7 Best Places to Metal Detect for Old Coins

Ever unearthed history with a beep? Where’s the best spot to find old coins? Dive in, and let’s unearth those hidden treasures together!

Have you ever come across old coins during metal detecting? Do you know how much value they have in the antique collectors’ community? 

During my 12-year period of metal detecting, I have found countless pieces of old coins and money. 

Last summer, I was wondering what could I do with all the old coins that I have uncovered from the Earth.

Luckily one of my friends was an antique collector and I bought those coins for them.

The value he offered me in return for those coins blew me away. And it was what interested me in finding further old coins pieces. 

So, here’re the, Best places to metal detect old coins 

1. Historical Sites
2. Beaches
3. Parks
4. Old Homesteads and farms
5. Ghost towns
6. Campsites
7. Construction sites

But that’s just a quick snapshot!

As you already know, a good metal detection session’s success heavily relies on the research done beforehand. 

So that is what intrigued me in putting out this list for all the metal detecting enthusiasts out there to try and find some old coins and turn a fortune in. 

So, in the rest of the article, I will be talking about each of these locations and where you could have success in finding old coins. 

Hang around till the end to find out more about these locations and where you should visit to find your first old coin. 

If you are an international reader joining us from abroad, don’t worry I got you covered too. 

Relationships I have built with fellow metal detectorists abroad have shared their experiences with me regarding old coin detecting. And I’m more than happy to share those experiences with you too. 

So, hang around till the end for more surprises. Without further due let’s jump straight into the article about the best places to metal detect old coins.  

Let’s jump in!

Best Places to Metal Detect for Old Coins 

Old coin detecting is one of the niches of metal detecting that most people are hesitant to take up due to some labeling it as a hard task. 

But if you know where to detect old coins this is the easiest tool in the world. 

I have come up with a list of generalized locations that you can try out if you are into metal detecting for old coins. 

As usual, these locations are listed by my hands-on experiences as well as shared experiences with my friends. 

If you are someone who is new to the metal detecting game or if you are someone who is trying out to start metal detecting for old coins, I suggest you look for these generalized locations in your area. 

Tip: First you need to know whether your metal detector can detect coins and how to detect them using proper techniques!

After selecting such an area, try your luck with metal detecting, and I’m quite sure if you stick to the right technique and be patient you will end up with something valuable. 

Here are the locations that you can try out to find old coins by metal detecting,

1. Historical Sites

With over 12 years of experience in metal detecting I can safely say historical sites and places are the best for any metal detector to find old stuff. 

Whether it is coins or any other relic, historical sites always give you the maximum value for your effort. 

If the historical site is older, it is even better. According to the time the site was built originally, there could be coins from that era up to now. 

A historical site that was built in the colonial era could easily have coins from the colonial era as well as coins from the early 2000s hidden beneath the surface of the site. 

If the site is a tourist attraction there could be abundant old coins lying in the area. 

So if you are near a historical site, I suggest you start your metal detecting journey from here as you can never go wrong in these kinds of places. 

2. Beaches

Another important place to look for old coins is the Beaches.

Beaches and their surrounding areas with harbors and ports also could yield some valuable coin finds for you. 

As beaches are places where most people concentrate to relax, these places have more potential to have some old coins. 

And harbors and port areas surrounding the beaches could also yield some valuable untouched findings in the shallow water areas of these places.

On beaches, you could find coins from different periods. 

And in some hidden beaches, there are ports and harbors which have been used by pirates or which have been used as naval control centers in the past. 

By detecting these kinds of places, you could find some valuable coins related to these eras. 

So, be watchful and look for these kinds of things make yourself prepared to do anything to find that old coin your heart desires so much. 

3. Parks

There is a park in every major city. These parks attract a lot of tourists as well as locals, which makes it an ideal place to start your metal detecting journey in finding old coins. 

These parks could range from national wildlife parks to small playground parks near every township. 

As these are busy places these places have more chance of having old coins in them. 

If the park is abandoned or old, there is a high chance of it having an old coin rather than a newly built park. 

As most of these parks are owned by local governments getting permission to metal detecting is also easier. 

But in the case of national wildlife parks, you have to be more careful in getting the permissions as well as metal detecting. 

National parks with rich historical backgrounds could have some interesting findings in them. 

4. Old Homesteads and Farms

If you are not living near a major city, and you are living comfortably in a suburban area, you could easily find farms and old homesteads. 

These old homesteads and farms could have massive potential for finding old coins. 

These old farms and homesteads might be abandoned or non-functional at present, but if you could arrange with the owners for a metal detecting session you could find some valuable findings. 

