Gold in Pennsylvania is real, and one iron mine in Lebanon County quietly produced more than 60,000 ounces of it while everyone else was looking for iron. Yes, you can still find gold in Pennsylvania today, especially along the Susquehanna River and the creeks of York and Lancaster counties, where fine placer gold has been turning up in pans for over 150 years.
With gold trading above $4,000 an ounce, even a few small flakes in your pan can turn a fun day at the creek into a day that pays for itself.
Most people hunting for gold in Pennsylvania make the same mistake. They pan random pretty creeks instead of the specific streams where glaciers and ancient bedrock actually dropped the gold.
This guide gives you the proven spots, from famous waters like the Susquehanna River to quiet producers like Peters Creek, plus the exact techniques and gear that work in Pennsylvania conditions. You will also learn when to go, what the rules are, and what else you might find in your pan.
Our team of geologists and experienced rockhounds has spent decades learning the geology and conditions that produce gold deposits, and Pennsylvania has far more of them than most people realize. Grab your pan and let’s find you some gold.
What’s In This Guide (jump links to every section below)
Biggest Discovery | Types of Gold | Where Gold Hides | Best Places | Techniques | Real vs Fool’s Gold | How Gold Got Here | What To Bring | Best Time To Go | Other Rocks and Minerals | Legal Rules | FAQ
The Biggest Gold Discovery in Pennsylvania History

The biggest gold haul in Pennsylvania history came from a mine that was never looking for gold at all. The Cornwall Iron Mines in Lebanon County ran for more than 200 years, from 1742 all the way to 1973, and they were famous for iron, not treasure.
Here is the twist. As the ore was processed, the mine kept recovering gold hiding inside it, and over the years that added up to more than 60,000 ounces.
At today’s prices, that forgotten byproduct gold would be worth over a quarter of a billion dollars. The gold was locked inside magnetite ore, the same heavy black iron mineral that shows up as black sand in the bottom of your gold pan.
That is the big lesson of Pennsylvania gold. It rarely announces itself, but it is here, and the people who know where the heavy minerals collect are the ones who find it.
The Kinds of Gold You Can Find in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania gold is almost all placer gold, which means loose gold that water has carried and dropped in streams. You will not find big vein gold here like out West, but you can absolutely find these three kinds.
Flour Gold

Flour gold is the most common gold in Pennsylvania by far. The pieces are tiny, thin, and flat, often smaller than a grain of salt, and a single flake can hide under a pinch of sand.
The mineral that fools everyone here is mica. Mica flashes bright when it catches the sun but goes dark when you shade it, while real gold keeps the same warm glow in sun or shade. This is exactly the kind of call our Pennsylvania Rocks and Minerals Field Guide was built for, with side by side photos that let you settle the gold or mica question in seconds instead of guessing at the creek.
Flour gold is so light that a normal pan loses most of it. You want a pan with deep riffles like the Garrett 15 Inch Dual Riffle SUPERSLUICE Pan to trap it.
Fine Flakes and Pickers

Flakes are bigger than flour gold, and a picker is any piece big enough to pick up with your fingers. In Pennsylvania these show up most often in the gravels of York and Lancaster counties.
The lookalike here is pyrite, which is brassy, sparkly, and everywhere in Pennsylvania streams. Pyrite shatters into gritty pieces when you press it with a pin, while gold dents like soft lead and stays in one piece.
To grab flakes without losing them, use a Stansport Gold Snuffer Bottle to suck them straight out of the pan.
Small Glacial Nuggets

True nuggets are rare in Pennsylvania, but the glaciers that covered the northern half of the state did drag down small rounded nuggets from Canada. Every few years a lucky panner in the glaciated counties turns one up.
Weathered chunks of chalcopyrite can look like a dirty nugget at first glance. Give it the scratch test, because chalcopyrite leaves a greenish black streak while gold leaves a soft yellow one.
Nuggets hide deep in cracks that a pan cannot reach. A ASR Outdoor Steel Crevice Tool Set lets you dig them out of bedrock seams.
Keep reading, because further down we cover the exact techniques and full gear list that work best for each of these gold types.
Where Gold Hides in Pennsylvania Streams
Gold does not spread itself evenly through a creek. It collects in a handful of predictable traps, and once you learn to read them you will stop panning random gravel and start panning pay dirt.
Inside Bends and Gravel Bars

