money. Rechargeable batteries do offer the same metal detection performance - most models use a voltage-regulated system.

15. Where can I use a metal detector?

You must have permission to search both private and public property from the owner or person in charge of managing the property. In most cases you can locate the owner, or available permit system, through City Hall or the county seat.

If the area is city owned contact the Parks and Recreation Department. If it is a State or Federal Park contact the superintendent or grounds keeper. Known and marked historical sites, historical parks, and historical monuments are typically off limits to all metal detecting.

Start with your own yard. Valuables can be found anywhere people have congregated, gathered, lived, sat, walked, played, camped, picnicked, traveled, or fought. Any place inhabited before 1965, is likely to have the older styles of collectible coins.

16. How do I recover the target once I decide to dig it up?

Care must be taken to use the appropriate digging tool for the terrain, and not to leave unsightly excavations or holes. There are hundreds of digging tools designed to minimize the impact on grass and vegetation, and avoiding damaging the items found. Sand scoops are all that is needed in some areas. In others, a hand gardening trowel or spade. Challenging ground conditions may require more sophisticated tools.

Some areas may have rules on the type and size of digging tools allowed. Make yourself aware of these rules; respect the laws and restrictions in your area. Unsightly holes left unfilled are dangerous to people and livestock, and are detrimental to the continued use of detectors.


17. What is sweep speed?

All modern detectors require some movement (sweep) of the search coil in order to respond to metals. If the search coil is swept too slowly, metals do not respond, or do not respond at as great of depths. Every model has an ideal search coil sweep speed, usually between two and four seconds per pass. Experimenting to find the ideal search coil sweep speed allows optimum detector performance. A first time user typically has to practice to find their comfortable search coil sweep technique. Seeing others with good search coil sweep habits is a big aid in learning. Practice makes perfect. The desire is to sweep the search coil evenly with the ground in smooth even swings. Overlap each pass by at least 50%, always keeping the search coil in motion. Recognizing where the beep is on each pass and shortening the passes to zero in on the location (pinpoint) takes some practice as well.

18. What about the after-market devices that are said to add depth to my detector, do they work?

A well-designed metal detector has all the usable detection depth (gain) built into standard features. The only way to significantly increase depth is to maximize the standard features or use a larger search coil. There are many aftermarket devices that can make it easier to hear the metal detector, giving the impression of greater depth. Their degree of success depends on the individuals hearing abilities.

19. I want to go nugget shooting once a year, beach combing once a year, and the rest of the time I want to coin and relic hunt. What model of instrument should I be looking at?

A general purpose would give you the best all-around performance. Only when beach or prospecting consumes the majority of your search time would it be wise to look at a model specifically for that purpose. Although prospecting or beach models offer increased performance for their purpose, they are not as effective as a general purpose models for coin and relic hunting.

Metal Detecting Glossary

Glossary of Metal Detecting Terms
NOTE: If you do not see a term that you think is important, please let me know.

A
AIR TEST (see also BENCH TEST and FIELD TEST) - A test to determine the maximum sensitivity a metal detector is capable of under artificial conditions. Various sized metal samples are held beyond the search coil bottom at varying distances to determine the limits of audio or visual response. Air tests are not accurate indicators of ground penetration ability.

ALKALINE - A grade of battery composition which sustains higher current drain and possesses a greater shelf life than basic carbon-zinc types.

ALL-METAL - A mode or control setting description associated with total acceptance of metal targets. Also related to the ground balance mode function.

ALLOY - A substance which is composed of two or more metals (an alloy may also include non-metals).

AUDIO ID - Circuitry enabling the operator to make judgments on target conductivity levels based on sound. A voltage controlled oscillator is employed to produce multi-pitch audio responses.

AUTO TUNE (Automatic Re-Tuning) - Circuitry capable of continuously restoring threshold audio level. Used to control circuit drift caused by mineral interference in the All-Metal, Pinpoint or Ground Balance modes of operation. Rates of re-tuning speed may be preset or variable depending on design features.

