Have you been wanting to buy coins, gold, or silver on the internet but aren't sure that it is safe? Your caution is justified, and that is why this book was written: To provide a glimpse into the deceptions and scams that are so prevalent not just on the internet but in the real world as well. Every fake coin that is sold undermines the integrity of our hobby as well as the values of un-graded coins on the open market. Are you able to identify a counterfeit silver dollar? Because of the high values of key date coins, forgeries are being made almost every day and peddled to unsuspecting victims who think they have the bargain of a lifetime. What about bullion? Are you able to tell a dishonest deal from a legitimate one? This guide will teach you how descriptions can be worded in such a way to mislead you into buying mere replicas and imitations with little or no real value. Unsearched coin lots; "Shotgun" rolled coins; "Estate" lots; "Miniature" gold coins and counterfeit tokens with little or no value; Altered coins; Graded vs. Ungraded coins; Gold Filled vs. Gold Plated; Choosing a refinery; Basic coin evaluation and grading; These are beginnings that open up lucrative opportunities for a sharp eye, yet to the untrained they become pitfalls: Wouldn't you like to be better prepared?

There are countless prospecting books out there. They all teach the same general theories and show the same diagrams. While they are not bad books, in fact many are great, this book is written to take a different and simpler approach. A prospectors lifetime of knowledge is simplified and condensed into an easy to read and understand guide that will hopefully benefit those who never even held a gold pan as much as those who have spent a few years prospecting but might still have a few questions they are seeking answers to. It is the intent that this is the prospecting book that will read as a novel, and teach every bit as much as an informational guide.
What are the types of equipment available and how do I use them? What is it that I am looking for when I am prospecting? What do I do with my gold once I find it and how do I sell it? Are my black sands worth anything? What are black sands made out of? How do I find a place I can go and prospect? Is there a way to know where I should dig in a stream? How do mining claims work?
These are some of the many questions that this book was written to address. While there is no guide that can tell you how to get rich mining for gold, this guide has been written for the purpose of helping you be more likely to find gold on your future prospecting trips.
It is easy to become discouraged as a prospector, or allow yourself to believe others when they say "there is no gold left to be found, the old-timers got it all." You are just a few pages away from learning the facts; and that the gold has not all been taken and how you can get your share