Editing Metal detector (section)

===As a hobby===
[[File:Metaldetectorbeach-odaiba-japan-2016-6-19.webm|thumb|A man metal detecting on a beach in [[Japan]], 2016]]
{{Redirect|Detectorist|the comedy series|Detectorists{{!}}''Detectorists''}}
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[[File:Stringer156 nugget.jpg|thumb|This {{convert|156|ozt|kg|adj=on}} [[gold nugget]], known as the [[Mojave Nugget]], was found in 1977 by an individual prospector in the Southern California Desert using a metal detector.]]

There are various types of hobby activities involving metal detectors:
* Coin shooting is specifically targeting coins.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.metaldetectingworld.com/coin_shooting.shtml|title=Coin Shooting Tips|website=www.metaldetectingworld.com}}</ref> Some coin shooters conduct historical research to locate sites with potential to give up historical and collectible coins.
* [[Prospecting]] is looking for valuable metals like [[gold]], [[silver]], and [[copper]] in their natural forms, such as nuggets or flakes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldgold.com/the-fundamentals-of-electronic-prospecting.html | author=Dave McCracken |title=The Fundamentals of Electronic Prospecting :: goldgold.com| date=23 November 2011 }}</ref>
* Metal detectors are also used to search for discarded or lost,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.detecting.us/2012/09/30/gold-ring-recovery-from-farm-field/ | author=Scott Clark |title=Finding Jewelry with Metal Detector| date=30 September 2012 }}</ref> valuable man-made objects such as jewelry, mobile phones, cameras and other devices. Some metal detectors are waterproof, to allow the user to search for submerged objects in areas of shallow water. 
* General metal detecting is very similar to coin shooting except the user is after any type of historical artifact. Detectorists may be dedicated to preserving historical artifacts, and often have considerable expertise. Coins, bullets, buttons, axe heads, and buckles are just a few of the items that are commonly found by relic hunters; in general the potential is far greater in Europe and Asia than in many other parts of the world. More valuable finds in Britain alone include the [[Staffordshire Hoard]] of [[Anglo-Saxon]] gold, sold for £3,285,000, the gold Celtic [[Newark Torc]], the [[Ringlemere Cup]], [[West Bagborough Hoard]], [[Milton Keynes Hoard]], Roman [[Crosby Garrett Helmet]], [[Stirling Hoard]], [[Collette Hoard]] and thousands of smaller finds.
* [[Beach combing]] is hunting for lost coins or jewelry on a beach. Beach hunting can be as simple or as complicated as one wishes to make it. Many dedicated beach hunters also familiarize themselves with tide movements and [[coastal erosion|beach erosion]].
* Metal detecting clubs exist for hobbyists to learn from others, show off finds from their hunts and to learn more about the hobby.

Hobbyists often use their own metal detecting lingo when discussing the hobby with others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.detecting.us/metal-detecting-jargon-for-coinshooters|title=Metal Detecting Jargon Glossary|website=detecting.us}}</ref>{{importance inline|date=April 2022}}

====Politics and conflicts in the metal detecting hobby in the United States====
{{Globalize|section|USA|2name=the United States|date=June 2013}}

The metal detecting community and professional archaeologists have different ideas related to the recovery and preservation of historic finds and locations. Archaeologists claim that detector hobbyists take an artifact-centric approach, removing these from their context resulting in a permanent loss of historical information. Archaeological looting of places like [[Slack Farm]] in 1987 and [[Petersburg National Battlefield]] serve as evidence against allowing unsupervised metal detecting in historic locations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/23/10827391-civil-war-relic-thief-engaged-in-heartbreaking-destruction?lite|title=Civil War relic thief engaged in 'heartbreaking' destruction|publisher=NBC News}}</ref>