Hi guys I have a similar problem. I am fortunate to live in an old gold mining town, which still has plenty gold in the area. It is quite old, founded in 1884, but prospected long before that. I am a newbie to the whole metal detecting thing, but have a major interest in relics from days gone by. An added bonus obviously is gold nuggets which are still found in the rivers and streams in the area, although not as plentiful as in days gone by. Hence my dilemma, what metal detector to buy. As a beginner with a limited budget, I have no desire to spend thousands of dollars although I might end up doing it, once the bug has bitten.:-) That being said, as the ground mineral content is quite high, I would assume "noise" will be a big problem. So what do I buy? I have been looking at the Fisher F2, Bounty Hunter 505, and quite a few others, but I am not sure they are the right choice for a beginner with these difficult circumstances. My main objective are relics, rather than gold nuggets. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Regards from a Golden South Africa