B
BACK READING - False responses caused by rejected targets being too close to or in contact with the search coil bottom when the detector is operating in the discriminate mode.

BBS (see also MULTI-FREQUENCY and FBS) - Broad Band Spectrum is a multi- technology used by the early Minelab metal detectors (Explorer XS, Sovereign and Excalibur). BBs circuit automatically transmits from 17 to 28 frequencies simultaneously. BBS preceded the newer FBS technology of Minelab.

BENCH TEST - Another form of air test used to define which discriminate settings accept or reject various target samples. Detector is placed upon a stationary and non-metallic rest, and samples are manually passed across the bottom of the search coil.

BFO - Beat Frequency Oscillation is the oldest technology used in metal detectors. BFO metal detectors have two coils of wire. One large coil is located in the search coil of the detector, the other small coil of wire - a "receiver" coil, is located within the System Control Pack or Control Box. Each coil of wire is connected to an oscillator that produces pulses of current. These pulses of current pass through the coils generating radio waves. A "receiver" coil housed within the Control Box receives the radio waves and makes a series of tones based upon the waves' frequencies. When the detector's search coil passes over any metallic object, a magnetic field called Eddy Currents is created around the object. As this magnetic field causes interference with the frequency of the radio waves generated by the search coil, the tone produced by the receiver is also changed.
BFO metal detectors are the cheapest (under $100) and designed mainly as toy detectors for kids. Because the BFO technology is the easiest and cheapest to make, it has its limitations when compared to other types. For example, poor ability in distinguishing between different types of metals is one of them. BFO technology is also still used in cheap hand-held devices.

BLACK SAND - A form of negative ground mineralization found on beaches and in gold bearing regions. The major component of non-conductive ground, also known as magnetic iron oxide or magnetite (Fe304).

BODYMOUNT - An operator setup whereby the metal detector control housing is removed from the control shaft and attached to the body by straps or fixed upon a belt. This configuration lessens arm fatigue and promotes better maneuverability on land and in shallow water searching. Body Mount is also called Hip-Mount.

"BUTTERFLY" Search Coils - These search coils are a variant of the DD Search coils' open design with a butterfly-like shape.

C
CACHE - A hoard of coins or other valuables purposely buried or concealed. Also called Coin Cache.

CAMLOCK - Lever which releases or locks detector's assembly components (shafts or stems).

CARBON-ZINC - The standard or basic grade of dry-cell battery.

COAXIAL - A search coil design having identical diameter transmit and receive windings stacked and aligned on the same axis. Advantages include a uniform detection pattern and resistance to 60 Hz AC electrical interference.

COIN DEPTH INDICATOR - A meter or visual display which measures the depth of coins and coin-sized targets in numerical increments. Targets which are larger or smaller than the circuitry is calibrated for will not be measured accurately.

CONCENTRIC - A search coil design having two transmit coils (windings) and one receive coil of unequal diameters aligned on the same center. The most common style called concentric/co-planar has all windings on the same plane. Recent designs have been configured elliptical. Concentric search coils are considered most compatible with the discrimination function. More on search coils here.

CONDUCTIVE SALTS - The major component of the positive ground matrix. Wet ocean sand can cause false signals in the motion discriminate mode of operation and an increase or positive rise in threshold audio in an unbalanced non-motion all-metal mode.

CONDUCTIVITY - The measured amount of eddy current generation created on a metal target's surface, (see PHASE RESPONSE).

CONTROL HOUSING (also CONTROL BOX) - The enclosure which contains detection circuitry, indicators, power source and related controls. Control housing provides user access to functions via the Control Panel. Typically made of plastic or metal.

CONTROL PANEL - The front of the Control Box housing the display screen and providing press-button or knob access to all of the detector's operating functions.

