Ever unearthed a hidden treasure in Missouri? Dive in to discover the best clubs guiding metal detecting enthusiasts like you!
Metal detecting in Missouri becomes more interesting and fun when you have friends or fellow detectorists who are interested in metal detecting.
And also you can get to know and learn about the places that are great for metal detecting. I learned this during the time I was metal detecting in Missouri.
When I was detecting in Missouri, I joined a few metal detecting groups as I was a newbie to metal detecting back then.
Now with years of experience and with the help of local detectorists in Missouri, I can recommend several clubs that are super active and helpful especially if you’re a newbie.
Here are the best metal detecting clubs in Missouri,
- Gateway metal detecting club
- Midwest coin shooters and historic club
- Midwest coin and relic hunters
- 417 relic hunters
- Mo-kan search and recovery
- Laclede county treasure trackers
- Mid-mo metal detecting club
- MOKAN search and recovery
- Pony express prospectors
- Show me gold prospectors
But there’s a lot more to know!
In this article, I’ll explore each one of the best metal detecting clubs in Missouri with what they do, and how you can join with them to sharpen your knowledge.
I hope one or a few of these metal-detecting clubs will be helpful to you during your metal-detecting journey in Missouri.
So, let’s jump in!
Best Metal Detecting Clubs In Missouri
There are many metal detecting clubs in Missouri that are dedicated to promoting the hobby of metal detecting within the state.
These clubs have various activities including meetings, educational programs, outings, and hunts.
Anyone can benefit from these clubs and get access to so many different resources and opportunities.
1. Gateway Metal Detecting Club
This club was formed by Susannah Kriegshauser. She has been metal detecting since 1980 and she started giving classes on the subject in 2011.
Her class began to expand and people came from all over Missouri. They requested her to start a club.
So in 2015 along with 8 of her former students, she began the gateway metal detecting club.
This is a club of group of metal detecting enthusiasts who enjoy finding lost objects.
Their main goal is to attract more people to the hobby of metal detecting, promote the responsibility of metal detecting, and bring awareness to the public on the importance of metal detecting.
The club meets every first Tuesday from 7 pm to 9 pm.
The membership fee for the club is $30 for an individual and $25 for each additional family member.
Children can enter freely but they are not considered as members.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: ST. MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE (SMMA ELEM. SCHOOL), 4900 Ringer Road, St. Louis, MO 63129
- Website: Gateway Metal Detecting Club
- Membership application: Membership form
Check out the Best Places to Metal Detect in Missouri!
2. Midwest Coin Shooters and Historic Club
The Midwest Coin Shooters and Historic Club was founded in the 1980s it is dedicated to the hobby of metal detecting.
The club has a mix of members from St. Louis, Missouri, and other states.
The members are dedicated to finding and studying historical information that is related to the items found by the members.
The members of this club also participate in community activities where they provide support in using metal detectors, part taking in different organizations, etc.
The goal of this club is to spread the hobby of metal detecting among the community.
To make this happen, they hold monthly meetings, informal group hunts, monthly newsletters, educational events to teach proper metal detecting methods, etc.
The group meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m.
The membership fee is $25 for each member and an additional $10 for each additional family member from the same address.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: Woodson Terrace Old City Hall Building, 9531 Guthrie Avenue, Woodson Terrace, MO 63134.
- Website: Midwest Coin Shooters and Historic Club
- Membership application: Membership form
3. Midwest Coin And Relic Hunters
This club is a community of metal detecting enthusiasts based in Midwest, Missouri.
They are dedicated to the discovery of old coins and relics and preservation of them. And they are also focused on responsible practices of metal detecting.
The club offers members opportunities for group hunting, educational activities, and access to private lands for metal detecting.
They are also involved in community fundraisers to support the historical organizations.
They have monthly meetings where they discuss recent finds, share tips and techniques, and learn about modern detecting equipment and techniques.
Read to know the Best Metal Detecting Finds in Missouri!
The club also arranges guest speakers to talk on different topics at the monthly meetings.
For the meeting dates, time, location, and membership information, join the private Facebook group by clicking the link.
4. 417 Relic Hunters
Founded in 2006, the main goal of this group of metal hunters is to help new metal detectorists become better treasure hunters.
The club organizes Saturday relic hunting, night hunting, monthly hunts, memorial days, educational meetups, and much more.
