YubaJ

No way to get his email, because he doesn't have one, an un-webbed guy whom I've lost contact with, but have an old phone # that I'll try sometime. I doubt he's still around.

Ron, That's a great pic of a veteran GB2! My mods from Gary are more recent and the switches have a different placement and are of another type. I lost the instructions. My GB2 wasn't finding the grain pieces where I detect locally, and I almost gave up on it. But then I decided to give one of the knobs a tweak to the right and I've been finding pieces that don't weigh on the grain scale plus a small area that the Monster didn't talk about. Of course I have to ground balance almost constantly in some places. I'll see if I can contact Gary and if I can I'll let you know. His health hadn't been good.

Check out "griffon" or "gryphon".

Mitchel, I've no idea what kind of cross that would be called--elementary? Don't think it's S of the Border, perhaps a jewelry class? A couple years ago you posted a great travelogue about going to Downieville that I'm sure many people enjoyed. Going to Dville used to be no big deal for me when I dredged 10 miles down river in the 80's. Now it's a real excursion from N Central Nevada and I appreciated your route details and pics. doesn't actually take that long. 2 years ago we camped at Indian Valley along route 49 and I was able to show a couple Brazilian guys from the Bay Area how to pan gold--they loved it! Joel

Hard to explain without a lot of words, but the ring has no characteristics of Indian silversmithing, and the turquoise is nothing special. But it's a great find and a strong design!

V3iMXTPro, I tried to PM you, but it said that you don't receive messages. I do receive them and I'm interested in your battery pack and charger. Perhaps you can send me your phone # or email and we can do a deal. Thanks, Joel

My battery holder--8 AA's-- worked fine, but the juice goes much quicker than the rechargeable battery, which when I got it didn't seem to hold a charge long. Then it got with the program and runs good for the couple hours that I'm out. I'm not a long-hour searcher, just some finding and exercise.

There's a back-up 8-AA battery holder made for the Monster.

Impressive!!! Some of those bits don't look so micro. A couple questions: What % did the Monster get, approx? And what type of ground are you working? Thanks, Joel

I found some similar looking gold bearing rock, the gold being dispersed like yours is, with my Minelab Gold Monster. But my rock doesn't have any other conductive metals in it. The Falcon will report on gold-bearing rock where the gold can't be seen. I found this place with the Monster originally with the gold bearing rocks down around 6" with the 5" coil, then a few deeper ones with the 10" coil. This was slide material in a wide old cut. Found a short vein by detecting above the cut. I think the old mining in this area was digging on random short veins. Host rock is shattered quartz.

Might possibly be hematite; don't know if that's magnetic.

Thrace Detectors on eBay or website has a good price on these coils. George K endorses them, the seller.

Try detecting Bottle Creek sometime. I heard from an old-time Newmont miner that a good sized nugget was found there years ago--without a detector. Also there was an article in one of the 80's treasure magazines about Depression era dry washing on the east side of the Jacksons. Sounded like all fine gold. You have got the fever!

If you can drill that rock with a 5/8" or larger" carbide drill in an electric hammer drill, you can pour an expandable grout into the holes call Dexpan--Home Depot--or? It's reputed to break rock with a minimum of violence. I haven't tried it. Also your gemstone with inclusions should bring some good $$ from all the people taking up cabochon cutting whether as a hobby or business. Plenty of wild rough stone being sold on eBay. But if your stone turns out to be really gemmy, then to Tucson, and you'll probably sell out.

Stalker, I don't know how to do links. Just go to Findmall and then to Today's Finds forum--it's real quick.

These spectacular old finds are at "Today's Finds" forum at Finds Forums, 3rd post down as of tonight. Rafael has acquired the best detectors over the years and has shown many of his finds here, usually under the particular detector forum. We're talkin' OLD Spanish.

Rob, Send a private message to Chris Porter, "nvchris" on this forum. His Website, Detectoraid, has been hijacked.

Looks like classic chalcocite to me with some oxidation forming malachite. It's good that you sliced it. Several tons, you could make some $$.

Thrace Metal Detectors in Bulgaria has them in stock right now and they may be cheaper, even with shipping, than from US dealers who should have them soon. Their Detech GPX coils are well priced. I haven't dealt with them yet.

Just wanted to say that Serious Detecting has the Quest X5 either on eBay or their website for $149.00. Plus they seem to have the whole Quest line of detectors. You never know what Serious will come up with. Right now they have a new Tejon up on eBay.

Walt, What frequencies do you like for nuggets on the Orx? Will it get more depth than the Monster? Thanks, YJ

Goldseeker, If I were you, I'd be looking elsewhere--the president of that country is a vicious nutcase. Dave McCracken, the head of The New 49'ers, was stuck over there for months because of the pandemic and his being there I'm sure had something to do with gold mining. Their website is www.goldgold.com. Getting through to him may be a challenge, but he's most likely aware of your great book, so good luck in contacting him.

Hi Gerry, A really informative thread! I'll have to travel to tailings piles, but do know of many out of the way hand-dug ones in California. I wonder if you could share some of the Nox settings you use in the old dredge tailings, the ones that sounded on the incredible gold-laced cobbles you found. Thanks!----From a former Rye Patch student--great training!

Hurry, Hurry--Only 9 of these left on Amazon! I got one and it sure is the real deal. I wasn't using my F-19 much and sold it a year ago, but I still had 3 aftermarket coils--13" Ultimate, Nel Snake & Sharpshooter. so I had to jump on this deal. I decided to set it up differently setting the tone break at 39 and volume at 13. Seems like it's faster than the older F19 and in the iron-littered mining camp I go to nearby I found a couple old Levi rivets, an old encrusted wheat penny--looks like 1934 plus other small copper, & brass bits. But round, very rusted can tops and bottoms sometimes don't give a low tone when pulling the coil away. Used the Snake coil. Have had many different detectors between these sagebrushes and I know lotsa people been here, being a genuine NV ghost town.

Maybe the XP Orx, the lightest weight and many frequencies to choose from. Although I haven't tried one yet, one forum member, at least, has posted great pics here; name of MannyScoot. Can charge it with AA batteries.