Older the homestead or farm, the more chances of finding something valuable. 

These sites are often overlooked by other people; hence you could be able to uncover some valuable findings. There are several old farmhouses in my area that I used to go past without realizing their value. 

Once I was interested in finding old coins by metal detecting, I did research and took more notice of these old farmhouses.

And you might be amazed by how many items, especially old coins I discovered from these farmhouses. 

So, if you have an old farmhouse or a homestead nearby, make sure to check it out. 

5. Ghost Towns

Ghost towns are another great place to find old coins by metal detecting. 

As these places are once populated places that are now abandoned, they could have abundant coins lying in the ground. 

As these towns were abandoned, these allowed people to uncover coins from a certain period. As these remain relatively untouched over the years, the historical value of the findings is also high. 

As these sites face fewer disturbances like construction, developments, and tourist visiting which makes the lost or dropped items remain intact without being disturbed. 

Which will enhance the chances of finding coins by metal detecting.  

Some of these ghost towns might have historical importance as well. 

Some of these towns might have been gold mining towns or historical hubs, which makes them even more important and the findings even more valuable. 

6. Campsites

Campsites are also a good place to start your metal-detecting journey for old coins. 

These places are used by people for recreational activities, picnics, and various relaxation and outdoor activities. 

If you are an avid traveler, you might know that people tend to set up camp in previously camped places, making it a hotspot for lost items. 

And during camping, you are bound to drop and lose items unknowingly due to various reasons. 

Due to reasons like these campsites could be the perfect place to start metal detecting for old coins. 

In campsites, you could be able to find some long-lost old coins as well as other important metal findings. 

7. Construction Sites 

Construction is the last item on the list of best places to find old coins by metal detecting.

Construction sites undergo severe changes in quick time due to the developments, these sites get excavated a lot and the ground soil layers get disturbed frequently. 

These disturbances to the ground soil layers might uncover what is beneath them easily. 

As the ground is been excavated, in the excavated area you could find old coins that might have gone unnoticed. 

If the construction is done on a historical site, the probability of uncovering some old coins is higher than in a normal site. 

So, if there is a construction site nearby you, I advise you to start metal detecting in the construction site to find some old coins. 

Best States in the United States to Metal Detect for Old Coins

There are few special locations or states that are very helpful for metal detectors. 

Even in these states, you have to find the correct location to metal detect, if not you would be just wandering around wasting your time. 

The locations I’m about to share with you are mostly my personal experiences, places where I have personally been into and had success in finding old coins. 

So, if you are someone near any of these locations or living in one of these states, I suggest you try out these locations and find some valuable and important old coins for your collection. 

1. California 

California is one of the best hotspots for someone eager in finding old coins. 

Due to its high popularity and places that attract millions of tourists every year, California sits on top of the list of best places to detect old coins.

One prominent location where you can have massive success finding old coins is along the shores of La Jolla Beach in San Diego County. 

With a large number of people visiting this beach every year it is bound to have a lot of coins scattered among the soil. 

Another important location in the state of California is Griffith Park situated in Los Angeles County. This is one of the most visited places in the California state. 

Due to its importance and popularity for outdoor activities countless people visit this site. This ensures there could be multiple old coins on this site. 

Another site that caught my eye in the state of California is the Cerro Gordo mining town situated in Inyo Couty. 

This is a ghost town, but we metal-detecting enthusiasts could uncover a whole lot from these areas. 

You could potentially find old coins among the residential areas and mining sites. So be sure to check this site too if you are in California. 

Another important site in California is the Calico Ghost Town in San Bernardino County. This is a well-preserved ghost town. 

Calico town was a large silver mining town in the late 1800s during the silver rush. Now abandoned, the mining town could potentially lead us to find some of the more valuable coins from the residential as well as mining areas. 

Another site where you could yield old coins from metal detecting in California is the Downtown area of San Francisco City. 

The downtown area sees development projects often which leads to old buildings being demolished and new constructions being carried on. 

Among these old buildings and streets, you could find abundant old and lost coins that you can add to your collection. 

2. Utah

Zion National Park in the Washington County of Utah is a popular destination for campers and hikers.

Among the national park, there are designated camping areas for camping.

In these designated camping areas, you could potentially find and search for old coins. And surrounding areas of these camping sites could also lead to uncovering some hidden old coins. 

Another prominent place that you have to try in the State of Utah is Downtown Salt Lake City, situated in Salt Lake County. 

This downtown area often sees development projects, which uncover some parts of the town which was hidden previously. 

