Coins are the target most detectors are built around, so the differences come down to how well a machine sorts a coin from the trash around it. The Garrett ACE 400 is the best-value coin detector: Garrett lists a 0 to 99 Target ID, Iron Audio and a large DD coil, and describes it as powerful on coins, jewelry and artifacts. The Garrett Vortex VX7 is the pick for trashy parks, the Minelab X-Terra Pro lets you choose a frequency, and the Minelab Vanquish 560 is the simplest multi-frequency choice.

This is desk research from maker pages, not field testing. Price bands are what Amazon listings showed on November 7, 2026.

Picks at a Glance

Detector Coin-relevant features (per the maker) Water (per the maker) Usual Amazon price band Main trade-off
Garrett ACE 400 0-99 Digital Target ID, Iron Audio, Iron Check, adjustable notch No water rating on Garrett’s page $300-400 Single frequency; keep it on dry land
Garrett Vortex VX7 USA Coins mode, bottlecap reject (4 settings), 2-tier Target ID Fully waterproof to 16 ft (5 m) $400-500 Highest price here
Minelab X-Terra Pro 5, 10 or 15 kHz in Park and Field, -19 to 99 Target ID IP68, to 5 m (16 ft) $200-300 No multi-frequency; no headphones in the box
Minelab Vanquish 560 Multi-IQ, -19 to 99 Target ID, iron bias, 5 tones IP68, to 5 m (16 ft) $300-400 Few manual settings

What Makes a Good Coin Detector

  • Target ID you can learn. A numeric scale lets you note where clad coins, pull tabs and foil sit on your machine. Minelab’s split ID (below zero for ferrous, 1 to 99 for non-ferrous) separates iron from coins at a glance.
  • Iron handling. Old parks hide coins next to nails and bottle caps. Garrett’s Iron Audio lets you hear discriminated iron, and the Vortex adds bottlecap reject. Our nails and bottle caps list goes deeper.
  • Frequency. Garrett says lower frequencies generally do better on larger, more conductive targets such as large silver coins, and higher frequencies on smaller, less conductive ones. Multi-frequency runs several at once.
  • Coil. A larger DD coil covers a field faster; a smaller one separates targets in trash. Our large vs small coil comparison covers the trade.

1. Garrett ACE 400: Best Value for Coins

Garrett lists a 10 kHz adjustable frequency, a 0 to 99 Digital Target ID that identifies a target’s conductivity, Iron Audio, Iron Check, adjustable notch discrimination, five search modes plus pinpoint, eight sensitivity and depth adjustments and an 8.5 x 11 inch DD PROformance searchcoil, at a total weight of 2.9 lbs (1.32 kg). Garrett describes it as powerful on coins, jewelry and artifacts.

It is the top of Garrett’s ACE line and the most coin-focused detector here for the money. It is single frequency, and Garrett’s ACE 400 page gives no water rating, so treat it as a dry-land park, yard and field detector. Our ACE 400 review and Garrett lineup guide cover it against the ACE 300 and Apex. Check the ACE 400 on Amazon .

Choose it for: Parks and yards on a mid-range budget.

2. Garrett Vortex VX7: Best for Trashy Parks

Garrett lists five search modes for the VX7 (Zero, Standard, USA Coins, Beach and Custom), 5 and 13 kHz plus Multi-Freq and Multi-Salt, bottlecap reject and iron boundary with four settings each, two recovery speed settings, a 2-tier MD-MF Target ID, built-in Z-Lynk wireless and a fully waterproof rating to 16 ft (5 m). Total weight with the 8.5 x 11 inch coil is 3 lbs (1.38 kg).

The USA Coins mode and adjustable bottlecap reject are the reasons it is here. The step up, the VX9 , adds a Thin Coins mode, more frequencies and a 3-tier Target ID. Check the Vortex VX7 on Amazon .

Choose it for: Heavily hunted parks where bottle caps and trash slow you down.

3. Minelab X-Terra Pro: Best for Choosing a Frequency

Minelab’s tech specs list Park and Field modes at 5, 10 or 15 kHz, a Beach mode at 8 kHz, 30 discrimination segments, Target IDs from -19 to 99, five tone options, a 12 x 9 inch double-D coil and an IP68 rating to 5 m (16 ft). Minelab lists no headphones in the box.

It sat in the lowest price band on this list on November 7. Select-frequency is the trade against multi-frequency: you pick 5 kHz, 10 kHz or 15 kHz for the site instead of running all of them at once. Our X-Terra Pro review covers the modes. Check the X-Terra Pro on Amazon .

Choose it for: A waterproof coin detector for less, with frequency choice.

4. Minelab Vanquish 560: Simplest Multi-Frequency Choice

Minelab’s tech specs list Multi-IQ, Beach, Park and Field modes, Target IDs from -19 to 99, five tones, iron bias with four levels, Bluetooth LE audio, wired headphones, the V12X 12 x 9 inch coil and IP68 to 5 m (16 ft).

It has the fewest settings here, which suits a coin hunter who wants to turn on and go. It is also the top pick in our best metal detectors under $500 . Check the Vanquish 560 on Amazon .

Choose it for: Multi-frequency coin hunting with little setup.

What You Will Need Beyond the Detector

A pinpointer and a digger make coin recovery quicker and neater in turf. Garrett’s Pro-Pointer AT is waterproof to 20 feet; our pinpointer list compares others, and our digging tools list covers diggers. Check local rules before you dig in any park.

Final Recommendation

Buy the Garrett ACE 400 for coin hunting in parks and yards at the best value. Choose the Garrett Vortex VX7 for trashy parks and water, the Minelab X-Terra Pro to save money and pick your own frequency, and the Minelab Vanquish 560 for the simplest multi-frequency option. On a tighter budget, our best budget metal detectors start with the ACE 200 and ACE 300.

FAQ

What is the best metal detector for coins?

For most coin hunters, the Garrett ACE 400: Garrett lists a 0 to 99 Digital Target ID, Iron Audio, adjustable notch discrimination, a 10 kHz adjustable frequency and an 8.5 x 11 inch DD coil, and describes it as powerful on coins, jewelry and artifacts. For trashier parks, the Garrett Vortex VX7 adds bottlecap reject and a USA Coins mode.

What frequency is best for finding coins?

Garrett says lower frequencies generally do better on larger, more conductive targets such as large silver coins and higher frequencies on smaller, less conductive ones. Multi-frequency detectors run several at once, which is why the Vortex VX7 and Vanquish 560 are on this list.

Do I need a waterproof detector for coin hunting?

Not for parks and yards. The ACE 400 suits dry ground; Garrett’s page gives it no water rating. The Vortex VX7 (16 ft), X-Terra Pro and Vanquish 560 (both 5 m, 16 ft) are fully submersible per their makers, which helps on beaches, in rain and in shallow water.

Why do coin hunters care about iron handling?

Old parks are full of nails and bottle caps that can mask a coin. Features such as Garrett’s Iron Audio and bottlecap reject, or Minelab’s ferrous ID range and iron bias, help you decide what to dig. Our nails and bottle caps list goes deeper on that problem.

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