Have you ever played "treasure hunting" when you were a kid? Maybe you would recall the times when you and your childhood friends hid one anothers toys in the garden and had lots of fun racing to unravel the items?You may think that treasure hunting is a game for kids. But the fact is that metal detecting, a form of "treasure hunting" in its own right, is an activity enjoyed by thousands of adults around the world. The metal which people are after may either be discarded pieces of aluminium, valuable coins, or other buried treasures, which could easily be found if detected by a metal detector.Many have taken up metal detecting as a hobby. The more common types of this hobby are:Coin Shooting: Your focus is to find historic coins which are usually rare and valuable. Coin shooting can be a very rewarding and profitable pastime if you know exactly what collectors are looking for. Start with places where people are likely to lose coins, like schools, churches, beaches and even car parks, the older the site, the better. Research on the Internet and you will find the best places in your vicinity to coin shoot.Gold Prospecting: Treasure hunters in this group research and attempt to find caches of gold, silver or any valuables rumoured to be hidden at some place. Hundreds of Metal Detectionist clubs have been founded all over the world for this hobby. Gold prospecting with a club would mean more resources on the activity and tapping on the experiences of the experts. Many clubs also organise regular treasure huts and outings for metal-detector enthusiasts.Relic Hunting: The items sought by relic hunters are those with historically significant artefacts, such as weapons used during the war. These finds can be either very interesting or extremely valuable. Excellent sources of ideas on where to start include military records, maps of sites, old photographs, newspaper archives and soldier diaries.Beach Hunting: For beach lovers, here is another reason to visit the beach more. Beach hunting with a metal detector is very popular along the coastal regions, especially during the summer seasons when hordes of tourists head for the beaches. Go there often enough and you might just be able to find jewellery or other valuables left behind by others.Now that you know all about metal hunting, you should know it is a fun hobby and is bound to provide lots of entertainment. Plus, if you are lucky or simply just hardworking enough, it could turn into a lucrative pastime! It is time to pick up the metal detector and get out there!