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Best Coin Detector Suggestions


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NuggetBuddy, Your first post you asked what is the most High Tech, User Friendly detector for coins., and what WE would use if we could only have one detector.

Here's my input for what it's worth. There is no such thing as "most High-Tech, most user friendly" the two don't go together. I'm not going to offer a recommendation for a detector. I posted what I'd choose for me but there is no way I can say what's best for you. I will say that IMHO the V3i is not a detector for a first timer no matter how quick a study you are. There are so many adjustments on the V3i that many, many experienced users switched back to a familiar detector after trying the V3i. Changing one adjustment can have a pyramid effect where you make one change to a setting and then you have to make many more adjustments to other settings to reap the rewards. Without having a very broad understanding on all the adjustments, and terminology (detector lingo) you can easily end up lost and having poorer performance than you started with. I Bought a V3i when they first came out 4/2009 and used in almost daily till 2016. This after 40 years using detectors. The V3i is a great all around detector but not one for a first timer. Same goes for the E-Trac and CTX. 

You also stated you wanted a coin detector that can be used for gold. While the three mentioned above will all find gold rings, they all fall way short for nugget hunting. They stink at finding naturally occurring gold. A few detectors that perform well for coins and nuggets would be the Minelab 705, White's MXT Pro, Fisher Gold Bug Pro, & F19, Teknetics G2 & G2+, Makro Racer 2, and Nokta Impact.  These aren't the deepest coin detectors but they work almost as well and are Way better at nugget shooting than the other three mentioned above. These are also much less expensive and much easier to learn to operate properly. 

If there was one detector that was the best at finding coins and the best at finding nuggets and was the most user friendly, it would put all others out of business.

Tom

 

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4 hours ago, Tom Slick said:

If there was one detector that was the best at finding coins and the best at finding nuggets and was the most user friendly, it would put all others out of business.

Tom

 

That's just it isn't it...? As a newbie, I'm trying to figure out why there isn't a turnkey machine. Why would I have to spend $8500 tax and accessories to get the worlds best gold machine that finds ONLY GOLD? or $2300 that finds ONLY COINS?

It just seems to me that its a software issue to accommodate different HEADS that perform different tasks.

Why aren't one of these companies building a machine that is waterproof and takes 50 different heads for around $5K? A machine that "Does it All"? It seems they are all building a "Box" that performs a certain task according to the "heads" capabilities. We live in a digital age. It's seems they should all be building a "Box" that has EVERY FEATURE capable of loading the correct software for 75 different heads. Ergo... You buy one "Box" for life, and a specific head and its accompanying software to load onto that box.

So for example. The rod, arm control, and box Cost $1500. But you want to have the worlds best gold finding Desert head? For another $3000 you get the head and its needed software to load onto the box. You want the worlds best under water and desert gold finder? For another $4500 you get the head and its software to load onto the box. You want to find coins and relics on Grandmas old farm? For $1300 you get that head and its software to load on the box. And so on...

You want GPS and maps add ons? For another $200 you get package A. For another $400 you get package B. For another $750 you get the all inclusive.

It feels like there are 100 different micro tasks with 25 different machine types, and 70 different heads trying to accommodate those tasks. I'm talking about a MACRO machine that does it all, with micro accessory ad ons.

Is that possible?    

 

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Many different "Heads" that will fit on one box. A USB slot on the side of the box and away we go.....seems very simple and 'm sure it's very possible but a lot more goes into the building of a metal detector. The size of the "Head" being the most important.  Head sizes vary depending on what you are hunting for. An ounce or two difference in the size of the "Head" can make a big difference in the balance of the whole detector. When out detecting we want a detector that is well balanced. 

Metal detector companies are in the business of selling detectors just as car companies are in the business of selling cars. Limiting their line up to just one product or model is probably not in their best interest. 

Get your self a good coin machine Etrac etc... and try hunting for a while and if you get hooked like the rest of us are then get the gold machine. 

strick

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There is no Gold detector that can ONLY find gold, and no coin detector that can ONLY find coins. They are all METAL detectors. They all can find gold, coins, cans, washers, nails, pulltabs, etc. The soil covering the earth changes drasticly  from place to place. Sometimes in a matter of feet. Metal detectors have to try and "see" metal hidden in this soil matrix. The issue is that some of the minerals in the soil can also be detected by the detector so engineers do their best at designing a detector that perform this function. It's like trying to see when it's super foggy. You have to try to see where you're going and the fog keeps getting in the way. So there are different detectors designed for different tasks. What if someone handed you a hammer and said go build a house. Why don't they make a, hammer, saw,  drill, screwdriver, tape measure tool. you know, one tool that you only have to change the head (coil). 

This is why I recommended not starting with a V3i until you fully understand how a detector works. Do you fully understand these functions and features?

