When one encounters the words "metal detecting", what springs to mind are its mining and industrial applications. Metal detection is also essential in espionage when it comes to tracking evidence that might shed some light into a case. In parlance, metal detection is not limited to its practical uses. Metal detection has already become a hobby long enough for it to spawn hundreds of clubs worldwide. These clubs hold regular meetings that enable enthusiasts to showcase their finds and share their own experience as metal hunters. It's also an event where newbies can learn the tricks of the trade from hunters who have more experience.

There's an overwhelming amount of metal detectors out in the market, with all of them varying a lot in specs. You can choose according to frequency, audio response, iron level, battery life and many others. I recommend visiting the site metaldetectingworld.com for you to get a list of metal detectors available for purchase.

Metal detecting for the hobbyist has several sub-niches. Some enthusiasts specialize on one, while others do a combination of these sub-niches according to their personal preference. I am going to enumerate these sub-niches so you can decide on which ones you want to focus on.

COIN SHOOTING
Coin shooting is perfect for metal detecting beginners because of its accessibility and low level of difficulty. Take note, however, that the main purpose of coin shooting is not merely to accumulate bucks, but also to add to your collection. If you're lucky, you might detect a very old coin - old enough to be considered a relic - which you can boast to your friends and fellow hunters. Coin shooting is very common at the beach (generally called "beach combing") The more experienced beach combers always keep track of tides and sand erosion to determine the best place and time to hunt for coins.

PROSPECTING
'Gold diggers' are words that might sound archaic in this day and age, but there are still lots of them that are on the hunt for valuable metals like gold and silver. Just make sure to do some mapping out of prospective locations and a bit of research if you want to try your luck at prospecting. And don't forget to ask for a letter of approval before you set out for a particular spot. Prospecting requires a lot of dedication, expertise and patience, but there's always the possibility that you might catch a "big one".

RELIC HUNTING
If you are a history buff, then relic hunting is something that you'll definitely enjoy. Relics are historical artifacts like axeheads, buttons, coins, tags and buckles. There are hundreds of historical sites in America alone, and learning about the historical events in a particular location will increase the enjoyment with each find. The light of discovery provides more satisfaction if you have historical knowledge to make sense of what you find. It's like finding an arrowhead and being aware that there used to be Native American settlers in the location where you found it.

While metal detecting can be a very challenging task, the pure enjoyment one gets in the act of "treasure hunting", coupled by the innate inclination to go on small adventures, has kept the hobby still very much popular even today.