LipCa

Let's put it this way, you're hunting in Australia, do you want to find scraps or the 12 pounder buried 3 feet deep?

I'll have to try that, Trev. Feel run down today...

Sorry, I read that as individual pieces.....

Pennywt or 1/2 pennywt are not "fines". Detectors should hit them.

Did you put the word out on the GPAA forum?

Boy, I see a lot of stuff that should not be on a "hammered" patch!! Nice that you found some nuggs....

I left a nice specimen (with at least an oz og gold in it) in Wink for 3 days... it turned the quartz greenish yellow..

Nice piece Steve. In the top photo, lower right, there is a piece of quartz.... In the bottom photo, it looks like there was gold there. Did you lose it while in the Wink or just the angle?

Those little specks are not going to be "seen" any deeper than "maybe" an inch and a half. Less if you have bad soil and not much more if you have good soil. When I say "specks", I'm referring to maybe half grain pieces.... Forget locating fine gold.

Sounds rich

I didn't get that from Steve's link. I don't think a "35-50" range will locate a pay streak?? Especially "finding small flakes with a full size coil". It will not locate many small flakes in that range. and then not at much depth. If you look at Steve's pictures, the small flakes have readings well under 35. It would have to be REALLY RICH....

incase you didn't get a manual with the pinpointer: https://www.whiteselectronics.com/device-care/manuals/manuals/

I've been using the topo maps... keeps track of you as long as you have satellites

I appreciate your points.... You just like steel pans! I almost never use the riffles in a plastic pan and never bought any with an inset bottom. But, I can hear the course material hit the bottom of a plastic pan.......

If we're dreaming........ why don't they build a detector that will give an accurate image and density of an object down to, say 3 feet in any soil. "Oh, a 3 grain nugget at 30 inches... I don't think I'll dig it"

I used to have an aunt that detected. I think she had an old Compass detector or something...this was back in the 90s Anyway, she had more rings than you could imagine... hundreds..... I asked her how she found so many. Her answer back was: "I dig everything. Never trust a meter"

I would like to know why steel also? I started panning probably 60 years ago with a steel pan and used one until the plastic ones came out. I tried one and they work just fine. Been using them for 20 years or so and only chipped one by dropping it..... it was about 25 degrees at the time so that probably was the reason. I would start out with some crevicing tools, a pan and a 1/4 inch screen to remove larger material. You can always take a detector, etc. back if things "pan out"

I've found half ouncers lying practically on the surface.... bedrock was probably 5 or 6 feet down. (on a bare hillside no less)

It's always nice to go back and look at some really good gold: http://bb.bbboy.net/alaskagoldforum-viewthread?forum=50413641711&thread=7216

I just got mine to look for those "buried jars of gold" around the old cabin sites....

I, for one, use it for prospecting. Not fun packing it back and forth along a steep, rocky slope. I've had to get accustomed to the weight because it's what I have until I can afford to get something new. Maybe a Fisher PI?? Not good for the hardrock with small gold but it does work good on the better specimen pieces.

My son and his girlfriend went out to his claim for a few days....He called and said "too darn hot to do anything" .. 85 degrees and two cases of bad sunburn! Oh, I forgot to mention... his claim is in Nome, Alaska!!

I recognize most of it... most buildings are still there. Thanks for the history..

doesn't northern California start at San Francisco? big area nice gold.

Looks like pennies are worth 1.4 cents. http://www.coinflation.com/coins/1909-1982-Lincoln-Cent-Penny-Value.html You save them and I'll give you 1.1 cents