Water slows down on the inside of every bend, and slow water drops heavy gold. Dig into the upstream end of gravel bars and work down toward the packed layer where the heavies settle.
Expect loose sand on top and tighter, rustier gravel below. That orange stained layer is where your pan starts showing black sand and, if you are lucky, color. A Bully Tools 14 Gauge Round Point Shovel makes quick work of it.
Behind Large Boulders

Every big rock in moving water creates a calm pocket on its downstream side. Gold washing down in floods drops into that dead zone and stays.
Digging here means pulling cobbles and scooping the packed gravel underneath. The heavy black sand you hit behind boulders is exactly what you want to see in your pan.
Bedrock Cracks and Crevices

Bedrock is the floor under the gravel, and its cracks are nature’s gold pans. Gold works its way down through the gravel for years until it hits bedrock and locks into the seams.
This is scraping work, not shoveling work. Clean every crack down to bare rock with a ASR Outdoor Steel Crevice Tool Set, because the last spoonful at the bottom holds the gold.
Where Fast Water Meets Slow Water

Wherever a quick creek dumps into a slower river, the sudden brake makes the water drop its heavy load. The gravel fans at these junctions are classic Pennsylvania panning spots, especially along the lower Susquehanna.
These fans are deep mixes of sand and gravel, so classify your material first. Running everything through a SE Half Inch Sifting Screen before you pan doubles your speed.
Glacial Till Banks

In the northern counties, the gold is not coming from the bedrock, it is coming out of the old glacial gravel banks along the streams. When high water cuts into these banks, it releases ice age gold into the creek below all over again.
Look for banks with mixed rounded stones of many rock types, which is the signature of glacial till. Pan the creek gravel directly downstream of any bank that is actively eroding.
Always Confirm Access and Collection Rules!
Before heading out to any of the locations on our list you need to confirm access requirements and collection rules for both public and private locations directly with the location. We haven’t personally verified every location and the access requirements and collection rules often change without notice.
Many of the locations we mention will not allow collecting but are still great places for those who love to find beautiful rocks and minerals in the wild without keeping them. We also can’t guarantee you will find anything in these locations since they are constantly changing.
Always get updated information directly from the source ahead of time to ensure responsible rockhounding. If you want even more current options it’s always a good idea to contact local rock and mineral clubs and groups
The Best Places To Find Gold in Pennsylvania
Every location below includes the gold you can expect, the technique that works best, what else you might find in your pan, and a difficulty rating. Always confirm access rules before you go, because many of these spots touch private land and rules change without notice.
Southeastern Pennsylvania
The creeks of York and Lancaster counties drain the ancient Piedmont rock and feed the Susquehanna. This is the most reliable gold country in the state.
Susquehanna River

The Susquehanna is Pennsylvania’s gold highway, collecting fine gold from every tributary between York and Lancaster counties. The gravel bars and island heads on the lower river between Columbia and the Maryland line give up steady flour gold. Access is easy at public launches and bridge crossings.
Your pan here will also show garnet, quartz, jasper, and plenty of black sand. Here is the thing about that mixed gravel, it hides valuable stones that most people toss because they only have eyes for gold. The Pennsylvania Rocks and Minerals Field Guide identifies exactly these local stones in the rough, so nothing valuable goes back in the river.
Big water means big gravel to move. Bring the Garrett 15 Inch Dual Riffle SUPERSLUICE Pan and a shovel, and work the bar heads at low water.
Difficulty rating: 2 out of 5. Beginner friendly, wading optional.
Peters Creek

Peters Creek near Quarryville is the most famous gold creek in Lancaster County. It produces consistent fine gold, and it has a claim to fame almost nothing east of the Rockies can match, because prospectors here have reported tiny platinum nuggets alongside the gold.
Besides gold you will see quartz, garnets, and heavy black magnetite sand. The platinum shows up as tiny silvery grains that are even heavier than gold.
The creek is small, so a full size pan is overkill. A Garrett 10 Inch Backpacker Pan and a snuffer bottle are the right scale here.
Difficulty rating: 2 out of 5. Small water, watch for private land.
Conewago Creek