CONTROL SHAFT - Telescoping metal tubes to which the control housing, search coil, and isolator are attached. Also called Medium Shaft.

CONVERTIBLE - A metal detector configuration in which the control housing can be temporarily detached for body-mounting (hip-mounting).

COPLANAR - Orientation of search coil windings occupying the same horizontal plane.

CROSSTALK - Interference between two metal detectors operating in near proximity at the same transmit frequency.

CRYSTAL CONTROLLED OSCILLATOR - An oscillator utilizing a quartz crystal to sustain a stable transmit frequency.






D
DEPTH PENETRATION - A metal detector's maximum capability to transmit an electromagnetic field through a mineralized ground matrix and signal the presence of a metal target. The detecting depth indication is based on the strength of the secondary magnetic field generated by the metallic targets.

DETECTION PATTERN - The perceived shape or footprint of effective electromagnetic field transmission directly related to search coil winding configuration.

DETUNING - A method of desensitizing threshold audio tuning which reduces the target signal width for accurate pinpointing. Achieved in a non-motion, all-metal mode of operation by re-tuning threshold audio within the target response area.

DISCRIMINATION - Circuitry and the mode of operation in which audio or visual responses from undesired metal objects are intentionally eliminated.

DISCRIMINATION PATTERN (Accepted) - On the detector's display, the range of accepted targets is represented by the white (clear) area on the Conductivity (1-dimensional) scale or on a Conductivity/Ferrous Content (2-dimensional) scale of Discrimination.

DISCRIMINATION PATTERN (Rejected) - On the detector's display, the range of rejected (undesirable) targets is represented by the black area on the Conductivity (1-dimensional) scale or on a Conductivity/Ferrous Content (2-dimensional) scale of Discrimination.

DOT DISCRIMINATION - Can be applied only to the Minelab's revolutionary 2-dimensional discrimination circuitry which is capable of selectively accepting or rejecting a specific target. The target's conductivity/ferrous content coordinates correspond to a graphic square that can be of three changeable sizes, can be colored white for Accept or black for Reject, and can be placed anywhere inside the 2-dimensional discrimination pattern on detector's LCD. For instance, dot discrimination will accept gold rings of certain conductivity while rejecting targets of the same conductivity but of different ferrous content such as nickel coins and pull-tabs. The 1-Dimensional discriminators of other regular metal detectors are not capable of doing that. The best they can do is to reject a narrow range of targets by NOTCH DISCRIMINATION (see further in the list) which still rejects all targets of the same conductivity.

DOUBLE BEEP - Two positive audio signals in rapid succession generally associated with elongated ferrous objects such as nails or coins on edge.

DOUBLE D - A search coil design with two "D" shaped windings configured back to back giving it a long and narrow detection pattern from "toe" to "heel". This type of search coil is generally employed in high mineral locations where the discriminate function is considered secondary.

DRIFT - Unstable threshold tuning levels caused by temperature extremes, battery strength, and rapid changes in mineralization.

DUAL-FREQUENCY (see also FREQUENCY) - This is when a metal detector is designed to operate on two frequencies of alternating currents which are generated by the transmit oscillator and passed through the transmitter coil. As using only two frequencies, the low one and the high one, is not 100% effective in achieving both a good sensitivity to small targets and good detecting depth, Dual-Frequency metal detectors have a little advantage over the single-frequency machines. Only the Multi- detectors made by Minelab get the job done effectively. Two manufacturers, Fisher and White's, make the dual-frequency metal detectors.

DUAL VOLTAGE TECHNOLOGY (DVT) - Minelab's patented technology is implemented in the GPX series of metal detectors. DVT transmits two different voltage levels from the search coil. This has the advantage of improved ground balance, increased sensitivity to small targets and increased detection depth.

