Swansea Beach is one of the most overlooked but surprisingly rewarding places to metal detect in Wales. With its long sandy shoreline, deep history, and constant movement of tides, this beach continues to reveal treasures from both the past and the present. Whether you’re a seasoned detectorist or brand new to the hobby, 2025 is shaping up to be a great year to explore Swansea Bay. It’s my neck of the woods so I should know.
From Victorian coins to modern gold rings, and even old ammunition bases like the .22 rimfire head I recently found, the beach offers an exciting mix of possibilities. This guide brings together everything you need to know: where to hunt, when to go, what settings to use, and what types of finds you can realistically expect.
Why Swansea Beach Is Worth Detecting in 2025
Swansea has over 150 years of heavy public use: Victorian tourism, coastal industry, wartime training, seaside recreation, and modern-day foot traffic. All of that activity… means things get lost. And when things get lost near sand and water, detectorists get lucky.
Even today, the beach still produces:
-
Victorian & Edwardian coins
-
Pre-decimal British currency
-
Silver jewellery
-
Gold rings
-
Wartime relics
-
Ammunition bases
-
Medieval or post-medieval artefacts (occasionally!)
Saltwater and storms continually shift the sand, meaning new items appear every year—even old ones that have been buried deep for decades.
Can You Detect On Swansea Beach WITHOUT a License or Permit?
No, you must obtain a permit via the Swansea council office here https://www.swansea.gov.uk/metaldetectingpermit?lang=en
Applying and obtaining one will give you access to parts of Clyne Woods, and some of the best parks in Swansea.
Top Tip: MAKE SURE YOU SIGN UP WITH NCMD or AMDS before applying.
Best Places to Metal Detect on Swansea Beach
Not all parts of the beach produce equally. These four areas offer the highest chances of success. In my time of detecting down there for over like 3 years, these are some of my favourite hotspots for scanning detectors over the sand at Swansea beach.
Some people may have better luck elsewhere on the beach, but these are where I have had much success. Don’t go telling everyone now for Pete’s sake!
1. Slip Bridge / Marina End — Best for Jewellery & Coins
This side of the beach has seen constant foot traffic for decades. Runners, swimmers, dog walkers, beach goers—everyone drops something eventually.
Best finds here:
-
Modern & older gold rings
-
Victorian coins
-
Silver jewellery
-
Pre-decimal pennies & shillings
The coarse sand and shell beds help keep heavy objects near the surface.
2. St Helen’s Area — Great for Pre-Decimal and Silver
Used for recreation since the early 1900s, this area consistently produces:
-
Pre-decimal coins
-
Silver sixpence
-
Old shillings
-
Chains and rings
Look for compacted sand and slight dips—they often hold rings and heavier metals.
3. Blackpill / Lido — Best Chance for Older History
This part of the bay has a long history of public use going back to Victorian times. River and tidal activity can expose deeper layers.
Potential finds:
-
Victorian artefacts
-
Older bronze items
-
Buckles
-
Musket balls
-
Trade weights
It’s not as busy as the marina end, which means fewer modern items and occasionally more historic ones.
4. Mouth of the River Tawe — Mixed and Unpredictable
This is a wildcard area. River currents bring in unexpected objects—from fishing weights to genuinely old artefacts washed from upstream.
Finds include:
-
Old coins
-
Fishing tackle
-
Ammo bases
-
Buckles
-
Random relics washed in from the river
This area is best after storms or strong tides.
Best Tide Times for Detecting Swansea Beach
Timing matters just as much as location.
👉 The best time is 1–2 hours BEFORE low tide and 1–2 hours AFTER low tide.
This “low tide window” exposes fresh layers of sand where items settle.
Even better:
Low spring tides — when the water retreats further than usual.
These expose parts of the beach normally underwater all year.
Avoid:
-
High tide
-
Deep dry sand (too soft, items sink too far)
Best Metal Detector Settings for Swansea Beach
These settings work for almost all modern detectors (Minelab, Garrett, Nokta, XP, Quest, etc.)
Wet Sand Settings
-
Mode: Beach Mode
-
Ground Balance: Auto or Manual
-
Sensitivity: 70–80%
-
Iron Discrimination: Low
-
Recovery Speed: 5–7
Dry Sand Settings
-
Mode: Park/Field/General
-
Sensitivity: High (80–90%)
-
Iron Discrimination: Medium
-
Recovery Speed: Medium
Sound Tips
-
Sharp, clean beeps: coins, jewellery
-
Smooth mid-tones: gold rings
-
Broken, crackly tones: mostly iron rubbish
If you share your detector model, I can give exact settings tailored to your machine.
🎯 Most Valuable Things You Can Find in 2025
Here’s what detectorists on Swansea Beach report finding most often—and what you realistically can expect.
🥇 1. Gold Rings (Most Valuable & Most Likely Modern Treasure)
Wedding bands, engagement rings, and signet rings are frequently lost in Swansea’s sand and water.
🥈 2. Victorian & Edwardian Coins
Old coins often wash down from compacted layers after storms.
🥉 3. Silver Jewellery
From modern bracelets to 1930s charms.
⭐ 4. Pre-1947 Silver Coins
Includes:
-
Sixpence
-
Shillings
-
Florins
These contain real silver and hold collector value.
⭐ 5. Wartime & Sporting Ammunition
Like the .22 rimfire head you found.
These are common across UK beaches and often date from the 1930s–1970s.
⭐ 6. Rare Historical Artefacts
Occasionally:
-
Medieval weights
-
Tudors-era items
-
Old musket balls
-
Decorative metalwork
Not common—but Swansea has enough history that they do show up.
My Take On Metal Detecting On Swansea Beach
Metal Detecting Swansea Beach with my family or friends is just an awesome buzz and for me Swansea was the very first place that I took a shine to this amazing hobby that keeps me swinging like a mad monkey in the bush.
Swansea beach offers so much for anyone wishing to start this great hobby. Be it young or old, you’re always welcome at Swansea beach to detect until your heart’s content or until your arms kind of fall off from all the action.
But a word of warning! Don’t forget to get your free permit from the council, as I explained above, to allow you to do so, or do so at your own peril. Just filling in some details online and sending them your photo is better than having a fine. Plus, you get access to some parks in the area, which I will cover in a future blog post. So don’t forget to subscribe to this blog.
Final Thoughts: Why Swansea Beach Is a Hidden Gem for Detectorists
Swansea Beach is long, dynamic, and constantly changing. Every storm moves sand, uncovering items that may have been hidden for decades. From modern gold rings to Victorian coins and historic relics, the bay offers one of the most varied range of finds in Wales.
If you’re hunting in 2025, you’re in a great position: better detectors, better tide data, and a beach that continues to reveal new surprises.
Don’t forget to say hello to me, as I practically live down there and am going back down just before Christmas. Swansea beach is the best place for anyone to start detecting.
Darren Protheroe is the owner and creator of Wishful Detecting and aims to help share everything useful in the world of metal detecting and share all the best tips for beginners and share his mad adventures while on the road. Happy digging with me!