I want to get my grandson a metal detector to look for old coins. I have no idea about them, and have no idea how much I need to spend on one that works good. I don't want to waste money on a piece of crap that has problems, but still I can"t spend a whole lot for it..Any help would be appreciated. (he's 9 yrs old)
There are several good detectors out there at reasonable prices. Here is a link which will give you an idea. I personally like the Garrett Ace 300, but Whites and MineLab are top brand names as well. http://metaldetectorreviews.net/detectors/review_categories.php Good Luck Ben
I would buy him a cheap one to see if he even likes the hobby. If he shows interest for awhile I would then upgrade him to a better model. E-bay has a lot of pretty decent beginner detectors for around 60 bucks. Just my opinion.
Buying a cheep($80-$100) Walmart or Radio Shack detector for a 9 year old wouldn't be the worst idea. They do work and he should be able to find coins but if you want to find deeper,older coins you would probably have to spend a bit more. I have an ACE 300 that I like but they don't make them anymore. They have been replaced by the ACE 250, and the 250 is actually a bit cheaper for newer technology(about $215 vs $240)
Jim, What detector do you use, you always have such great finds I always enjoy looking at what you find ?
I have been teaching him about coins for almost 3 years now, and he already has a nice collection started. I want one that I can use when he has other interests, maybe in the $150-$200 range. Thanks for your help. Ed
I just checked several of them out, and thanks to all of your help, I have decided on the Garrett Ace 250. The list is $249.95, but I can get it for $209. Sounds like a good deal. That will be one of his christmas presents. I hope I made the right choice.
Jim is right. make sure he enjoys the hobby before investing many $. I have a Whites MXT that I paid $800+ for sitting in the corner looking at me. It's sat there without moving all year and is just begging to go out and find "anything" at this point. Not that I have lost interest, just trouble finding areas to search around here that haven't be hunted to death already. Seems that people are getting more hesitant to let you on their property.
I wrote in, Mienlab Explorer 2 and got no results from ebay and Google..?? Sorry, It's MINELAB got it now. Jim spelled it wrong...
What state you in? MXT is a great detector as well. My buddy does real well with one. How long have you used yours Silver? Hit old church lots in your area. Can almost always get permission from there. I know others hit these spots too but the more you learn your detector and what its telling you the better you get and find what others leave behind. Just my two cents. Jim
Just look south Jim. Northern Indiana. Got it late last fall and this year would have been my 1st full summer with it. I think there is a club in this area (South Bend) and I was thinking about checking into it.
Like already said, you may be wasting your money. A 9 year old doesn't have the greatest attention span for most things. Stick to a cheapy from Walmart of even cheaper to see if he will use it or you may have a several hundred dollar item sitting in a closet for years. Another thing to consider is where he lives and/or has access to. For example if in a heavily populated area and plenty of parks, beaches, playgrounds, etc he may really have a ball with one. If in a place like a big city where the ground is full of nails, bottle tops, bear can tops, rebar, bolts, nuts, etc. he may well loose interest. For example in the area where I live I have purchased numerous metal detectors for relatives including my son over the years and they always loose interest because the things just signals constantly. The ground everywhere around here is just to full of metal. Mostly concrete or asphalt everywhere with just about anything people throw in while curring. Many roads around here are constantly being re-excavated and I see construction workers with metal detectors all the time and usually all they ever find is a nail, bold, nut, beer can, etc. Think it our carefully. A 9 year old may rather have a faster bike.
Right now the Garrett 250 is considered the best deal in detecting. When they first came out there was a 6 month wait for them. I recently spoke to a bunch of people, and they love it.
