There are numerous ways for Stardew Valley gamers to engage with their game world. They can cultivate crops and gather harvests, or venture into the mines to collect ores. While many Stardew Valley players might not realize it, panning is a valuable skill that can greatly enhance gameplay.
In Stardew Valley, figuring out how to unlock panning might seem a bit confusing at first, but don’t worry! There are a few essential steps that players need to take before they can start panning for valuable ore. For those eager to get their hands on a Copper Pan and dive into the game’s panning mechanics, here’s a simplified guide:
1. First, you’ll need to reach Spring 5 (Day 20) in-game. This is when the traveling cart merchant will arrive at your farm for the first time.
2. Purchase the Copper Pan from the traveling cart merchant for 650g. Make sure you have enough gold saved up!
3. Now that you’ve got your Copper Pan, head to the river or any other body of water on your farm. Right-click on the water while holding the Copper Pan in your inventory to start panning.
4. You might not find anything valuable immediately, but keep trying! With a bit of luck and persistence, you’ll eventually uncover various ores like copper, iron, and even precious gems.
Happy panning, and may your pockets be filled with treasure!
How to Unlock Panning in Stardew Valley
In Stardew Valley, players don’t have immediate access to the feature called panning when they begin a new game. However, there are two ways to unlock this function: either by completing tasks related to the Community Center or JojaMart. These paths are all connected to the Shimmering Boulder located in the Mountain region of Stardew Valley.
Community Center
In Stardew Valley’s Community Center, gamers must accomplish several bundles to secure game-changing prizes. To unlock panfishing, one must first successfully finish all six Fish Tank collection sets. Once these are all done, the Shimmering Rock will vanish, and the next day, upon entering the Mountain region and watching a scene with Willy, panfishing will be accessible.
JojaMart
Individuals following the JojaMart storyline have a less complex route ahead. Once they obtain a JojaMart membership, they’ll discover an opportunity to buy the “Panning Community Development Project.” This purchase eliminates the Shimmering Boulder for 20,000 gold and also triggers a cutscene whenever the player re-enters the Mountain region in the future.
How to Pan in Stardew Valley

In Stardew Valley, learning how to pan is made simple as Willy, the fisherman, guides players through it in a scene. He points out that the player should look for glimmering spots in the water, which will indicate where they need to pan. Willy also offers his Copper Pan (additional ones can be bought from him for 2,500 gold), and you’ll use this when you spot those shimmering areas while exploring the various regions. To use it, ensure the Copper Pan is in your active inventory, then left-click on the glimmering spots when you come across them.
In the enchanting world of Stardew Valley, shimmering lights seem to emerge spontaneously in rivers, lakes, ponds, on Ginger Island South, and at the Beach during the Night Market. The items found and their specific locations are decided each day’s start. As a player explores, they might stumble upon varying quantities of a single type of metal ore. Additionally, coal, gems/minerals, Omni Geodes, or a Lucky Ring could be discovered. A player’s daily luck, as well as their Food luck, can impact the likelihood of finding superior items. Here is a list of possible finds and their basic probabilities:
– Metal Ore (most common) – 60% chance
– Coal – 25% chance
– Gem/Mineral – 15% chance
– Omni Geode – 4% chance
– Lucky Ring – 1% chance
Ore | Percentage Chance |
---|---|
10% (20% with Archaeologist) | |
36% | |
32.3% | |
20.8% | |
1% |
Gems | Percentage Chance |
---|---|
1.5% | |
1% | |
1% | |
1% | |
1% | |
1% |
Other | Percentage Chance |
---|---|
50% | |
28% | |
4.9% | |
4.7% | |
4.2% | |
3.3% (4.4% with the ) | |
3.3% (4.4% with the Book of Mysteries) | |
Random piece of Clothing or Furniture | 0.5% – 5% |
0% (3.3% with perfect daily luck) | |
Random Artifact | 2% (7% with Archaeologist) |
Random location-appropriate Fish | 0% (10% with Fisher) |
Panning proves to be a great method for gamers while traversing the game world, allowing them to gather additional ore and trinkets. In Stardew Valley’s Ginger Island, you can discover both the Gold Bar and the Legendary Fish by panning as well.
Pan Upgrades
Pan | Cost and Ingredients | Bonuses |
---|---|---|
2,500g | When panning, can find 3 to 9 ores and up to 1 special item. | |
5,000g and 5 Iron bars | When panning, can find 4 to 10 ores and up to 2 special item. Has a small chance to spawn another panning spot. | |
10,000g and 5 Gold bars | When panning, can find 5 to 11 ores and up to 3 special items. Has a higher chance of spawning another panning spot. | |
25,000g and 5 Iridium bars | When panning, can find 6 to 12 ores and up to 4 special items. Has a high chance of spawning another panning spot. |
Pan Enchantment | Description |
---|---|
Archaeologist | Odds of finding Artifact Troves increased by 4x, Artifacts by 3.5x, and Bone Fragments by 2. |
Generous | Increases the maximum cap of finding non-ore items. |
Fisher | There is a 10% chance you can get a location-appropriate fish. |
Reaching | The maximum area of effect increases. |
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2025-05-14 09:18