Best Day With The Equinox So Far...

[steveg]

I had a good hunt today -- best one yet, with the Equinox.

 

I acquired permission late last fall to hunt a home built in 1904 in town, and have been there several times, with the CTX.  During those hunts, I dug a couple of Barber dimes, a Merc, a Rosie, a number of wheats, a few tokens -- plus a few interesting relic-type items and some clad.  However, finds had started to taper off, and so I hadn't returned in awhile.  Today, armed with the Equinox, I wanted to see if I could pull out another keeper or two.  My focus was actually on hoping to find a gold ring -- so my intent was to dig a variety of tones in the sub-nickel to pull-tab range.  So, I arrived thinking "gold ring," and my very first target dig was this large men's SILVER ring (not gold, but I'll take it!)

 

A short while later, this showed up (I'm almost sure I must have made a rookie mistake, as I think this was in the same plug as a Barber dime I recovered on an earlier hunt with the CTX -- OOPS)...

 

 

A 1927-D Merc.

Then, I got a rather odd, deep tone, but it sounded good enough to dig...

These were in the same hole -- the first one on-edge, I believe, and then the second still in the wall of the plug.  While recovering these two coins, the husband and wife who own the home happened to come over to see how I was doing.  They got to see me recover the coins, one at a time.  When I pulled the first one (1904), I could see it was the most beautiful Indian I'd ever dug, with a gorgeous verdigris pattern -- and also in exceptional condition.  The homeowners were really excited to see me recover the coin, and when I told them what year it was, they said "wow, that's the year our house was built!"  So, I knew at that point that the owners needed to have that one -- so I offered it up, which they hesitantly but excitedly accepted!  They plan to frame/display it, as part of the history of the home!  I then recovered the second -- and all three of us were shocked, as it was dated 1864 -- a Civil War-era Indian!

 

After talking with the homeowners for a bit, I continued on.  I dug another Indian Head (1900), sandwiched between two V-nickel digs (1897 and a "dateless" one).  Finally, to end the day, I got a deep signal amongst some trashy lower tones, that I could coax a rather consistent low 20s ID from.  I thought maybe it was another deep Indian Head, but the Indians I had dug were generally upper teens, so I was not sure on this one (especially hearing the other nearby trash/iron).  So, I removed a deep plug, and sweeping the side of the plug, I could now hear a good high tone, with 25-26-27 ID numbers.  SILVER numbers!  From about 7" or so, I ended the day on a silver note!

1912-D Barber Dime!

 

I was REALLY impressed with the Equinox on this hunt.  I know for CERTAIN I passed over the hole with the two Indian Heads, as well as the 1900 Indian Head, and also the Barber Dime, with the CTX (because I carefully gridded the rather small area they were found in), and for whatever reason was not convinced to dig.  I also missed the nickels, but that doesn't surprise me, as I still have a hard time with nickels on the CTX.  NOT SO, with the Equinox.  The ring was shallow, and a penny-type signal, so I probably just ignored it, thinking "shallow Memorial."  Overall though, a very, very good hunt was facilitated by the Equinox, in an area I thought was "petering out" after being hunted multiple times with the CTX.  Since 90 percent of the hunts I've taken with the Equinox have been to my local park that I've cleaned nearly "bare" over the past 7 years, and thus the good coin finds with the Equinox from there rather sparse, getting into a rhythm on this hunt with the machine and digging good targets repeatedly/consistently was a great confidence builder with the still-new-to-me machine.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Steve

[Cabin Fever]

Great hunt Steve!  Love the 1904 Indian Head part of the story..  It’s a real beauty and it was very nice of you to offer it to the owners.. 

Bryan

[steveg]

Thanks, Bryan!

They are really enjoying watching me have fun finding stuff, and they are really into the history of their home.  It was ironic that they happened to walk out right as I was digging that plug -- and then the first coin out being that 1904.  It meant a lot to them to have it, I could tell!  

Steve

[cdv]

Great hunt Steve, love the finds especially that Indian, what a coin! Most of all though, giving back to the home owners, what a way to seal a friendship and a permission. Hopefully they carry through with their idea of framing it for the home!  

Cliff

[Chase Goldman]

Great pulls and an awesome single hut.  Way to not forget the owners who are making it possible for you to have the opportunity.  I always try to make sure I retùrn the favor in some fashion for those who are gracious enough to give me hunt permissions. When you do that you are also helping promote the hobby and indirectly helping your fellow detectorists too.

[steveg]

Thanks guys!

A fun day, a good hunt, some good "reps" with the Equinox, as I was finally able to give it a chance to report on a nice variety of old coins, and -- I got to bring a smile to the kind folks allowing me to dig in their yard!  

Steve

[IdahoPeg]

Thanks for sharing an incredible hunt with us! Great finds and great story! What mode and settings on the Nox had you dialed in with? Thx. :-)

[Chase Goldman]

51 minutes ago, steveg said:

Thanks guys!

A fun day, a good hunt, some good "reps" with the Equinox, as I was finally able to give it a chance to report on a nice variety of old coins, and -- I got to bring a smile to the kind folks allowing me to dig in their yard!  

Steve

All my altruistic statements aside, glad you got to keep the 1864 fatty, though.  Up until last week, that was my oldest recovered coin and found it at a CW encampment site so it had a little extra backstory mystique.

[steveg]

Chase --  

Definitely some extra mystique with a coin found at a CW encampment...WOW.  That's some cool stuff, there!  I'd love to hunt a Civil War site...  

Peg -- 

Thanks for the kind words!

Auto ground balance set the GB at "21," I noise cancelled...and ended up at "20" on the sensitivity.  I generally like to run my sensitivity just one notch below wherever you begin to hear a little "chatter."  Today, at this site, 21 was that point where the beginnings of the chatter was heard, so I ran it at 20.  I ran in my "usual" tone setting -- 50 tones with nothing changed/tweaked; I had recovery speed at 5, and iron bias set at 2.  AND, I ran it in all-metal (no disc) via the "horseshoe" button.  I like hearing the iron "in the background."  I think it helps to know what's going on "under the coil."  

Steve

[Skate]

Now that's an epic hunt! Only thing missing was a silver quarter but I'm sure that's waiting for you on the next hunt. It's good to share with the homeowners a little of what we find. When I score a big permission I usually include a $25 dinner for two gift certificate at a local restaurant as a way of saying thanks. A little reciprocity goes a long way.