These uncovered parts of the town could potentially have some old relics and most importantly coins hidden in them. 

So it is advisable to search in the downtown area of Salt Lake City to find some interesting coins. 

3. New York

Jones Beach State Park in Suffolk County in Long Island is one of the top hotspots to visit if you are someone who is in New York or Living close to the location. 

This has been a recreational area for a long time, which suits us massively. 

The history of recreational activities is bound to have some old coins scattered in the area. So this is one of the major places you should visit if you are living close by. 

Another hotspot in New York is the Central Park in New York. The park has a rich history over centuries, and people have been visiting this for a long time. 

Therefore, this is one of the best places you should try out if you are living in the State of New York. 

4. Colorado

Clear Creek County has a rich mining gold mining past. One of the most important sites for finding old coins is St. Mary’s Glacier in the county. 

This resembles a ghost town due to the abandoned mining sites and mines. 

But among the settlements you could find abundant old coins just waiting to be uncovered. 

Another important site in Colorado is Lake City in San Hinsdale County. This is a mining town with rich gold mining history. 

This is one of the more prominent spots in the state if you are eager to find old coins from the early 19^th century. 

Most of the coins found on this site are incorporated with gold, therefore the value of the findings is much higher compared to other coins. 

5. Massachusetts

There are a few locations in Massachusetts where you can try metal detecting for old coins. One such location is Minuteman National Park.

Minuteman National Park is located in the Middlesex County of Massachusetts. This park is a historical site with ties to the American Revolution. 

There are parts of the park that yields old coins dropped by soldiers and people who lived at that time. 

Another important location in Massachusetts is the Freedom Trail. Freedom Trail is located in Boston, Suffolk County.

This site consisted of 16 important sites during the American Revolution. So, the sites and the surrounding could potentially have old coins from the colonial era.  

6. Ohio

Lehman’s Hardware store in Wayne County Ohio is a historical site that people used to visit for decades. 

This is a one-of-a-kind store that specialized in non-electric tools, Even though this might catch you off guard, the area surrounding the site might lead to some interesting findings. 

7. Maine

Strawberry Banke Museum which is located in the York County of Maine, is a historical museum that has restored old buildings from the 17^th to 19^th century. 

The area surrounding these sites as well as the site could have the potential for metal detecting for old coins. 

8. Oregon

Cannon Beach in Clatsop County is one of the important locations in the state of Oregon for Old Coin hunting. 

The beach area is visited by many people and therefore it has a high chance of things being lost, especially coins. 

Timothy lake ground is another hotspot in Oregon for detecting old coins. Situated in Clackamas County, this lake ground could have coins dropped and lost by abundant campers that visited this place over the years. 

So if you are someone from the state of Oregon, these are places that I recommend you to visit if you are eager in finding old coins. 

9. Georgia 

There are a few locations where every metal detector interested in finding old coins should checkout. 

One of the more important locations among the vast locations is the Historic District of Chatham County. 

This is known as the Savannah historic district. With historic buildings and charming streets, there is an architectural beauty to the place too. 

Apart from that these locations could potentially yield some old coins with rich historical importance. 

Centennial Olympic Park which was created in 1996 for the Olympics, is another place for searching for old coins. 

The construction site is situated in Fulton County, near Atlanta, and could have the potential for lost old coins. 

Best Places Across the Continents to Metal Detect for Old Coins

Up to now, I have educated you about the places where you can metal detect old coins in the United States of America. 

Next up I’m going share my knowledge about location abroad which you can try out to find old coins by metal detecting. 

North America

1. Canada 

Toronto Islands in Canada is a popular tourist destination in the country. 

Composed of beaches, parks, and historical sites, this presents the perfect opportunity for someone from Canada or visiting Canada to engage in metal detecting activities and find old coins

Another hotspot in Canada is the Lunenburg area in Nova Scotia. This historical site is known for its architecture and maritime history. 

Among these rich historical artifacts, there could be potential for old coins too. 

2. Mexico

The historic Center of Mexico in the city of Mexico has several buildings from the colonial era as well as various historical periods. 

You can look for old coins in the town square and among other landmarks as well. 

Veracruz Port in the city of Veracruz is a port that has been used by Spanish sailors back in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. 

This port depicts the history of colonialism as well as other important events.

This is a popular tourist destination in the country, so you can be able to find some old coins with historical importance in this area.

If you are visiting this place to find some old coins from metal I advise you to try the waterfront and the harbor area first and then move into the country. 

3. Dominican Republic

Santa Domingo area is the oldest known area of European Settlement in the North American region. 

So, by exploring this historic area, you could potentially find some old coins.

