Metal Detector Advice

Hi, I have been follow Prospecting Tas for about 12 month but unfortunately I have not been able to participate in any activities so far. Hoping this will change soon.
I have some gift cards from Anaconda that I was think about using to but a detector. I have not used a detector before.
Is there any advice on what I could buy from the Anaconda range as a starter pack?
Thanks
Dick

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Hi Dick

What sort of budget do you have. That would help people to know where to point you.

Cheers John

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John,
I have about $2K to spend depending what else take my eye when I go there.
Thanks
Dick

If you only want a gold detector then the Minelab Gold Monster 1000 will come in under that brand new. But Minelab are releasing the gold monster 2000 at the end of the month at $2499.00, which they say is a significant upgrade. You can easily pick up a gold monster 1000 secondhand for well under $1000, more so I guess once the 2000 is released.
If you want to go relic hunting mostly as well as a bit of gold then maybe the equinox 900 not sure of the price on that, that’s aimed at relic hunters primarily, but I believe it does have a gold mode.
All of those machines are VLF, which is very low frequency.
The mine lab SDC2300 and some of the pre GPX6000 machines which are all specifically for hunting gold are PI, which is pulse induction. Secondhand they can be had for around $3000 and up.
The latest PI gold hunting machine on the market is the Algo force 1500+, this is a PI machine that has some of the benefits such as target ID that the VLF machines have as well. I have one of these currently a very versatile machine which does not tie you to the specific manufacturers, batteries or coils. There is a large range of coils and they run ordinary USB power packs for power. Best bet to look for one of them secondhand would be on one of the two Algo force, Facebook pages or brand new a dealer, such as Detect offer various packages to suit your price range, a brand new one fully equipped with at least one coil would come in I think at around a shade under $3000.
Hope this helps. I know it’s a pretty confusing choice when you when you have not had one before.
Cheers, John.

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