The normal tools in Animal Crossing: New Leaf are the net, fishing rod, shovel, axe, watering can, and slingshot. You can get silver and gold versions of all of these by performing certain tasks. Some of these silver and golden tools are more powerful than the normal version. For example, the golden axe will never break.

The Net

Silver Net

The museum shop sells the silver net after you have donated at least 30 bugs.

To open the museum shop, you have to donate at least 20 things to the museum, with at least one item from each of the four categories (art, fossils, fish, bugs.) After you have done so, sit in your mayor's seat and start a new building project. The museum shop will be in the list. To help raise funds to build the museum shop, go into your train station and give money to Lloid (the gyroid). After the fundraising is complete, the museum shop will open the next day. The shop sells random items each day, so keep checking back until a silver net is for sale.

Golden Net

To get the golden net, you must catch all of the bug types, completing your bug picture book (tap the book tab on the touch screen). Once your picture book is completed, go to a bug catching tournament and talk to the lizard in charge (Nat) to receive your golden net.

The Fishing Rod

Silver Fishing Rod

The museum shop sells the silver fishing rod. To open the museum shop, you have to donate at least 20 things to the museum, with at least one item from each of the four categories (art, fossils, fish, bugs.) After you have done so, sit in your mayor's seat and start a new building project. The museum shop will be in the list. To help raise funds to build the museum shop, go into your train station and give money to Lloid (the gyroid). After the fundraising is complete, the museum shop will open the next day. The shop sells random items each day, so keep checking back until a silver fishing rod is for sale.

Golden Fishing Rod

To get the golden fishing rod, you must catch all of the river and ocean fish (but not deep sea creatures). After you have completed your picture book of all the non-deep-sea fish, go to a fishing tourney and talk to the beaver in charge (Chip). Choose "look at my collection" to receive your golden fishing rod.

The Shovel

Silver Shovel

The museum shop sells the silver shovel after you have donated 15 fossils.

To open the museum shop, you have to donate at least 20 things to the museum, with at least one item from each of the four categories (art, fossils, fish, bugs.) After you have done so, sit in your mayor's seat and start a new building project. The museum shop will be in the list. To help raise funds to build the museum shop, go into your train station and give money to Lloid (the gyroid). After the fundraising is complete, the museum shop will open the next day. The shop sells random items each day, so keep checking back until a silver shovel is for sale.

If you hit the money rock in your town with the silver shovel, the rock might give you ore instead of money.

Golden Shovel

To receive the golden shovel, you must purchase at least 50 bags of fertilizer from the garden shop. Fertilizer is only available if your store has been upgraded to the department store. Read the shop unlock guide to find out how to unlock the department store.

The golden shovel allows you to bury money in the ground, which has a chance of growing into a money tree.

The Axe

Silver Axe

The silver axe can be purchased from the gift shop of the island, but it is rare. The silver axe will break after 136 uses (the normal axe breaks after 32 uses) so it lasts more than four times as long as the normal axe.

Golden Axe

To receive the golden axe, you must purchase at least 50 tree saplings (not including shrubs) from the garden shop. Leif will give you the golden axe after you buy your 50th sapling. The golden axe never breaks.

The Watering Can

Silver Watering Can

To receive the silver watering can, you must purchase at least 50 bags of flower seeds from the garden shop. Leif will give you the silver watering can after you buy your 50th flower seed bag. The silver watering can can water 5 flowers at a time. The following diagram illustrates how it works:

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Golden Watering Can

Go to the front desk of the town hall and ask Isabelle about citizen satisfaction. If your town maintains perfect town status (also known as "best town ever" status) for 15 days in a row, you will get the golden watering can when you ask Isabelle about citizen satisfaction on the fifteenth day. The golden watering can is able to water 9 flowers at a time. The following diagram illustrates how it works:

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The Slingshot

Silver Slingshot

After you have shot down 14 or more balloon presents, you might see the silver slingshot float by in a toolbox carried by silver balloons. Shoot it down with your slingshot to get it.

The silver slingshot shoots two stones.

Golden Slingshot

After you have shot down 14 or more balloon presents, in rare cases you might see the golden slingshot float by in a golden toolbox. Shoot it down with your slingshot to get it.

The golden slingshot shoots three stones.