E
EDDY CURRENTS - Small circulating electrical currents generated when an electromagnetic field contacts the surface of a metal object. Secondary electromagnetic fields are generated by these currents and picked up by the search coil's receive windings. This causes an inductive imbalance to occur between the transmit and receive windings which is relayed to the detector circuitry producing an audio and/or visual response.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD - An invisible electrical field emanating in force primarily from the top and bottom sides of a search coil. This field is generated by the flow of alternating oscillator frequency current around the search coil's transmit winding, (see DETECTION PATTERN).

ELLIPTICAL - An oval search coil housing shape containing either the Double D (2D) or concentric winding configuration.






F
FAINT SIGNAL - A minimal target response generally associated with deeply buried objects or targets very small in physical size.

FALSE SIGNAL - A positive signal incorrectly thought to be metallic and desirable. Caused by ground minerals, tuning overshoots, ground voids, hot rocks, electrical interference and detector malfunctions.

FARADAY SHIELD - A continuous metal foil wrapping around search coil windings used to reduce electrostatic interference caused by contact with wet vegetation on the search coil housing exterior.

FBS (see also MULTI-FREQUENCY) - Full Band Spectrum is a new technology used by the Minelab Explorer II, SE Pro, and E-Trac metal detectors. FBS combines Minelab's multiple frequency BBS (Broad Band Spectrum) technology with a powerful microprocessor to give: greater detecting depth, high sensitivity over a wide range of targets, less interference from electromagnetic sources, and more accurate identification of target characteristics.

FERROUS - Any material containing iron. If a metal object is attracted to a magnet, it is called ferrous. If not, it is called non-ferrous such as gold, silver, copper, aluminum, etc.

FERROUS OXIDES - Particles of oxidized iron which make up the non-conductive or negative ground mineral matrix, (see BLACK SAND).

FIELD TEST - An outdoor test conducted to evaluate metal detector performance and operational characteristics under real conditions of metal detecting.

FREQUENCY - The number of alternating current cycles per second (Hz) produced by the transmit oscillator. A metal detector's electromagnetic operating frequencies are measured in kiloHertz (kHz). Low signal frequencies penetrate the ground deepest, but sensitivity to smaller targets is low. Higher frequencies have a more shallow detecting depth but high sensitivity to small targets.
VF = Voice Frequency = 300Hz-3kHz, VLF = Very Low Freq.= 3-30kHz, LF = Low Freq.= 30-300kHz

FREQUENCY SHIFT - A feature designed to reduce crosstalk interference by altering the transmit frequency of the metal detector, (see CROSSTALK).

G
GRIDDING - Rigid and disciplined search routes along predetermined boundaries used to thoroughly cover a metal detecting site in several directions. Markers or boundaries may be real or imaginary.

GROUND BALANCE - A condition or mode of operation in which the detector is adjusted to optimally reduce the interference that ground mineralization has on metal targets.

GROUND BALANCE (Manual) - A ground balance feature requiring manual adjustment by the operator.

GROUND BALANCE (Factory Preset) - A feature eliminating the ground control and operator manipulation. The metal detector is preset at the factory to an average range of non-conductive soils.

GROUND BALANCE (Self-adjusting) - A true automated ground balancing feature. The detector circuitry senses change in mineralization and compensates to sustain balance.

GROUND COMPENSATION - The ability of the detector to compensate for the effects of ground mineralization.

GROUND FILTER - Specialized sections of metal detector circuitry which separates the ground mineral effect from metal responses in the motion discriminate mode. Quality of design dictates the level of efficiency, sweep rate, depth penetration, and recovery time related to target separation.

H
HALO EFFECT - A conductive increase in target size as seen by the metal detector's electromagnetic field. The effect is caused by excessive target oxidation permeating the soil directly surrounding the target. Associated with long term burial or highly acidic soils. You can read more details on my Halo Effect page.

HAMMERED SITE - A slang term for a metal detecting site that has been searched by metaldetectorists many times. Also called SEARCHED OUT, HUNTED OUT and POUNDED SITE.

