What is treasure hunting?

Treasure hunting is the pursuit of lost coins, relics, and historical artifacts using research, field exploration, and ethical recovery methods. Modern treasure hunters combine historical records, geological insight, and detection tools to responsibly discover and preserve items of cultural and monetary value.

How do you start treasure hunting?

Start with research — learn local history, study old maps, and identify promising sites on public land. Invest in a quality entry-level metal detector, join a local club, and always obtain landowner permission before searching private property.

Is treasure hunting legal?

Treasure hunting is legal on most public and private land with permission, but laws vary by state and country. Key restrictions include the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) on federal land, underwater salvage laws, and cultural heritage regulations. Always research local laws before hunting.

What tools do treasure hunters use?

Essential tools include metal detectors, gold pans, sluice boxes, pinpointers, digging tools, and GPS devices. Serious researchers also use historical maps, land records, newspaper archives, and geological surveys to identify productive sites.

Can you keep treasure you find?

Ownership depends on where and how the treasure is found. On private land with permission, finds typically belong to the hunter (or are split with the landowner). On federal or state land, artifacts may be protected. Shipwreck salvage has its own admiralty law framework. Always understand local ownership laws.

What mistakes do beginner treasure hunters make?

Common mistakes include hunting without permission, ignoring local laws, skipping research, buying overly expensive equipment too early, and having unrealistic expectations. The most productive hunters spend more time researching than detecting.

How to Use the Library of Congress for Historical Research

By Randy Salars·Last Updated: January 15, 2025

The Library of Congress holds over 170 million items — maps, manuscripts, newspapers, photographs, sound recordings, and printed materials. Much of this collection is accessible digitally, for free, from anywhere in the world.

What Are the Key Collections for Researchers?

Geography & Map Division

loc.gov/maps

5.5 million maps including Sanborn fire insurance maps, Civil War battlefields, and historical atlases. High-resolution scans available for download.

Chronicling America

chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

Millions of digitized newspaper pages from 1770 to 1963. Full-text searchable OCR. Completely free.

Manuscript Division

loc.gov/manuscripts

Personal papers of presidents, military leaders, scientists, and other notable figures. Finding aids available online.

Prints & Photographs

loc.gov/pictures

Over 17 million visual items — photographs, drawings, prints, and posters. Many pre-date photography.

American Memory

memory.loc.gov

Curated digital collections of historical documents, photographs, maps, and audio recordings organized by theme.

Veterans History Project

loc.gov/vets

First-person accounts from veterans of all wars. Includes oral histories, diaries, and photographs.

What Are Some Tips for Effective LOC Research?

• Use the catalog (catalog.loc.gov) — Search by keyword, subject, author, or date range
• Browse finding aids — Manuscript collections have detailed inventories listing every folder and item
• Download high-res images — Most digital items can be downloaded at full resolution for research use
• Ask a Librarian — LOC reference librarians respond to email inquiries and can guide your research remotely
• Visit in person — Reader cards are free and grant access to reading rooms and unrestricted collections

Put LOC Research Into Practice

The Treasure Hunter's Research Guide teaches you how to effectively use LOC and other archives as part of a complete research methodology.

Get the Research Guide →

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