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Metal detecting is one of the most popular (and profitable) hobbies in the world, and millions have been made from those lucky enough to uncover lost and forgotten valuables with the help of metal detectors. It’s easy to see why treasure hunting is such a popular hobby; it’s a great way to get exercise, it is proven to help relieve stress, and it’s a great way to learn more about your local history.

The best treasure hunters know all the right places to look, and they know enough about local history to their advantage. All in all, the best places to start are typically the locations where there has been plenty of human activity. Here are some of the best locations to help get you started:

Fairgrounds

  • In the days following a major concert, festival or fair, treasure hunters are often seen patrolling the grounds. With the huge number of people at these events, someone is bound to leave something valuable behind.

Swimming Areas around lakes and rivers

  • Rivers and lakes wash up things that can be hidden from the world for centuries. Typically more can be found along the banks downriver of a large community.

Historic Sites

  • Abandoned military bases, old battlefields and old trading posts can be great places to find things from the past. Finding a nice place can be tough however since they have often been already scoured by other treasure hunters.

Schoolyards

  • Kids leave all sorts of things abandoned on the school playground, making it a great place to find lots of things. You won’t just find loose change and candy wrappers as well. It’s a popular spot where parents bring their kids to play.

Old Home Sites

  • Abandoned home sites and trailer park areas can be a goldmine for long lost precious items. I wouldn’t recommend searching the area if there are still people living there. 🙂

Seaside Beaches

  • Touristy beaches are a great place to go, because metal detectors are often the only way to find something buried under the sand. Like rivers shore lines, old valuables can be found washed ashore, especially nearby large cities. Even if you don’t find anything, you get to walk along a beach.

Gold is one of the most popular materials treasure hunters look for. Take a look at this this gold infographic to find out why.

 

Metal Detecting Clubs by State

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

 

 

Alabama

Southeast Treasure Hunters

Tri-State Coin & Relic Hunters Club

South Alabama Historical Research & Recovery

Warrior Basin Treasure Hunters Association

 

Alaska

Alaska Treasure Seekers Society

 

Arizona

Superstition West Treasure Hunters

Superstition Mountain Treasure Hunters

Detectors Unlimited

Havasu Gold Seekers

Huachuca Prospectors Association

Roadrunner Prospector’s Club

Arizona Treasures Unlimited, Inc.

Arizona Association of Gold Prospectors, Inc.

The Desert Gold Diggers, Inc.

 

Arkansas

Arkansas Treasure Hunters Club

Tri-State Historical Research & Recovery Association

 

California

United Prospectors

San Joaquin Valley Treasure Hunters Club

Prospector’s Club of So. California

California Wreck Divers

Mid Valley Treasure Hunters

West Coast Prospectors & Treasure Hunters

1st Class Miners, Inc

Gold Coast Treasure Hunters Club

Sacramento Valley Detecting Buffs

Bay Area Searchers

Treasure Hunters Society of Santa Clara Valley

Central Coast Treasure Hunters Association

Coinshooters of San Diego

Mt. Diablo Metal Detecting Club

Treasure Seekers of San Diego

Antelope Valley Treasure Hunters Society

California Wreck Divers

Delta Gold Diggers

 

Colorado

Rocky Mountain Prospectors & Treasure Hunters

Gold Prospectors of the Rockies

 

Connecticut

Nor’easters Metal Detecting Club

Yankee Territory Coinshooters

Nutmeg Treasure Hunters Club

 

Delaware

Southeast Treasure Hunters

First State Search and Recovery

 

Florida

Suncoast Research & Recovery Club

Central Florida Metal Detecting Club

Historical Recovery Association of North Florida

Gold Coast Treasure Club, Inc.

South Florida Treasure Hunting Club

Treasure Coast Archeological Society

WSAS Metal Detecting & Treasure Hunter’s Club

 

Georgia

Georgia Gold Prospectors Association

Coastal Empire History Hunters Association

North Georgia Relic Hunters Association

Stone Mountain Treasure Hunters

 

Hawaii

Rock and Mineral Club of Hawaii

 

Idaho

Boise Basin Search & Recovery Club

 

Illinois

Will County Historical Research & Recovery Association

Sage City Hunters Relic Club 

Midwest Historical Research Society

East Central Indiana Treasure Hunters

 

Indiana

East Central Indiana Treasure Hunters

Hoosier Exploration and Recovery

Down’n Dirty Diggers

Hoosier Hills Treasure Hunters

 

Iowa

Cedar Valley Research & Recovery

Iowa GPAA Chapter

 

Kansas

Topeka Treasure Hunters Club

Mid-Western Artifact Society

Mo-Kan Search & Recovery

 

Kentucky

Northern Kentucky Treasure Hunters

Blugrass Loop & Coil Club

 