HEADPHONES - Remote loudspeakers worn over the ears to enhance the operator's hearing ability and block ambient noise such as automobile traffic and ocean waves. A highly recommended alternative to the detector's speaker. The batteries last longer when headphones are used.

HEARING FATIGUE - A temporary condition of the detectorist's brain when its ability in processing the incoming audio signals begins to decrease. As a result, the detectorist begins to 1) hear less difference between various audio tones (when the Tone ID feature is used), and/or 2) fail discerning the solid signals from the broken ones (this happens in both Tone ID and Single Tone ID cases of usage), therefore, missing some desirable targets. Hearing Fatigue takes place when either a lot of various audio signals are incoming in a non-stop manner for a long period of time (while metal detecting at the junk littered site) or the detectorist has been metal detecting for hours without taking a break. This condition is not noticeable unless one starts feeling a headache caused by numerous cacophonous signals. That is why it is important for any detectorist to take as many breaks as possible during the search. While taking a break, one should take the headphones off and rest mentally and physically for 15 minutes. That would reset detectorist's brain to its "default condition." It is important to remember that physical fatigue dulls one's visual and hearing senses as well.

HEEL - The southern section of search coil behind the control shaft attachment point as viewed from above by the operator.

HERTZ (Hz) - Cycles per second (see FREQUENCY).

HOT ROCK - Any rock containing more non-conductive mineralization than the surrounding matrix to which the detector is ground balanced. Positive or false metallic responses can be heard from these rocks in the motion discriminate mode and a negative or null in audio threshold in the non-motion, all-metal ground balanced mode. You can read more details on my Hot Rocks page

I
IB - An abbreviation which stands for Induction Balance. IB is a condition of zero current flow between transmit and receive windings prior to metal detection. Basically the search coil of the induction balance detector consists of two wire loops: one is a transmitter, another one is a receiver. The most common detectors used nowadays are the detectors that utilize the inductive balance principle of metal detection.

INDUCTANCE - The electrical property of a metal target to oppose variations of the magnetic field. This characteristic is referred to as Ferrous Content.

ISOLATOR - also Lower Shaft - the lower most section of non-metallic control shaft which attaches to the search coil and separates the metallic portion of the control shaft from the electromagnetic field.

K
KEEPER - A slang word for a good metal detecting find.

kHZ (Kilohertz) - One thousand cycles per second, (see FREQUENCY).

L
LCD - Abbreviation for Liquid Crystal Display. The basis for metal detector visual graphic display technology.

LED - Abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. A lamp-like semiconductor used for visually indicating circuit functions such as target response and battery condition.

M
MATRIX - The total volume of ground penetrated by the electromagnetic transmit field containing minerals, metals, salts, rocks, moisture and organic matter.

MINERALIZED GROUND - Soil containing non-conductive and/or conductive properties which directly influence metal detector tuning and depth penetration.

MODE - A state of metal detector operation selected by the operator to accomplish a specific task.

MODULAR - A metal detector configuration in which the circuit board(s) can be easily removed and/or replaced for the purpose of repair or upgrade without replacing the entire metal detector.

MONOLOOP COIL - A search coil in which the multiple strands of wire are wound in a single loop around the circumference of the coil. Monoloop coil provides greater depth and sensitivity compared to a Double D coil of equivalent size in in soils with low-medium mineral content.

MOTION DISCRIMINATOR - A detector requiring constant search coil motion to reduce the effect ground mineral interference has on its discriminate function. In short words: search coil requires movement for discrimination to be achieved.

MOTION GROUND CONTROL - movement of a search coil is required for controlling the ground mineralization.

MULTI-FREQUENCY - Metal detector circuitry employing multiple transmit frequencies to enhance the separation of ground mineral effect from target response to increase target identification accuracy. Examples: BROAD BAND SPECTRUM (BBS) and FULL BAND SPECTRUM (FBS) technologies used by the Minelab detectors. Their circuits automatically transmit 17 or 28 frequencies simultaneously. This provides the advantage in both good depth and high sensitivity over the single- and dual-frequency metal detectors.

