# Thinking of getting into metal detecting, good inexpensive detector? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543 "2014-02-28T20:46:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/1 "2014-02-28T20:46:22Z")
I live a 10 minute drive from the York Maine beaches (long sands, short sands, and harbor beach) and we have 50 acres of land with a woodlot with remnants of antique car parts and horse drawn haying euipment, a family graveyard on the edge of the property, a granite rock wall borders the property line on the west side, and the house is a 200+ year old Colonial… There should be interesting finds on our property, y’think? So, what’s a decent beginner detector, $300 or under? I tried a Bounty Hunter Quicksilver and was greatly disappointed, it felt cheap and failed the basic tests I put it through, so I returned it I’ve been reading reviews on the Whites Coinmaster pro and GT models, they seem to be what I’m looking for, plus I have store credit at a local shop that sells them, I have about half the price of the Pro in store credit… Are the Coinmaster models decent? ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/2 "2014-02-28T21:56:48Z")
Be prepared for an avalanche of 7 carat diamond rings. You’ll probably need a storage locker. ---
**Author:** ![Fishybreath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ec9cab/32.png) [@Fishybreath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fishybreath)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/3 "2014-02-28T22:16:44Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Be prepared for an avalanche of 7 carat diamond rings. You’ll probably need a storage locker. Ha ha ha!!! Win! ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/4 "2014-03-01T03:45:56Z")
Also, make sure you get a pair of tactical pants. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/5 "2014-03-01T04:08:40Z")
And a Caribbean mansion. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/6 "2014-03-01T04:18:10Z")
Yes. A famous one that’s been featured in _Architectural Digest_. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/7 "2014-03-01T04:19:24Z")
Don’t be cheap. Get a [White’s](http://www.whiteselectronics.com/metal-detectors). ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/8 "2014-03-01T04:43:56Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > Yes. A famous one that’s been featured in _Architectural Digest_. Or at least a bull’s digest. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thinking-of-getting-into-metal-detecting-good-inexpensive-detector/682543/9 "2014-03-01T04:53:03Z")
If you don’t get good recommendations here you could go to Amazon and read reviews: [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr\_nr\_n\_1?rh=n%3A554036%2Ck%3Ametal%2Bdetector&sort=popularity-rank&keywords=metal%2Bdetector&ie=UTF8&qid=1393649515&rnid=2941120011](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_1?rh=n%3A554036%2Ck%3Ametal%2Bdetector&sort=popularity-rank&keywords=metal%2Bdetector&ie=UTF8&qid=1393649515&rnid=2941120011)