About Us

49er Metal Detectors and Metal Detectors came about from Bruce Hampton’s love of metal detecting and mining. Through his unique and fulfilling hobby, Bruce discovered wedding rings, ancient coins, expensive watches, and other valuables when exploring sandy beaches, near old houses, and in barren fields. After metal detecting and nugget hunting in the desolate forest regions of California to the hot high deserts of Nevada for more than 10 years, Bruce finally fulfilled his lifelong dream by wanting to share his hobby with the world. 

In 1988, he opened 49er Mini-Storage and Metal Detectors in Pine Grove, CA in the heart of the motherlode. It housed an office for his mini-storage and a store selling metal detectors and gold supplies.  With only books in its inventory for the first year, the store soon outgrew its small office space and is now renovated to include gold extraction tools, metal detectors, books, and more to equip everyone from the mining enthusiast to the merely curious.

Sadly on 5/22/2011, Bruce passed away. Due to the high demand for a mining store in the heart of the gold country, Bruce's wife, Mary, has choosen to continue to run the store.