Wouldn’t it be nice to have a hobby that actually pays you back once in a while? There aren’t many that do, but of the ones that do, few are as much fun as prospecting. Whether you want to comb the beaches for lost treasure, or head out to your local stream to see if you can find some gold, we can help you out.

Gold Prospecting

Panning for gold is one of the least expensive hobbies to take up, and it’s a good excuse to play in the water and mud on a hot summer day. We have pans, vials (to keep your gold in), magnets, sieves, sluices, sniffer bottles, and more. How-to advice is always free.

Gold prospecting in Vermont is subject to certain state restrictions:

• Dredges of any kind are not allowed (i.e., banned).
• While anyone can pan for gold by hand, using a sluice box requires a state permit ($25 Vermont resident, $50 non-resident). Landowner permission is also required. Sluicing without a permit can result in a hefty fine. Information and application are available here.

Metal Detecting

If playing in the water isn’t really your thing, we have metal detectors by MineLab for every skill level. Whether you are looking for that loose change you dropped on your lawn last fall, or combing old battlefields looking for bullets and buttons, MineLab has a model to suit your needs, and we are more than happy to help you find the model you need to find what you are seeking.

Lost something valuable, but don’t want to invest in a metal detector of your own to find it? No problem! We have a unit here in the shop ready to rent. Daily rentals cost only $25, which has got to be cheaper than trying to replace that necklace or ring you dropped in the tall grass.