MULTI PERIOD SENSING (MPS) - Minelab's patented pulse induction technology. Standard pulse induction metal detectors are limited because they use a single pulse width. MPS uses varying pulse widths that extract more information from targets, achieve better ground balance and detect to greater depths.






N
NARROW RESPONSE - An audio target signal which is not wider than the physical size of the search coil.

NEGATIVE GROUND - Non-conductive soil matrix which has a negative or nulling effect on an air tuned audio threshold.

NEUTRAL GROUND - Soil with little or no non-conductive or conductive properties.

NICAD - A class of rechargeable battery having a nickel-cadmium composition.

NiMH - A class of rechargeable batteries having a nickel-metal-hydrate composition. NiMH batteries have a longer life-span and are not affected by memory to the same degree.

NON-FERROUS - Metal types not containing iron such as gold, silver, copper, aluminum, etc. If a metal object is attracted to a magnet, it is called ferrous.

NON-MOTION - Any mode of operation which sustains target response without search coil motion.

NON-MOTION ALL-METAL - movement of search coil is not required to get an audio response from any metallic target. This mode is used for pinpointing targets.

NOTCH ACCEPT - A basic notch filter discrimination mode which eliminates all responses except those whose conductive properties fall within the range of the notch width.

NOTCH DISCRIMINATION - it allows to select which of the conductivity segments in the discrimination scale are active or disabled. If a segment is "notched out," then metals within that range of conductivity will be masked and will not produce a signal.

NOTCH FILTER DISCRIMINATION - Specialized discrimination circuitry which selectively accepts or rejects a narrow conductive range of targets inside or outside normal discrimination settings, i.e. accepting nickel coins while rejecting targets higher in conductivity such as pull-tabs.

NOTCH LEVEL - The control used to position the notch width or "window" within the range of metallic conductivities.

NOTCH REJECT - A basic notch filter discrimination mode which rejects only those targets whose conductivities fall within the range of the notch width.

NOTCH WIDTH - A preset or adjustable range of conductivity positioned by the notch level setting - also known as NOTCH WINDOW.

NULL - A momentary disappearance of threshold audio as the search coil passes over a rejected target or a hot rock located with a ground balanced mode.

NUMISMATIST - A person specializing in the study and collection of coins, tokens, and currency.

O
ONE TOUCH - see TURN-ON-AND-GO

OSCILLATOR - A metal detector circuit component which sends a specific current frequency generation to the transmit windings of the search coil to produce an electromagnetic field.

OVERLAP - The amount of scan advance not greater than the physical size of the search coil.

OVERSHOOT - False signals produced by an auto-tuned non-motion discriminate mode as the search coil passes too quickly past a rejected target. Excessive audio restoration by automatic re-tuning produces these false signals outside the target response periphery.

P
PHASE RESPONSE - The duration of time between target surface eddy current generation and resultant secondary electromagnetic field effect on the search coil's receive windings. Also called phase lag or phase angle and is directly related to target conductivity.

PINPOINTING - The act of aligning the center of target response width to the designated search coil center for accurate location and careful recovery.

PLUGGING - A method of target recovery by which a plug of soil is carefully cut and folded back to expose deeper targets which cannot be successfully recovered with other methods.

POSITIVE GROUND - Soil containing conductive minerals or wet salts that affect an air tuned audio threshold.

POUNDED SITE - A slang term for a metal detecting site that has been searched by metaldetectorists many times. Also called HAMMERED, SEARCHED OUT and HUNTED OUT SITE.

PRESET MARKINGS - Metal detector control panel markings which have been highlighted by the manufacturer as a guide to setting up the detector for average operating conditions.

