Metal Detecting

The Complete Field Guide to Equipment, Technique, Finds and Law

Alex Harrison

Every detectorist remembers the first signal. Most never learn what it meant. Why does the same coin sound different in a park, on a beach, and in a plowed field? What really changes when you switch frequency, coil, or ground balance? How do you recover a find without damaging it or the ground, identify it, preserve it, and stay on the right side of the law? Metal Detecting: The Complete Field Guide answers those questions in plain language, from coil physics to caring for a corroded relic. It is built for the serious beginner who wants to skip years of guesswork and for the experienced detectorist who wants a reference that explains the reasons behind the rules of thumb. Inside you will learn how to: - Understand how induction, VLF, multifrequency and pulse induction detectors work, without hype - Read target ID and tones and set your detector with a method you can repeat - Choose and test coils, then sweep and pinpoint with precision - Research sites, gain permission and plan a hunt that has a reason to succeed - Search parks, farmland, forests, beaches, shallow water, lost-property jobs and gold country - Identify coins, jewelry, relics and nuggets using marks, construction and context - Clean, conserve, document and catalog finds without destroying their evidence - Check access, permits and reporting rules for the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and four European countries Thirty chapters in seven parts and six reference appendices, with full-color diagrams, photographs, worked examples, quick-reference boxes and field checklists. Product details and laws were checked against manufacturer and official sources in 2026, and the book says plainly where facts may change. Find more. Understand why. Dig responsibly.