Collecting coins is an exciting hobby for anyone who enjoys discovering history.
It is a fact that every day people get change with their purchases, but how many of us really take a close look at each piece? You never know when a rare United States coin will end up in your pocket.
But the excitement behind the possibilities in coin collecting begins with knowledge about which coins are considered rare and how much they are worth. And the rarest coins are more likely purchased, unless you’re collecting coins found with a metal detector.
Following are some tips on collecting coins with a metal detector from industry expert Michael Bernzweig of MetalDetector.com.
Metal Detecting Coins
While there are plenty of pennies worth collecting – such as the wheat pennies, which are gradually becoming more rare and valuable – other coins are more obvious to the untrained eye and therefore less likely to be casually given in change.
For instance:
- One of the most popular U.S. coins in history is the 1964 Kennedy half dollar, which became wildly sought-after following the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
- Of all U.S. commemorative coins, the largest with the most face value is the coveted 1915 Panama-Pacific $50 gold piece, which has been valued in excess of $100,000.
To collect coins like these, metal detecting coins may be the second best strategy to buying them outright.
The fact is, even when you’re using the best metal detector for coins, you never know what you’re going to find or where you’ll find it. But metal detecting coins is a lot of fun. Hidden below the surface there are rare coins not only dropped but buried in days gone by.
It’s possible to unearth a treasure cache, which is a coin-filled container. People who choose the best metal detectors for coins have a good chance of unearthing money dropped on the beach, at ball fields, and in school yards.
All of the rare U.S. coins aren’t already in someone’s collection; many of them are out there and available to those lucky enough and resourceful enough to find them.
Choosing A Metal Detector
Some of the available features in the best coin hunting metal detectors are a matter of choice.
For instance:
- You can get a hip-mounted or pole-mounted metal detector.
- Many modern day metal detectors include a target identification feature. This will allow you to precisely identify the coin even before digging it up.
- Most modern metal detectors are typically equipped with a medium-sized search coil; and these standard coils have sensitive to coin-sized objects. Some examples include the Bounty Hunter Platinum and the Bounty Hunter Legacy 1500 models. For a larger investment, however, you can get a larger coil. For a top-of-the-line model the XP DEUS metal detector is a premium high-end coin detector.
Take the time to read metal detector reviews online and select a model with the best features and design for you.
No matter where your metal detecting adventures take you, there are still lots of coins to be found!
Our guest contributor, Michael Bernzweig, manages MetalDetector.com in Southborough, MA. He has written extensively on the subject of metal detecting since the mid 1980’s. He has traveled world-wide in his pursuit of educating, exploring and advising others in the proper use of metal detectors. Outside of the business he enjoys mentoring students, being involved in the community and spending time with his family.
I like to help people find unique ways to do things in order to save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” ideas that most wouldn’t think of. As a lifelong dog owner, I often share my best tips for living with and training dogs. I worked in Higher Ed over 10 years before switching gears to pursue activities that I’m truly passionate about. I’ve worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo — to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. You can always find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).