PI - An abbreviation for Pulse Induction circuit technology. This type detector ignores both non-conductive and conductive minerals simultaneously by pulsing the receiver amplifier off before the response from wetted salts and iron oxides can reach the search coil winding. The search coil of the PI detector consists of only one wire loop which is both transmitter and receiver at the same time. PI detectors are capable of extreme depth but are currently inept at rejecting undesired targets, i.e. they can not operate in Discrimination mode.

Q
QUICK RESPONSE - The measure of time it takes between metal sensing and full audio/visual response. Generally associated with all frequencies of TR detectors.

R
RECEIVE WINDING - The coil(s) of wire inside the search coil housing whose function is to accept the secondary electromagnetic field generated on a target's surface by eddy currents.

RECOVERY TIME - The duration of time it takes a metal detector to respond to the next target after responding to the previous. Detectors with slow recovery speeds often are unable to respond to all targets in close proximity when discrimination is used.

REJECTION - Non-acceptance of a target when operating in the discriminate mode indicated by a null in threshold audio or no change in silent operation.

RETUNING - The act of manually restoring threshold audio by means of an external switch, (see AUTO-TUNE).

Rx (Receive) refers to the response, or electromagnetic field, which is received back by the coil and is used by the control box circuitry to process it accordingly.

S
"S" HANDLE - A metal detector control shaft designed with offsets which increase operator comfort by reducing arm and wrist fatigue.

SCAN - To complete a detection path of search coil travel or sweep.

SEARCH COIL - The search head or housing which holds both transmitter and receiver windings (loops) aligned in a specific configuration, (see COAXIAL; CO-PLANAR; CONCENTRIC; DOUBLE D) Also known as a search loop or coil.

SEARCH COIL CABLE - A cable of electrostatically shielded wires which carries circuit board oscillator current frequency to the search coil and phase related target information back to the control housing.

SENSITIVITY - The measure of a metal detector's capacity to sense changes in conductivity throughout the pattern of detection set forth by the search coil configuration, (see AIR TEST).

SIGNAL - A visual and/or audio response which alerts the operator to the presence of a metal object (see FALSE SIGNAL).

SIGNAL WIDTH - The ground distance measure of search coil travel in which target audio is sustained. Signal width is directly proportional to target size and ferrous content when operating in a non-motion all-metal mode.

SILENT OPERATION - A search mode which does not use constant threshold audio tuning to maintain sensitivity. Also called SILENT SEARCH.

SINGLE-FREQUENCY (see also FREQUENCY) - This is when a metal detector is designed to operate on one frequency of alternating current which is generated by the transmit oscillator and passed through the transmitter coil. Most detectors on the market operate on a single frequency, ranging from 1 to 70 kilohertz (kHz). Although this technology has served the industry well for years, the scientists found that a frequency that worked well in one area would often offer only marginal performance when used in another location. Ground mineralization, trash content, and target size all have an effect on how effective a detector transmitting a single frequency would operate.

SKID PLATE (Coil Cover) - A non-metallic cover placed on the search coil bottom for protection against abrasion.

SLOW MOTION - The rate or class of search coil sweep speed necessary to efficiently operate the motion discriminate mode.

SLOW RESPONSE - The measure of time associated with metal sensing and peak audio/ visual response. Generally associated with PI type detectors.

STABILITY - The quality of a metal detector circuit to resist external sources of thermal and electrical interference, (see DRIFT).

SURFACE BLANKING - A feature designed to eliminate the response from non discriminated targets lying within a predetermined depth. Based on signal intensities usually associated with shallow depths.

SWEEP - The width and/or speed rate of search coil scan.

T
TARGET - Any buried or hidden object to which a metal detector responds.

TARGET MASKING - The overriding or interfering effects large or numerous rejected targets have over desirable targets in close proximity.

TARGET SEPARATION - The ability of a metal detector to respond to individual targets within a closely spaced group.

TEN-TURN - Any control requiring ten revolutions of the indicator knob to cover the adjustment range of its function, (i.e. ground balance).

