Abstract: An improved gold retrieving pan (10) that is used for either wet or dry gold panning. The pan (10) allows gold dust or gold nuggets to be expeditiously extracted from gold bearing sand. The pan (10) consists of an outer circular section (12) having an inner perimeter rim (18) that is integrally attached to an outer perimeter rim 28 of a shallow center circular section (24). Near the outer perimeter rim (28) of the center circular section (24) is located a gold trap structure (40) having an outward facing opening (42) and an inward perimeter edge (44). The edge (44) is attached to the surface of the center circular section (24). In front of the gold trap structure (40) is located a shallow, gold-setting trough (70) that functions in combination with the gold trap structure (40) to allow any gold dust and/or gold nuggets present in the gold bearing sand to remain within the confines of the gold trap structure (40) and the trough (70).