Louisiana

 

Maine

Metal Detecting Maine

 

Maryland

Chesapeake Society of Treasure Hunters

Eastern Shore Treasure Club

Maryland Artifact Recovery Society

Shore Seekers Club

 

Massachusetts

Gateway Treasure Hunters Club

Massachusetts Treasure Hunting Association

 

Michigan

Michigan Treasure Hunters

Great Lakes Metal Detecting

Northeast Huron Detectors Club

Southwest Michigan Seek and Search Club

Michigan Gold Prospectors

 

Minnesota

Gopher State Treasure Hunters

 

Mississippi

Tri-State Coin & Relic Hunters Club

 

Missouri

Mo-Kan Search & Recovery

Midwest Coin Shooters

Midwest Coin and Relic Hunters

 

Montana

 

Nebraska

Midwest Historical Detector Club

 

Nevada

Gold Searchers of Southern Nevada

Silver State Detecting Club

 

New Hampshire

Northeast Metal Detecting Forum

Capital Mineral Club

 

New Jersey

Deep Search Metal Detecting Club

South Jersey Metal Detecting Club

Mid Jersey Research and Recovery Club

North Jersey Metal Detectors

 

New Mexico

New Mexico Treasure Hunters Association

Albuquerque Metal Detector Association

Pecos Valley Adventure League

Gold Prospectors of New Mexico

 

New York

Empire State Metal Detector Association

EARTH Club

Putnam/Westchester MDAS

New York Research and Recovery Club

Genesee Valley Treasure Seekers

Staten Island History Hunters

Richmond Research & Recovery

Artifact Detecting Team

Niagara Frontier Relic Hunters

 

North Carolina

Carolina Relic and Beach Hunting Society

U.S. Artifacts Recovery Group

Metal Detecting Association of the Carolinas

Old North State Detectorists Club

Blue Ridge Metal Detecting Club

 

North Dakota

 

Ohio

Dayton Diggers

Black Swamp Metal Detecting Club

Tri-State Historical Research & Recovery Association

North Coast Historical Recovery Association

 

Oklahoma

Three Forks Treasure Hunters Club

Indian Territory Treasure Hunters Club, Inc.

Oklahoma Metal Detecting and Treasure Hunting Club

Oklahoma Metal Detecting Club

 

Oregon

Oregon Treasure Trail Society

Millennium Diggers Club

Rogue Valley Coinshooters

Eastern Oregon Miners & Prospectors

 

Pennsylvania

Susquehanna Valley Metal Detector Club

Southeastern Pennsylvania Historical Recovery Group

Black Diamond Treasure Hunting Club

Beaver County Detecting Club

Lancaster Research & Recovery Club

Penn Mar Historical Recovery Association

 

Rhode Island

Discovering Rhode Island Treasures

 

South Carolina

Lowcountry Metal Detector Club

Metal Detecting Association of the Carolinas

South Carolina Metal Detector & Relic Association

Costal Empire History Hunters Association

 

South Dakota

Black Hills Prospecting Club of South Dakota

 

Tennessee

Smokey Mt. Artifacts Research & Treasure Soc.

Tri-State Coin & Relic Hunters Club

Middle Tennessee Metal Detecting Club

 

Texas

Amarillo Prospectors & Treasure Hunters Association

Austin Metal Detecting Club

Texas Association of Metal Detecting Clubs

Concho Valley Trash & Treasure Hunter

Cowtown Treasure Hunters Club

East Texas Treasure Hunters Association

Montgomery County Artifacts Recovery Club

Tomball Archeological Recovery Club

Fannin Artifact Recovery Organization

Golden Triangle Explorers Society

Lone Star Treasure Hunters Club

 

Utah

Utah Token Society

Utah Gold Prospecting Club

 

Vermont

 

Virginia

Northern Virginia Relic Hunters Association

Central Virginia Historical Recovery

Hampton Roads Recovery Society

Tidewater Coin & Relic Club

 

Washington

Cascade Treasure Club

Pilchuck Treasure Hunting Club

Puget Sound Treasure Hunters Club

Hood Canal Detectorists Club

Olympic Peninsula Treasure Hunters

Northwest Treasure Hunters Club

Metal Detecting Association of Washington

 

West Virginia

 

Wisconsin

Three Seasons Treasure Hunters LLC

Titletown Treasure Seekers

Four Lakes Metal Detector Club

Midstate Metal Detector Club

 

Wyoming

Cheyenne Chapter GPAA

 

Gold Infographic

Gold Part II: Mining and Supply

 

If you think we’re missing a metal detector club, send an email to metaldetectorclubs@aol.com and we’ll get them listed pronto.

Metal Detecting Badge

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If you’re interested in any of our steel products, take a look at our cold drawn steel bar and cold rolled bar products.