Conewago Creek drains the gold bearing rock of northern York County on its way to the Susquehanna. The gravel bars on its lower stretches carry fine flour gold, and the creek is big enough to give you fresh material after every high water.
Quartz pebbles, jasper, and the occasional garnet ride along in the same gravel. The black sand here is heavy, which is always a good sign.
Work the inside bends with a deep riffle pan and a classifier. The SE Half Inch Sifting Screen saves you from panning cobbles.
Difficulty rating: 2 out of 5. Beginner friendly.
Bermudian Creek

Bermudian Creek is a quieter cousin of the Conewago with the same gold source and far fewer visitors. The fine gold collects behind boulders and in the packed gravel of the inside bends.
The bycatch here is classic York County, quartz, black sand, and rusty cubes of weathered pyrite. Test every brassy speck before you get excited.
This is snuffer bottle water. Pan slow, and pull your cons into a SE Glass Vials with Caps set so you can admire your day’s take.
Difficulty rating: 2 out of 5. Quiet and beginner friendly.
Dillsburg Area Streams

The little streams around Dillsburg in northwestern York County have some of the oldest gold stories in the state. Fine gold turns up in the small drainages around town, close to the old iron mining ground that shares the same mineral rich rock.
Magnetite is everywhere here, so expect your magnet to get a workout. You may also turn up interesting iron minerals worth keeping.
Small water rewards patient crevicing more than big digging. Bring the ASR Outdoor Steel Crevice Tool Set and work the bedrock seams.
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5. Small water, access takes homework.
Wellsville and Rossville Streams

The drainages around Wellsville and Rossville round out York County’s historic gold belt. Old reports and modern panners agree that patient work in these small creeks still shows color.
The same heavy black sands follow you here, along with quartz and the occasional garnet. Anything shiny and flat needs a shade check before it goes in your vial, because if it goes dark out of the sun it is mica, not gold.
A compact kit is all you need. The Garrett Deluxe Gold Pan Kit covers every tool this water calls for in one package.
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5. Mostly private land, ask first.
Shrewsbury and Winterstown Streams

Southern York County has its own cluster of historic gold reports around Shrewsbury and Winterstown. The gold is fine but real, released from the same Piedmont rock that feeds the rest of the county.
Expect quartz, garnets, mica schist, and black sand in every pan. The mica will flash at you constantly, so shade every sparkle before you celebrate.
This is classic pan and snuffer water. Add a JARLINK 30X 60X Illuminated Loupe to check the tiny stuff before you call it gold.
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5. Small water, private land common.
South Central Pennsylvania
The hills of Adams and Lebanon counties hold gold tied to old iron country, where mineral rich rock made both fortunes and gold flakes.
Big Hill

Big Hill sits in Lebanon County’s old iron belt, and its streams shed fine gold along with heavy iron minerals. The connection is no accident, because the same hot fluids that built the iron deposits carried traces of gold.
Your pan will fill with magnetite black sand fast here. Keep an eye out for interesting magnetite crystals, which are collectible on their own.
Heavy black sand swallows fine gold, so bring a SE 16 lb Pull Magnetic Separator to pull the magnetite out before your final pan down.
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5. Some hiking involved.
Cornwall Mine Area Streams

The streams draining the historic Cornwall mining area carry the same story you read at the top of this article. Ore from these hills held real gold, and the creeks below them concentrate whatever erosion sets loose. The old mine itself is a historic site, so all your panning happens in the public waterways nearby, never on mine property.
Pans here run heavy with magnetite and sometimes show tiny copper minerals like chalcopyrite. Remember the streak test whenever something brassy shows up.
Work the bedrock cracks below the fast water with crevice tools. A Garrett Pro-Pointer AT helps you check dug material fast.
Difficulty rating: 4 out of 5. Access requires homework, historic area.
Teeter Quarry

Teeter Quarry near Gettysburg in Adams County is a long time rockhound stop with gold reports in its history. The attraction is the mix, because quarry ground exposes rock you can never see in a streambed.
Copper minerals, quartz, and interesting igneous rock all show up here alongside the gold stories. It is a spot where the field guide earns its keep on everything that is not gold.
Quarry ground is hammer and pick territory. Bring the Estwing Geo Paleo Rock Pick and eye protection, and get explicit permission before you enter.
Difficulty rating: 4 out of 5. Permission required, rough ground.
Northeastern Pennsylvania
The glaciers buried this corner of the state in gravel from Canada. The gold is thinner here, but every creek cutting through glacial till has a chance.
Meshoppen Creek

