Can one metal detector really do it all?  Most metal detectors are designed to excel at one type of hunting or another but can be used for other types of hunting as well. For example, most gold detectors use some form of higher gain in the circuitry to get better sensitivity to small gold nuggets in the ground. While this is a good thing for prospectors, coin hunters may find it annoying that their detectors are picking up every bit of a pulltab that has been run over with a lawnmower. The art of metal detector design is the art of compromise. By accenting certain characteristics of any detector, you take away from other features. Any metal detector that does it all may not work as well for very specific treasure hunting. Finding a detector with the features that will best suit YOUR hunting style is the most important choice you can make when deciding to puchase a metal detector.