They also organize special prize hunts, educational activities, competitions, raffles, and small tours for their members. Some events are also open for the non-members.
The members of the club meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 6.30 pm. The membership costs $24 per year for years above 16 years old.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: Nixa Chamber of Commerce office at 106 W. Sherman, Suite 106, Nixa, MO 65714.
- Facebook group: 417 Relic Hunters
- Membership application: Membership form
5. Mo-Kan Search And Recovery
Mo-Kan Search and recovery club was founded in the 70s by a small group of people who were interested in metal detecting.
The club is interested in hunting relics, organizing educational events and programs for young metal detectorists, and finding lost objects and returning them to their owners.
At the monthly meetings, they display and discuss their findings, gain new techniques or knowledge, judge findings for annual competitions, and organize events for the upcoming months.
The club meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6.15 pm. The membership will be 10$ for an individual and $15 for a family per year.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: Pizza Ranch, 4801 North Oak,KCMO
- Facebook group: Mo-Kan Search And Recovery
6. Laclede County Treasure Trackers
This club is based in Lebanon, Missouri. The main goal of this group of mature metal detectorists is to share the knowledge of the hobby with others.
The club is very active in hunting. They have several hunting events including fall hunting, weekly hunting, and many other informal hunting events.
They have monthly meetings where they discuss the experiences of each member, the newest metal detectors, sell old metal detectors, welcome new members, have guest speaker events, and much more.
The monthly meetings of the club will be on the second Thursday of every month from 6 pm to 8 pm.
You can get to know about the membership fees and other details by joining one of the monthly meetings or the Facebook group.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: Lebanon-Laclede County Library
- Facebook group: Laclede County Treasure Trackers
7. Mid-Mo Metal Detecting Club
Also known as the mid-Missouri Metal Detecting Club. This was founded in 2005 by a group of young metal detectors.
They love getting together each month displaying their samples and working with others.
They also educate young people who are interested in metal detecting around Missouri.
The club gathers every month on the first Monday at 7 pm.
Their current website is not active but anyone who is interested can join their chat threads or visit one of the monthly meetings to get more information on the club.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: Ashland Cafe, Ashland, MO
- Chat thread: Mid-Mo Metal Detecting Club
8. MOKAN Search And Recovery
MOKAN search and recovery metal detecting club was founded in the 70s by a small group of metal detecting enthusiasts.
Members of this group love to share all the information they know with everyone else. They also show off their findings and stuff in a spirit of camaraderie and fellowship.
For the new members, have knowledge-sharing sessions where they educate the detectorists.
And also they judge the monthly findings as a competition for annual awards to keep the members of the group active and engaged.
The club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 7.30 pm.
The membership fee is charged from January to December as an annual fee. The cost will be $10 for an individual and $15 for a family.
Their website is currently inactive and anyone who is interested in joining them can visit a monthly meeting at the below location.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: Security Bank 5959 NE Antioch Rd Gladstone,Mo 64119
9. Pony Express Prospectors
This is a gold metal detectorist’s chapter located at st. Joseph, Missouri.
This was created by a like-minded group of detectorists to discuss gold prospecting and treasure hunting.
Many of the members actively hunt for treasures and prospect gold. They also have sessions on how to use new tools and equipment.
There will be a monthly raffle where members bring various stuff and all of them are won by a single winner through a raffle.
They also get permission to prospect and hunt private lands as well as archaeologically valuable lands.
The chapter meets every first Saturday of the month at 11 am – 20 pm.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: St. Joseph REC Center, 2701 SW Parkway, St. Joseph, MO.
- Mailing address: Pony Express Prospectors, P.O. Box 8535, St. Joseph, MO 65408
- Facebook group: Pony Express Prospectors
10. Show Me Gold Prospectors
Show Me Gold Prospectors is a group that has been since 2005.
The club was originally started in Smithville by Tom Gabriel and Doug Foster. Then it quickly grew into a bunch of people.
This is a chapter of the Gold Prospectors Association of America (GPPA). Because of this, they practice the constitutions that are put out by the GPPA.
The officers and board members of this club are also elected by the GPPA members.
There will be two raffles at each meeting run by the chapter as well as the association.
There are no membership fees charged in this club. So all the financial aid comes from the raffles.
For the raffles, members have to donate items each month. They don’t have to be new or related to prospecting or metal detecting.