South America

1. Peru

Cusco is the historical capital of the Incan empire. This historical site could yield a lot of old coins from different origins like Spanish and Incan coins. 

2. Colombia

Cartagena is a city with a rich colonial past. In the streets and old township of Cartagena, you might be able to find some old coins belonging to Spain. 

3. Brazil

The Ouro Preto area is known for its rich history in gold mining. 

This area could have coins belonging to the gold rush era of Brazil as well as some other old coins which dropped or lost by miners. 

4. Chile

Valparaiso, which is a historic port city in Chile, could have some old coins belonging to various nations. 

This port was one of the busiest ports in the South American region in the past, now a popular tourist attraction, this could be a perfect opportunity for someone from the area to find some old coins by metal detecting. 

Europe

1. United Kingdom

St. Ives Beach in Cornwall is a hotspot in the St. Ives area for locals as well as tourists. 

If you are someone from the area, start your metal detecting session from the beach and move inwards towards the countryside. 

I guarantee you that there will be a lot of rewards for you. 

2. Scotland

Edinburgh is the historical capital of Scotland. The old town area of Edinburgh offers a lot of opportunities for metal detectors to detect anything. 

If you are someone from the nation of Scotland, I highly recommend you to pay a visit to the old town area of Edinburgh and find some old coins by metal detecting. 

3. Italy

Roman Forum area, which was once the center of the roman empire, is a prime location that attracts a lot of tourists. 

So, there is potential for finding some old as well as historically valuable coins from the area. 

Africa

1. Egypt

Cairo of Egypt has a rich history that dates back to the start of time. As well as Cairo is one of the top tourist attractions in the world. 

The old town area of Cairo could yield coins from different eras like from Roman era, Islamic era, and other eras.

2. South Africa

Cape Town is the most popular town in South Africa. As most people visit Cape Town every day, there are multiple sites that you could look into to search for old coins. 

You can start with the beach and then moves inwards toward the country, searching in old townships and streets. 

3. Morocco

Marrakech is known for its vibrant culture and rich historical background.

The old town square will be a good point for you to start your metal detecting session. 

Asia

1. Japan

Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto is a good spot to start metal detecting for old coins. 

Start by searching the outskirts and the surrounding this temple and I’m pretty sure that you will find something valuable from this place. 

2. India

Qutub Minar Complex in New Delhi has a rich history that runs back to the 12^th century. 

The complex and its surrounding area might have the potential for finding old coins.

3. Thailand

Grand Palace in Bangkok has a rich history that dates back multiple centuries. 

The areas surrounding the palace as well as the palace itself might have the potential for finding old coins by metal detecting. 

4. Turkey

Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul was the hub of marketing for centuries when the Ottomans ruled the world. 

This area might have the potential for some interesting as well as valuable old coins in the ground. 

Australia

1. Australia

Sydney has abundant historic sites in its vicinity. 

The Rocks area and the Botanical Gardens area might have some old coins in them, as they are heavy tourist attraction points as well as filled with historical importance. 

Another hotspot in Australia is the Melbourne area, where old neighborhoods of Melbourne like Fitzroy and Carlton could yield some old coins. 

2. New Zealand

Dunedin in Otago has a rich history in gold mining. 

You could find some coins among the mine sites as well as surrounding areas of these sites. 

Congrats folks! Now you know all the best places to metal detect for old coins including the best states in the USA and the best countries all around the world.

What if you don’t have a metal detector with you for detecting coins, Don’t worry! Read this article to know How to Find Coins Without a Metal Detector!

After discovering the old coins, read this article to learn, How to Clean Old Coins Found in the Ground?

So, let’s answer some frequently asked questions.

The United Kingdom, with its extensive history, had over 1.5 million historical artifacts (including old coins) discovered by metal detectorists and reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme since its inception in 1997

finds.org.uk

FAQs

Did I cover all you wanted to know about Best Places to Metal Detect For Old Coins?

In this article, I’ve explored the best places to metal detect for old coins including general locations, the best states in the US, and the best countries for my international audience as well.

I’ve described the significance of each of those places and how you can detect old coins easily using the correct methods.

Best places to metal detect for old coins include historic homesteads, old parks, battlefields, and areas with past events. Beaches near ancient towns or shipwrecks also yield coins. Always research a location’s history and check local laws before metal detecting.

Furthermore, I’ve answered some frequently asked questions as well.

Now you know the best places to metal detect old coins in detail. Share the things you’ve learned from this article with your fellow detectorists.

Now take your companion metal detector and go treasure hunting like a pro!