Metal detecting is a great hobby. Not only can metal detecting be fun but it can even help you to find valuable treasures. Metal detecting is a hobby that can actually make you money. Even if you never make money metal detecting though it is a fun hobby and I would suggest that any hobbyist view metal detecting as a hobby and finding anything as an added bonus to the fun of the hobby itself. However finding treasures great and small make your metal detecting experience better. If you want to make sure you have a good metal detecting experience then you will want to first pick a good metal detector.
There are some really cheap metal detectors on the market, most of the cheap ones can be found in toy stores and are for kids. These metal detectors may seem like a good option as a starter metal detector but they are not really a good choice. In my experience there are no cheap good metal detectors. All the kids metal detectors are of little actual use sometimes they wont even find unburied metal objects right below them. I am pretty cheap myself but because I am cheap I would suggest not wasting your money on one of these metal detectors because you will either leave the hobby or end up having to buy a better one anyway.
There are a few other ways to make your own metal detectors. These can actually work better then a kids metal detector. I would not suggest going this route as a way to get into metal detecting. It might be fun to learn how metal detectors work, and it may give you some simple practice but again you will end up either leaving the hobby, or end up spending money on a better detector.
You can get an alright metal detector brand new for $50-100 this is one good way to enter the market. I would look around to find one that has good reviews for it. You could pay $100 and get junk or pay $50 and get a pretty decent metal detector you just never know unless you look online for reviews of the product, many websites like amazon give reviews by other customers and I would suggest you read through those before buying a metal detector.
Another good option which I think is one of the best options is to buy a used higher quality metal detector. You can get one on ebay for a good price compared to the same model new. You can also find other hobbyist who want to get better more expensive ones who will sale there old metal detector. Buying from someone who is getting a better one is the best especially if you know them. Someone who has experience with the metal detector can give you information that may help you use the metal detector better.
I should point out that there are some different kinds of metal detectors for different kinds of metal detecting. For finding where to gold pan you will need a special metal detector often refereed to as a gold bug. If you are going to use the metal detector in water you will need a special metal detector for that as well. So if you have particular special metal detecting needs make sure you buy a metal detector suited for those needs.
Metal detecting should be fun. Metal detecting can be inexpensive to get into. For $50-100 you can start and besides the occasional batteries you will never have to get anything else but you just may end up getting more expensive stuff if it becomes worth your while or if the gold bug strikes you.