The club meets each month on the first Saturday. The meeting will start at 12 noon but the doors are open from 9 am onwards with food.
Contact Info
- Meeting location: 109 E. 4th Street, Wellington, MO
- Website: Show Me Gold Prospectors
Congrats folks! Now you know all the best metal detecting clubs in Missouri in detail with their contact info.
Read to know the Best Ghost Towns in Missouri to Metal Detect
Now I’m going to share with you some tips that I’ve collected from local metal detectorists in Missouri which are super helpful when selecting a metal detecting club to join.
I’ve personally followed the below tips and was able to find the ones that suit me the most.
Definitely, they’ll be helpful for you as well to select the club that fits you so well.
Just keep reading!
Tips For Selecting A Metal Detecting Club In Missouri
There are some tips that you should consider when detecting metals in Missouri.
I will share my own thoughts here with you.
Location
Choose a club that is easy for you to access. It can be in the area that you are living or close by and easy to travel.
This will make it convenient for you to participate in meetings and events.
Membership Fees
Look for a club with a reasonable membership fee and offers the best for its cost. This is so important if you are all new to metal detecting.
Check what is included in the fees and if there are any additional charges for other events and activities.
Club Focus
Consider what type of resources the club will provide for the members.
It is important for a detectorist to stay updated with new equipment, new methods, and alterations of laws and regulations.
So a club should educate the members with the details of new equipment, how to use them, new methods and tips for metal detecting, and rules related to metal detecting.
And a club must be able to focus on specific areas and locations that a single detectorist could not do by himself. It should cater to all the needs of the members.
Community
Look for a club that has a supportive and positive community of members. A new group of friends can be found by joining a metal-detecting club.
They must be able to mentor you and offer guidance, advice, and support to develop your skills.
Meetings and Events
The frequency of the club meetings and the nature of it can tell you whether it fits you or not.
Attending a meeting and a few events that are open to outsiders can help you learn more about the club’s atmosphere.
Read to know the Best State Parks in Missouri to Metal Detect!
So, let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
FAQs
How can I join a metal detecting club in Missouri?
Most metal detecting clubs in Missouri have a membership process that usually involves filling out an application form, paying a membership fee, and attending regular club meetings or hunts.
Do these clubs organize group metal detecting hunts?
Yes, many metal detecting clubs in Missouri frequently organize group hunts, which are often open to members and sometimes to non-members for a fee or invitation.
Are there membership fees for joining these clubs?
Most clubs require a yearly membership fee, which varies depending on the club and the benefits offered.
Do I need my own metal detector to join a club?
While owning a metal detector is beneficial, many clubs welcome beginners and might offer rental options or guidance on purchasing a suitable device.
Are there specific rules or codes of ethics I need to follow?
Yes, most clubs adhere to a code of ethics that promotes responsible metal detecting, which includes respecting private property and preserving historical sites.
Can kids and families participate in these clubs?
Many metal detecting clubs in Missouri encourage family participation and have special events or hunts specifically designed for younger enthusiasts.
Is there training or workshops for beginners?
Most clubs offer workshops, monthly meetings, and mentoring for beginners to help them learn the nuances of metal detecting.
Do these clubs focus on specific types of finds like coins, relics, or gold?
While some clubs might have a particular focus, most Missouri metal detecting clubs are open to all types of finds, celebrating the joy of discovery irrespective of the item.
How often do the clubs meet and where?
Club meetings vary; some meet monthly while others might have quarterly gatherings, typically in community centers, parks, or members’ homes in Missouri.
Did I cover all you wanted to know about the Best Metal Detecting Clubs in Missouri?
In this article, I’ve deeply discussed the best metal detecting clubs in Missouri with the activities they do, and how to engage with them to take your metal detecting knowledge about Missouri to the next level.
The top metal detecting clubs in Missouri include the Gateway Treasure Club, Ozarks Metal Detecting Club, and the Show Me Treasure Club. These clubs offer group hunts, training sessions, and promote responsible detecting practices in the state.
Furthermore, I’ve answered some frequently asked questions as well.
Hope you’ve learned all you wanted to know about the best metal detecting clubs in Missouri in detail with expert tips and techniques.
Now it’s time to visit the clubs’ websites study what they do and monitor how their activities match your interests.
Participate in club meetings and learn things you don’t know about metal detecting in Missouri with the help of club experts. All the best!