Cal_Cobra

Would love to see some before/after shots.  I was just considering ordering a set of André pencils to see how well they conserve relics, but these look pretty good too and at a better price (especially with the package that has the refills for a couple bucks more).

Nice digs NCtoad!  It's great to see so much big silver, it's getting hard to find.

The MMK is a great machine in iron, no doubt about that!

I enjoy finding relics like that!  We've had several worlds fairs here and sometimes tokens, coins and other relics such as pins and badges are dug out here. 

On 12/28/2022 at 4:14 PM, TroyLPN said:

Best show ever!  The one where he plunks down a handful of muddy coins on a bar to pay for drinks....I'm like "I've did that!!"  😂

I used to use the dirty ones for bridge toll haha I loved the toll attendants that expected one to wait for them to count the dirty clad, I'd always assure them it's all there as I drove off reminding them they're getting paid not me 🤠

@Tom_in_CAyou have anything like this ?

Jeff very interesting test, thanks for sharing your results.  If DP is gaining an inch or better in most of the tests, I assume that would also be the case in full tones?    I've tried to hunt in two-tone modes in the past on my F75 LTD and Racers and I wasn't a fan, but that's just me.

On 12/29/2022 at 8:15 AM, HardPack said:

 You may want to enable CC.

 

Scottish, of course 🙂  Reminds me of a funny lunch experience visiting the Teotihuacan Pyramids. 

On 12/29/2022 at 1:54 PM, PSPR said:

Maybe Simon is right in that Minelab is holding up Manticore production until they get some newly found bugs worked out of the software.

Tom D. indicated that initial production was uber conservative as they want to make sure [crucial to success] "exacting" tolerances are employed while at the same time [I suspect] monitoring user response as they trickle into the field.

Mine is finally shipping, time to crack open the manual 🙂 

Here's to hoping the Manticore is worth the premium over the EQX900 🍺

Nice going on the Barber quarter, that just shaved a bit off your detector 🙂

Nice find!  Cob style coinage bring us back to our earliest contact era roots. I've seen them found out west, I have a couple of copper cobs (fractional reales), no silver ones...yet.

That's a nice save, congrats 👍

10 minutes ago, F350Platinum said:

So I hope. 🙄 I've probably dug over 50 buttons in the past few weeks. That makes 4 of those recently! They're usually plain.

George Washington didn't live too far away from here, but only as a boy I think. They've found some here and there. 

This one is probably the bucket lister... 😁

The fact that some have been recovered in your area bodes well for you recovering one 👍

I have better odds of finding a gold coin cache than a G.W. inaugural button out west, not that I'd complain with a gold coin cache, but I'd sure like one of those G.W. buttons in the collection one of these days 🤠 I guess I can't even count it as a bucket lister as it's just not possible out here 🌒

Considering that the original Equinox is going on five years old, and it was likely in development for a good 2-3 years prior to that, that would make it's general purpose CPU around 8+ years old.  That's pretty old in the tooth for CPU shelf life, and the CPU could well be on the road to EOL (End of Life) from the manufacturer (what is it a Cortex ARM 32 bit CPU?). 

If nothing else a newer CPU was likely selected to future proof component sourcing, although that may or may not be what contributed to better separation/unmasking if in fact it does have an edge. 

Like those giant dandy buttons!  Has to be a G.W. button out there some place 🙂

8 hours ago, PSPR said:

Oh, I understand what you are saying.  I just don't expect I will be going metal detecting in the dark.  Should I somehow decide to do that, I'll strap on my 44 mag. right next to my pinpointer. 

Problem is that you'll be blinded by the light from the non red LCD screen and the .44 mag will be useless because you can't see 🙂   The F75 has an always on backlit LCD, not adjustable in any way, and it's blinding to hunt at night with it.  I used red gel screen to cover it and it worked pretty well, your eyes could handle the red glow, but the bright white light is blinding.

On 12/18/2022 at 6:18 PM, midalake said:

If you're a BEACH hunter, then this is an EASY CHOICE. One extra piece of gold alone could make up the $600 dollar difference. This is a no brainer! Wait for that Manticore! 

Same way I see it for relic hunting - a gold coin, rare silver coins, nice buckle, rare button, gold ring, etc., and that $600 dollar difference is easier digest.

I'm with you SImon, the EQX900 (and 700) came out as a total surprise (or was it the Manticore that was the surprise!?!?)!  I like the 900, LOVE the red LCD screen, Tom D. stated it's amped up with more power and better separation, in a Manticore physical package and works with existing EQX coils.  Not a bad deal for $1000!  Leaks and coil breakage aside (which this appears to address) the EQX800 turned out to be a proven beach and relic detector. Heck it even appears to make a decent prospecting machine, seems to be able to hold it's own against the GoldMonster. 

The Equinox 900 is the perfect Equinox 800 🤠

On 12/18/2022 at 8:01 AM, PSPR said:

... The two things that turn me off to the 900 aren't even performance issues.  First, that red screen backlight would drive me crazy.  I don't see the TID and other indicators as clearly (judging from the videos) and I don't like it. 

I've used a red LCD detector screen and it works great.  The military uses red during their ops missions.

32 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

I can't say for sure, but it seemed the Equinox 800 had trouble with coins-on-edge.

 

The EQX800 has been good at sniffing out old silver on edge for me.

5 hours ago, strick said:

Chase the spoon was about 8 inches deep and oriented up right at a steep angle. It was a tough target due to the shape.  There are a lot of low to mid conductive targets in the area... shot gun caps every where. I have been digging everything in this old ghost town since I started going there in the hopes of a small gold coin. I walked over that spoon with the Nox Deus Ctx and have had other guys here that were experienced walk over it with theirs like @Cal_Cobra but for some reason the Manticore said to dig... it but it's probably just that I have new toy and am moving about slowly and learning how to use it. I really want that small coil. The third pic down was a  very deep washer...about 10 feet from the spoon. It really started singing in the hi 80's as I was getting closer to it...I asked the lord to please not let it be another rivet..and he listened lol. had to work all day yesterday so did not get to detect and found myself thinking about the Manticore in the middle of the night...it's like a cute girl with an ugly name 🙂

The site is late 1800's 

strick 

This is a good test site for you as you know it well from years of detecting it.  Almost as if it's a controlled environment, great to test new machines, you know the ground, EMI, iron, etc.  I have some sites like that, well beaten, you know there's more there, will a different detector take it to the next level?

TomCA's been using those old surveyor map cabinets for storing and displaying his notable finds, it is a perfect setup for RIker case storage and display. 

22 hours ago, SeabeeRon said:

You and Tom always have the best "roadtrips"!!

 

Really enjoy reading about all your adventures.  If you get a chance there are a bunch of guys on another "Friendly" metal detecting forum that would would love to see what you all found!

Thanks Ron!

7 hours ago, George Kinsey said:

Oh no Cobra. Don't make me go gold coins on🙃 yah!

Well done!  Love the Spanish ones, those are [oddly] rarely found out here.  Given the reales that are found, you'd think they'd turn up more.

2 hours ago, Tom_in_CA said:

You east coast guys make me sick, with all those LC's and Colonial coppers !  Sick sick sick  🤬

I think those largies are in every tot-lot and sand box on the east coast 😅   More gold coins are found out west than large cents.