geof_junk

My first Pound note Found it back in 1962 (Pound note was not found with a detector ) and last $1 and $2 I saved before going decimal, found this photo while chasing old detecting photos. OK I will get back on topic soon. 😀

GB_Amateur in Aus the main reason for getting a detector was for finding gold due to massive nuggets being found. When a group of 5 pros from West Aust hit Wedderburn Victoria in six weeks the all had a shoe box each over following with nuggets. A.Muller the Garrets importer in Kilmore Vic confirmed this to me after the caretaker of the caravan park told me. The biggest advantage back then, was the access that we had. I remember detecting a Church Lawn when the man with the white collar asked how I was going. I showed him the coins and he said well the church missed out on them. I gave him the decimal coins and told him to put them in the poor box (BUT NOT PRE-DECIMAL COINS). It was easy to get access on schools, parks, sporting grounds and private properties, not now. A bit of Aust Currency history Early Currency in Australia When New South Wales was first established in 1788 the English Pound was the official currency, although Spanish Dollars were used quite regularly. In 1813, to try to discourage the illegal use of Spanish Dollars, the centers of the coins were cut out; they became known as 'holey dollars' and the cores were called 'dumps'; this was Australia's first form of coinage. From the Pound Sterling to the Australian Dollar In 1825, the government imposed the Sterling standard and British coins began to be minted in Australia. These silver and bronze coins continued to be used until 1910, when a new national currency, the Australian Pound, was introduced. The Australian Pound was fixed in value to the Pound Sterling and, as a result, used a gold standard. Three years later, the first series of Australian notes were issued. In February of 1966, the Australian Dollar (AUD) was introduced under a decimalized system; dollars and cents replacing the pounds, shillings, and pence. In 1988, banknotes were converted to polymer, a technology originally developed in Australia to help prevent counterfeiting. When I get time I will continue with Shilling and Florins on this Silver thread.

Joe they are the correct covers, thanks for the warning it should help others.

A quick video (unskilled attempt) of some spare Three and Six Pence that I still have. .....Link.....

The assay results were very interesting, particularly the format and values shown.

For you guys in USA note that the Coins struck at the San Francisco mint (1942–1944) carry a small S below the coat of arms, while those from the Denver mint (1942–1943) have a small D in the same place. The mint mark is just above the Date.

The Australian sixpence was a coin used in the Commonwealth of Australia prior to the decimalisation of the Australian currency in 1966. The pre-decimal sixpence was minted from 1910 until 1963, excluding the years 1913, 1915, 1929–33 inclusive, 1937, 1947 and 1949. The sixpence was the only pre-decimal Australian coin which never had the design on its reverse altered. That is especially surprising given that the coat of arms depicted was obsolete for almost all of that time, having been superseded by the current one in 1912. During World War II, between 1942 and 1944, sixpence production was supplemented by coinage produced by two branches of the United States Mint. Coins struck at the San Francisco mint (1942–1944) carry a small S below the coat of arms, while those from the Denver mint (1942–1943) have a small D in the same place. From 1910 to 1945 Australian sixpences were of sterling silver (0.925 fine) with 7.5% copper; from 1946 to 1963 they were reduced to 0.500 fine silver which is made from 50% silver, 40% copper, 5% nickel and 5% zinc. After decimalisation on 14 February 1966, the sixpence continued to circulate at the value of 5c, along with new 5c coins of the same size and weight. I forgot to mention some of these coins were found by Wife of 50 years. It was her that wanted a gold detector when I was happy with a small gold dredge.

I have only found one crotal bell in all my and wife detecting years. I consider it as a good find, as you can get. Many thanks to Joe D for letting us know what it was called and used for. My guess was it was used on pets, horse and cart are too big to call them pets.

"Did you find these with a metal detector?" That is correct AB_Amateur, and many more.I live in a rural area and did not have much competition when I first started back in 1979. I have many more that I have kept, as it was good practice to learn how to use the detector for gold prospecting.

The Three pence "3D" Like all other pre-decimal Australian coinage the three pence was based on the silver standard. The 16mm, 1.41g coins were minted in sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper) from 1910 till 1944. In 1947 the coins were debased to 50% silver, 40% copper, 5% nickel, and 5% zinc. The debasement resulted from Australia needing to pay off its’ huge debts incurred during World War 2. All threepences have a plain edge. These are the best of my 3d collection, many more elsewhere. Note Date of release and Number produced under each coin. When I get a chance will move onto 6d, Shillings (1/-) Florins(2/-) and Crown(5/-) and silver round 50 cent.

Research help you to save wasted time, but gut feeling make the results that you are after.🤑

I think the weight of the coil might be the principle point in getting one..

In West Australia it is not only the iron junk but also heaps of little hot rocks sticking to the magnet. What I did was to activate some car bog (chopped glass and resin) and put it over the magnet and while it was still soft placed a plastic bag over it, I then pulled down on the bag to shape a curved shell on the pick. This allowed us to simply wipe our hand over it magnet area, it was an effective solution to the remove the build up along the edge of magnet. I hope the photo helps to show what I mean, the grey area is the car bog.

I like the chopped Spanish? silver coins from the days of value was the weight in silver. 👏

Sometimes you have to admit defeat. My wife and I got a heap of nuggets here, but did not remove all of the junk. There was a lot of gold in the area (over a kilo) but I am sure there is more left for someone else.

I like the demo, but be sure that the sample is very dry not moist. If not then do it in a puddle/bucket of water.

Mitchel had a moment with a ring. I had found 8 gold ones that day but could only find 7 when showed them to my wife. She told me to look on my finger. 😵 That one fitted quite good.

As most of my gold is Eluvial and not Alluvial it is great to see a well worn piece of rock/quartz and the gold looks like it took a bit of hammering as it went down the waterway. It sure is a nice specimen. 🤑

😁 ...........LINK............

I just saw this post about FRED what can I say that has not been said before, and not a bad comment in 8 pages. I will surely miss him.

My youngest son was 13 years old back then, he had no problems using it back then. Yes it says 1985 Apr 19 The goldmaster was so good that I did not go over to Minelab until the GP 3000 was released.

Been away for a while, what a great post on page 13 in no time. My White was just great got it as soon as it came out here in Aus.

This spread was south of a large reef area and digging hole sloping down to the north. The area in the circle is sloping southwards. About 40 nuggets were found and about half were sitting in the sun having a tan.Most were about 2 or 3 grams in weight. At the bottom of the slope about 400 metres south I got a quarter ounce (8 gm) fairly deep. If I get back that way I know that there is a good prospect for a week or two in untouched ground. I guess everyone want to keep their runs of nuggets to themselves. ­By the way I will be unable to post anything till the end of February. I forgot to say the circle is 300 mt across.

As far as I am concerned get a Garmin Rhino they have access to satellite maps you can upload maps and tracks. If you have a detecting partner you can communicate between each other as well as send/get location of each other. All of my year 2006 on records were done with the rhino (Magellan GPS before 2006 great unit) Have a look at ........Nugget-spread...........all of those nugget were record with the Garmin Rhino.

"I don't know nothing" but this link might get you started. ................LINK...............