Meshoppen Creek in Wyoming County is the best known of the northeast’s glacial gold streams. The creek cuts through deep ice age gravels, and fine gold shows up wherever it slices into old till banks.
Rounded stones from far away ride in the same gravel, so your pan doubles as a geology lesson. Watch for garnets and odd colorful pebbles the ice dragged south.
Glacial gravel is bouldery and packed. A Bully Tools 14 Gauge Round Point Shovel and a classifier make the digging civilized.
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5. Rural access, wading required.
Tunkhannock Creek

Tunkhannock Creek drains a big slice of Wyoming County’s glacial hill country before meeting the Susquehanna. More water means more reworked gravel, and its bars reset with fresh material after every flood season.
The bycatch is pure ice age variety, quartz, jasper, granite pebbles from Canada, and heavy black sand. Anything unusual is worth a second look before it goes back.
Work the inside bends at summer low water with a full size riffle pan. The Gold Strike Gold Panning Paydirt is a smart way to train your pan technique at home before you tackle this bigger water.
Difficulty rating: 3 out of 5. Bigger water, pick your spots.
Stony Brook near Bloomsburg

Stony Brook in the Bloomsburg area is a small glacial creek with a persistent gold reputation. Local panners have pulled fine color from its gravel for generations, always in small amounts, always enough to keep them coming back.
Glacial bycatch rules here too, with the occasional small garnet in the cons. The black sand is your guide, so follow it.
Small water, small tools. A Garrett 10 Inch Backpacker Pan, a snuffer, and patience are the whole kit.
Difficulty rating: 2 out of 5. Beginner friendly small water.
Northwestern Pennsylvania
The northwest corner was glaciated too, and its bigger creeks concentrate ice age gold the same way the northeast streams do.
French Creek

French Creek winds through glacial country on its way to the Allegheny, and it is the northwest’s most talked about gold water. Fine flour gold collects on its gravel bars, with the best results downstream of eroding till banks.
French Creek is also one of the most biologically rich streams in the state, so tread lightly and keep your digging in the loose gravel. Quartz, jasper, and colorful glacial pebbles share the pan with the gold.
Bring the Garrett 15 Inch Dual Riffle SUPERSLUICE Pan for the bar gravel and a Edward Tools Bend Proof Trowel for tight spots.
Difficulty rating: 2 out of 5. Beginner friendly, lovely country.
The Best Gold Hunting Techniques in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania gold is fine, so your technique matters more here than in nugget country. Start with the easiest method and add tools as your skills grow.
Gold Panning (Difficulty: 1 out of 5)

Panning is the whole game in Pennsylvania, and it is easy to learn in an afternoon. Scoop gravel into your pan, keep it underwater, and swirl so the light material washes over the edge while the heavy gold sinks.
Work slow at the end, because Pennsylvania’s flour gold escapes fast pans. This method works everywhere in the state, from the Susquehanna bars to the smallest York County stream.
Essential Tools
- Deep Riffle Gold Pan: Garrett 15 Inch Dual Riffle SUPERSLUICE Pan
- Snuffer Bottle: Stansport Gold Snuffer Bottle
- Classifier Screen: SE Half Inch Sifting Screen
- Storage Vials: SE Glass Vials with Caps
Crevicing (Difficulty: 2 out of 5)

Crevicing means cleaning out bedrock cracks where gold has been collecting for centuries. Scrape every seam down to bare rock, and pan the material you pull out.
This is the method for the small York County streams and anywhere bedrock shows. The deepest pinch of dirt in the crack is always the richest.
Essential Tools
- Crevice Tool Set: ASR Outdoor Steel Crevice Tools
- Hand Trowel: Edward Tools Bend Proof Trowel
- Magnifying Loupe: JARLINK 30X 60X Illuminated Loupe
Hand Sluicing (Difficulty: 3 out of 5)

A hand sluice is a small channel with riffles that processes ten times more gravel than a pan. Set it where the current runs steady, feed it classified gravel, and let the riffles trap the heavies.
Sluices shine on the bigger waters like the Susquehanna, Tunkhannock Creek, and French Creek. Pennsylvania allows non motorized sluices in most waterways without a permit, but check the legal section below before you set up.
Essential Tools
- Hand Sluice: Keene A52 Hand Sluice
- Digging Shovel: Bully Tools 14 Gauge Round Point Shovel
- Fine Classifier: SE 1/8 Inch Mesh Sifting Screen
- Black Sand Magnet: SE 16 lb Pull Magnetic Separator
How To Tell Real Gold From Fool’s Gold

