Best Places to Metal Detect for Old Coins
Finding coins with a metal detector is easy, they are literally everywhere. Unfortunately, almost all of these easy to find coins have been struck in recent years and are worth no more than their face value. Old coins hare much harder to locate. For purposes of this article, an old coin is one that contains either silver or gold.
The United States Mint stopped producing silver coins in 1964, so any pre-1965 coin can be classified as old. The best places to metal detect for old coins are locations where large numbers of people congregated over and over again and has not been remodeled since the 1960s.
Unfortunately, many of these areas have been developed in recent years making it almost impossible to locate old coins. On top of the development, other metal detectorists have been searching the ground looking for these coins for over 50 years. Locating old coins is still possible in 2019, but requires research, patience, and a little luck.
Best Place to Look
The best place to look for old coins is around old buildings, preferably ones that served the public in some manner, like parks, businesses, schools, churches, and government buildings. Focus on large trees or benches where people might have sat down and change could have fallen out of their pockets. Ask to see a picture of the building when it first opened to get a feel for the original lay of the land before landscaping, parking lots, or other renovations. The border between the old building and the adjoining lot might prove fertile hunting grounds, especially if it is undeveloped and covered with trees or shrubs.
back to menu ↑Research
There are no two ways around it, locating old coins with a metal detector requires research. These coins are rare and have been buried deep in the ground for over 50 years. Much of the land has undergone massive changes and development. Finding a building that is over 50 years old will be relatively easy, finding green space that has not been landscaped or paved over is rather hard. It is possible thought using three readily available resources: The local library, the local historical society, and old people.
The Library
The local library is an excellent to start researching the best places to metal detect for old coins. Most libraries contain local history going from the current day back to the founding of the city or town. Target research on yearbooks or decade in review style books. Try to identify where concerts, fairs, and other outdoor events were held. Get a sense of what the town used to look like and what has changed. It is quite possible to find several undisturbed locations just be looking at old pictures. The library should have other resources such as books on the history of the area and old maps that could prove helpful.
The Historical Society
Just about every city and town has a historical society. While the resources in the historical society will probably be similar to the library, the local historian will prove invaluable. Talk to the historian about important events in the town’s history, where annual celebrations like the 4th of July were held? What famous people came to visit? Was there a militia and where did it drill? Was there a fort, a mill, a mining or logging camp in the area? The local historian will be able to guide the search to promising locations in the area including neighboring towns and the countryside.
Old People
People born in the 1950s or earlier will probably be the best guide, but only if they lived in the area most of their lives. Ask about swimming holes, make out spots, and where they hung out after school. Ask about athletic events or farmer’s market, or other events where there might have been a large number of children and concession stand. While this type of research can be more frustrating, it can really pay off with tips on prime locations.
A colleague of mine heard a story about races that were held in the early 1900’s in a field outside of the town. Each winner would receive a silver dollar, second place 50 cents and so on…. After talking to a few elderly people and doing some other research he was able to pinpoint the location and obtain permission to hunt for the coins. He has hunted down hundreds of coins and other artifacts, including dozens of silver dollars.
back to menu ↑Really Old Coins
It is next to impossible to find really old coins, older than 400-500 years in the US, Canada, or Australia. The people who lived in these areas in Pre Columbian times had a much different economic system and did not use currency. It’s still possible to find jewelry, rings, relics and other items, as well as gold nuggets, but no coins until the Europeans show up after 1492.
The Southern United States, into Mexico, Central, and South America was peopled by large advanced empires, but they also did not use coinage. These empires used a kind of a barter system, or in the case of the Inca, had no form of money at all. They did have a lot of gold and silver, but most of it was plundered by the Spanish and Portuguese and sent back to Europe.
Europe, especially countries conquered by the Roman Empire, like Italy, France, Spain, and England, offer great opportunities for finding old coins. The continual habitation under relatively stable governments means coins have been struck in Europe for thousands of years. Northern and Eastern Europe offer good sites for coin shooting as well.
back to menu ↑Where not to look
There is one location that checks all the boxes, high traffic, undisturbed ground, predates 1965 but never go metal detecting there. No matter how tempting it might be, DO NOT GO METAL DETECTING FOR OLD COINS IN A CEMETERY! It is extremely disrespectful to both the living and the dead.
The beach is also not a great place to metal detect for old coins. The constant churning of the sand by the tides makes it unlikely anything will stay buried for long. Metal detectors will make a lot of great finds on the beach, but unless it’s a buried treasure chest, probably no old coins.
back to menu ↑Permission
Every piece of land is owned by someone or something. Sometimes metal detecting is allowed, sometimes it is not, sometimes maybe… Make sure it is ok to go treasure hunting for old coins before digging holes for buried treasure. The owners of the property might have information or old photos they are willing to share that could help with the research for the hunt.
Check with the local metal detecting club or local police before heading out as well. There are overlapping layers of government, town, county, state and federal, all with different laws on metal detecting. It can be difficult to clearly understand where detecting is permissible and where it is not. Begging for forgiveness rather than asking for permission can lead to legal trouble.
back to menu ↑Conclusion
It is going to be difficult to locate the best places to metal detect for old coins, but it is possible. Research, hard work, and patience might lead to a horde of lost treasure. Look for a building that predates 1965, with high traffic and little remodeling or development. Check the library, historical society and, older locals. Make sure metal detecting is allowed and stay out of cemeteries.
Find the right metal detector, then find you treasure