TEST GARDEN - A plot of targets intentionally buried by the detectorist. Arranged by size, depth, and composition for learning characteristic responses and comparing metal detector performances in a controlled environment.

THRESHOLD - The minimum audio level of tuning adjusted for optimum sensitivity. If your metal detector is not operated in Silent Search mode, the Threshold is heard as constant background "humming" during detecting. Threshold should be adjusted to a minimum audible level, so you can hear very small and deep targets. When a rejected target is detected, the Threshold sounds "blanks" or "null" (becomes silent) indicating that an undesired target is underneath the search coil. Threshold can be set anywhere between "no sound" (silent) and loud.

TH'er - An abbreviation for Treasure Hunter, an enthusiast in a hobby of metal detecting and treasure hunting. Also called a Metaldetectorist or Detectorist.

TOE - The northern section of search coil above the control shaft attachment point as viewed from above by the operator.

TONE CONTROL - An adjustment used to regulate the audio frequency or sound pitch to operator preference. Also used to contrast target response with external ambience.

TONE ID - Audio identification of a target based on a principle of relationship between the target's conductivity and the tone's pitch: the higher the conductivity, the higher the tone, i.e. the lowest pitch tone for iron, the highest pitch tone for silver.

TRANSMIT WINDING - The coil of wire which generates and transmits the primary electromagnetic field from within the search coil housing into the soil matrix.

TR (Transmitter/Receiver) - A class of metal detectors operating in a broad range of radio frequencies (i.e. VLF/TR; VF/TR) utilizing the inductive balance principle of metal detection. TR detectors are able to tell the difference between a ferrous and nonferrous object, but do not have enough depth in highly mineralized ground. TR detectors are obsolete now.

TURN-ON-AND-GO - A type of metal detectors that automatically eliminate the ground mineralization while in operation. This is achieved by the Automatic Ground Balance feature also called Automatic Ground Compensation, Auto Tune, etc., depending on a metal detector. Using a metal detector of this type, an operator does not have to manually adjust the detector's ground balance before or during the detecting process.

V
VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) - Oscillator circuitry which is driven by target voltage to produce varying audio pitch and/or visual display responses for target identification and pinpointing.

VFLEX Technology uses state of the art digital electronics to enhance standard single frequency detection technology. This has the advantage of providing dependable performance and improved immunity to outside interference. VFLEX technology also has an added advantage of being able to change the frequency of the detector by simply changing the coil being used.

VISUAL ID - A metal detector feature which provides the operator with a probable target identity reference in terms of relative conductivity. Indications can be a metered needle movement or LCD display.

VLF - Very Low Frequency (see also FREQUENCY). Metal detector of this technology uses two coils - a transmitter (outer loop) and a receiver (inner loop), that are encompassed inside the detector's search coil. Alternating current is passed through the transmitter coil, with the frequency corresponding to the number of times per second that the current changes direction. This current generates a magnetic field which will cause any conductive objects in range to generate magnetic fields in the opposite direction of the transmitter's magnetic field. The "receiver" coil receives frequencies or data that come or "bounce" back from the targets detected and relays the signals to the control box, which interprets the signal for depth and type of metal.

VLF/TR - A metal detector class designation meaning a transmitter/receiver type detector operating in the very low frequency range. This technology represents a combination of Very Low Frequency and Transmitter/Receiver technologies thus enabling the VLF/TR detectors to control trash and ground mineralization simultaneously.

VOLUME CONTROL - A metal detector control which regulates the loudness of target response.

W
WIDE RESPONSE - An audio target response associated with an all-metal non-motion mode which is wider than the physical size of the search coil.

WIDE SCAN - A description of any search coil capable of producing a target response across its full dimension.

Z
ZERO DISCRIMINATION - Describes a discrimination control characteristic which accepts ferrous metals at its minimum setting, (see ALL-METAL).