Do not celebrate the second you see yellow in your pan. Pennsylvania streams are loaded with pyrite and mica, and they have broken more hearts than any minerals in the state. Fool’s gold earned its name for a reason, so always test before you tell anyone what you found.
Start with the shadow test. Move your find out of direct sun and watch what happens, because pyrite and mica go dull or dark in shade while real gold keeps glowing the same buttery yellow.
Then try the poke test. Press the piece firmly with a pin or knife point, and if it cracks or crumbles it is pyrite, but if it dents and holds together you may be holding real gold.

Here is the painful part. Plenty of prospectors have tossed real gold back in the water because they assumed it was pyrite, and there is no way to know what you threw away. The Pennsylvania Rocks and Minerals Field Guide is cheap insurance, with clear photos and simple tests for gold, pyrite, and everything else in your pan, so you never walk away from a real find.
How Gold Got Into Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s gold arrived by two completely different routes, and knowing which one fed your creek tells you where to dig. This is why the spots in this guide sit where they sit.
In the northern half of the state, giant ice sheets pushed down from Canada during the last ice ages. The ice scraped up gold bearing rock from Ontario and Quebec, ground it to bits, and dropped it here as the glaciers melted, leaving thin gold scattered through the gravel beds of the glaciated counties.
In the southeast, the story is much older. The ancient metamorphic rock of the Piedmont holds tiny amounts of native gold, and hundreds of millions of years of erosion have slowly released it into the streams of York and Lancaster counties.
Every rain and every flood keeps moving that gold downhill toward the Susquehanna River. The gold is heavy, nineteen times heavier than water, so it sinks to the bottom and waits for someone with a pan.
What To Bring for a Pennsylvania Gold Day Trip

A Pennsylvania gold day needs less gear than you think. This checklist covers a full day on any water in this guide.
- Your pan, snuffer, classifier, and vials from the panning list above
- Crevice tools if your spot has bedrock
- Rubber boots or wading shoes with good grip
- Work gloves and a small first aid kit
- Drinking water, lunch, and sunscreen
- A printed map, and written landowner permission if you are on private ground
- A five gallon bucket for hauling material and sitting on
If you are starting from zero, the Garrett Deluxe Gold Pan Kit puts every pan, classifier, and snuffer you need in one box for less than a tank of gas.
The Best Time of Year To Hunt for Gold in Pennsylvania
When you go matters almost as much as where. Water levels decide what you can reach, and in Pennsylvania they swing hard with the seasons.
Southeastern and South Central Pennsylvania

Late June through September is prime time, when the creeks drop and expose the gravel bars and bedrock. Fall is a close second, with low water and cool digging weather.
Skip the weeks right after heavy rain, because these creeks rise fast and muddy. The silver lining is that every flood restocks the gravel traps with fresh gold.
Northeastern and Northwestern Pennsylvania

The glacial country runs colder and higher for longer, so July through early October is your window. Spring snowmelt makes these creeks dangerous and unworkable, and the falls above show you exactly what runoff season looks like.
That said, the first low water after spring runoff is the single best moment of the year here. The high water has just cut into the till banks and recharged the creeks with ice age gold.
Other Valuable Rocks and Minerals You Can Find in Pennsylvania
Searching for gold puts you elbow deep in exactly the gravel where Pennsylvania’s other treasures hide. You will be surprised how many valuable stones share the streambed with those gold flakes.
Quartz

Quartz crystals turn up in stream gravel and roadcuts all over the state. Clear, milky, and smoky pieces are all common finds while panning. Read our full guide to finding quartz in Pennsylvania.
Amethyst

Real purple amethyst hides in the same southeastern counties where the gold is, and stream tumbled pieces show up in pans. Here is where to go in our guide to amethyst in Pennsylvania.
Garnet

Garnets are heavy like gold, so they collect in the exact same pockets and show up as wine red grains in your cons. See the best spots in our guide to Pennsylvania’s most valuable rocks and minerals.
Geodes

Round, lumpy stones that feel too light for their size might be geodes with crystal lined hollows inside. We map the best areas in our guide to geodes in Pennsylvania.
Agates

Banded agates ride along in glacial gravel and river bars, often looking like plain waxy pebbles until they are wet. Learn to spot them with our guide to agates in Pennsylvania.
Pyrite