Sensitivity or Gain, Discrimination or ID Filter, Threshold, Tones, Tone Breaks, Ground Filters, Reactivity, recovery speed, recovery delay, mixed mode, DC phase, preamp gain, correlate, best Data, VDI, Accumulate, Bottlecap reject, hot rock reject, S.A.T. VCO,  Modulation, Autotrac, Ground balance, GB Offset, VDI Normalization, sweep speed, A.C. Sensitivity, D.C. Sensitivity, RX gain, Autotrac offset, etc. 

Start with a detector that is user friendly, designed to do what you want to do. When you're starting out; you don't want to be making a bunch of adjustments, you want to go find stuff! It's too easy to get frustrated trying to understand all the adjustments on conplex detectors. This hobby is all about having fun finding stuff and that's what a person should do. 

Take a person fishing for the first time. If they catch a bunch of fish, they'll love it. A person that gets skunked their first time out never wants to go fishing again. JMHO 

 

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6 hours ago, NuggetBuddy said:

That's just it isn't it...? As a newbie, I'm trying to figure out why there isn't a turnkey machine. Why would I have to spend $8500 tax and accessories to get the worlds best gold machine that finds ONLY GOLD? or $2300 that finds ONLY COINS?

 

Keep in mind even though you could have the best gold machine and best coin machine that's on the market that you could purchase doesn't guarantee you instant success. Your success is going to depend on how well you know how to use the type detector you decide on, what you are looking for and the area you decide to search. There are many metal detectors with old technology that are being used and great finds being found. Find a mentor through a club, dealer or forum to help reduce the learning curve you will have, if not expect some frustration and challenge in learning how, what type and where to use the right metal detector. There are many good all around type of detectors on the market that will find gold, coins, relics and jewelry, you have to decide what make and model you will feel comfortable using. Believe me everybody that was a newbie had the same questions and concerns.

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On 2/1/2018 at 12:03 PM, Glenn in CO said:

Keep in mind even though you could have the best gold machine and best coin machine that's on the market that you could purchase doesn't guarantee you instant success. Your success is going to depend on how well you know how to use the type detector you decide on, what you are looking for and the area you decide to search. There are many metal detectors with old technology that are being used and great finds being found. Find a mentor through a club, dealer or forum to help reduce the learning curve you will have, if not expect some frustration and challenge in learning how, what type and where to use the right metal detector. There are many good all around type of detectors on the market that will find gold, coins, relics and jewelry, you have to decide what make and model you will feel comfortable using. Believe me everybody that was a newbie had the same questions and concerns.

As one that has never detected before, there are 3 appeals it has for me, and honestly, I'm surprised I haven't thought about doing it until now. #1 The technology. It seems Minelab has the best interface with fully automated digital screens, gps, maps, etc.. I've been waiting for this type of stuff since I was a kid in the 70's, and actually had a very small part in its development. #2 The research. I am really looking forward to getting a unit in my hands, then working at researching and identifying locations that I feel will be successful. #3 OF COURSE the finds. I've been a treasure hunter for as long as I have memories.

I may end up talking to a few "groups" in the beginning, kind of like this one, just to get started, but for the most part I'm a pretty independent guy with his own ideas. I do good with mentors however, and even a friend or 2 with similar interests. But I've never been very successful in groups. Oddly, I get the feeling that a lot of Detectorists are that way too.

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Just as Glenn in CO told you and anyone else will tell you your success depends on how well you know your detector. The cost has little to do with what you find and again it's how well you know your detector. 

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9 hours ago, Norm S said:

Just as Glenn in CO told you and anyone else will tell you your success depends on how well you know your detector. The cost has little to do with what you find and again it's how well you know your detector. 

LOL! Yeah... My neighbors are going to think I'm nuts when I go to set up a small grid in my back yard, and start burying 14k earring backs and indian heads. "What are ya gardening over there? Those won't seed ya know???"

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NuggetBuddy,

If I could only have one metal detector to 'do it all'  I would pick the new F75 LTD with DST.  Reason being that it CAN do it all, do it simply,  and do it well.    It is feature rich enough, powerful enough, and sensitive enough for all tasks you set for it to do.   It has a very good selection of search loops and its a proven performer.   

It only has one user requirement.   You have to learn the F75's sweep speed.    

Check it out.

HH
Mike

 

 

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5 hours ago, Mike Hillis said:

NuggetBuddy,

If I could only have one metal detector to 'do it all'  I would pick the new F75 LTD with DST.  Reason being that it CAN do it all, do it simply,  and do it well.    It is feature rich enough, powerful enough, and sensitive enough for all tasks you set for it to do.   It has a very good selection of search loops and its a proven performer.   

It only has one user requirement.   You have to learn the F75's sweep speed.    

Check it out.

HH
Mike

 

Agree on all points Mike.  That is why the F75 LTD /DST is my go to detector for coin shooting and relic hunting.   Yes, to slow and you loose depth. 

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