The great deceiver is a legitimate collectible in its own right, and Pennsylvania produces sharp brassy cubes worth keeping. Our guide to Pennsylvania rocks and minerals shows the best examples.
Magnetite

That black sand in the bottom of your pan is mostly magnetite, and whole crystals of it are great finds around the old iron districts. It stars in our Pennsylvania rocks and minerals guide too.
Galena

Galena is a shiny silver lead mineral that feels shockingly heavy, and it turns up around old mining areas. Learn where in our guide to Pennsylvania’s valuable finds.
Fossils

Pennsylvania is one of the best fossil states in the country, and creek walking for gold is exactly how people stumble onto trilobites and fern fossils. Plan a dedicated trip with our guide to fossils in Pennsylvania.
Crystals of All Kinds

Beyond quartz, the state produces celestite, calcite, and more crystal finds than most people expect. Our full guide to crystals in Pennsylvania covers all of them.

Here is the bottom line. If you only know what gold looks like, everything else valuable in your pan goes back in the creek. The Pennsylvania Rocks and Minerals Field Guide identifies over 120 Pennsylvania rocks, crystals, and gems in seconds, so every treasure you dig up gets recognized, not discarded.
Legal Rules for Gold Prospecting in Pennsylvania

Gold hunting in Pennsylvania is legal and beginner friendly, but the rules are real and you are responsible for following them. This section is general information, not legal advice, so always verify the current rules yourself before you dig.
The good news first. Pennsylvania allows hand panning with non motorized gear like pans, sieves, buckets, and hand sluices in most waterways without any permit.
Private Property Rules
Most of the best gold creeks in this guide cross private land. You must get clear permission from the landowner before you set foot on the property, and written permission protects everyone.
State Land Rules
Prospecting is prohibited on State Game Lands and in national park areas. State parks and state forests each have their own rules, so contact DCNR and ask before you plan a trip on state land.
Equipment Restrictions
Motorized equipment changes everything legally. Suction dredges and power sluices require permits from the DEP, and some waters do not allow them at all, so verify before you bring anything with an engine.
Before you head to any spot in this guide, confirm the access rules directly with the location or landowner. We have not personally verified every location, and access rules change without notice.
Some locations may not allow you to take material home, but they are still great places to enjoy real prospecting country. We also cannot guarantee you will find gold, because creeks change with every flood.
For the most current local knowledge, connect with a local prospecting or rock and mineral club. Groups like the Gold Prospectors Association of America have Pennsylvania chapters that welcome beginners.
Pennsylvania Gold FAQ
Is there gold in Pennsylvania?
Yes, there is real gold in Pennsylvania. It is almost all fine placer gold left by glaciers in the north and eroded from ancient rock in the southeast, and the best of it collects in the creeks of York and Lancaster counties and along the Susquehanna River.
Do you need a permit to pan for gold in Pennsylvania?
You do not need a permit for hand panning with non motorized equipment in most Pennsylvania waterways. You do need landowner permission on private property, and motorized gear like suction dredges requires a DEP permit.
Where is the most gold found in Pennsylvania?
York and Lancaster counties produce the most consistent gold in the state. The Susquehanna River, Peters Creek, and the small streams around Dillsburg, Wellsville, and Rossville are the proven producers, with glacial creeks in Wyoming County a solid second.
For more places to explore nearby, see our guide to rockhounding across Pennsylvania.
Can you make money panning for gold in Pennsylvania?
Almost nobody makes a living panning in Pennsylvania, because the gold is fine and scattered. With gold above $4,000 an ounce a good day can cover your gas and gear, but the real payoff is a fun outdoor hobby that occasionally pays you back.
What was the biggest gold discovery in Pennsylvania?
The Cornwall Iron Mines in Lebanon County recovered more than 60,000 ounces of gold as a byproduct of iron mining over two centuries. That remains the largest documented gold production in Pennsylvania history.
Ready To Find Your First Pennsylvania Gold?

You now know where Pennsylvania hides its gold, how to get it into your pan, and how to tell the real thing from the fakes. The only thing left is knowing what everything else in your pan is.
The Pennsylvania Rocks and Minerals Field Guide puts every local rock, crystal, and gem at your fingertips with photos built for identification in seconds. Thousands of rockhounds carry it creekside. Join them, and make your next trip actually pay off.
