GB_Amateur

Interesting question. I suspect the counterfeit is more rare. In its present condition, valuewise I doubt this is worth more than bullion value (~1/4 ozt) even if genuine. On the other hand, as a bucket list find I suspect the gold piece would be preferred by most detectorists, even if the counterfeit were more valuable (and I have no idea if that's the case). Throw in the fact that it's probably technically illegal to own a counterfeit US coin.... Either way a nice find.

The 1857 Seated dime is a beauty by itself. I'd be shakin' if I dug that up. Did anyone check the weight on the $5 gold piece? Red Book says 8.359 g when freshly minted. There will be some loss due to wear, but not much. With the exception of tungsten (which is so hard that I doubt you could use it in counterfeiting) the only stable metals that have gold's density are in the platinum group (or neighbors) and extremely valuable in their own right. For example, if it were plated lead it would weigh under 5 g. (Unalloyed lead would probably bend, though.) The reason I bring this up is the corrosion. Even gold that's been in saltwater for centuries (sunken Spanish loot) doesn't look as bad as this, from what I've seen. Certainly possible that it's genuine and looks this corroded, but weighing is an easy sanity check. Definitely not wanting to burst anyone's bubble, but counterfeiting wasn't all that unusual back in the Wild Wild West days, as I'm sure you know. Heck, the mint had to modify the V-nickel (Liberty Head nickel) in 1883 to add the word 'CENTS' on the reverse because people were plating them and passing them off as 5 dollar gold pieces.

I'd say! You obviously have a super high quality imager, too. Back when I was 'playing' with X-ray an generator (25+ years ago) we had an interlock on the door to the room where it was located. You weren't allowed (supposed to be) in the room when the generator was powered on. Clearly you know what you're doing (or don't tell us in case you don't ?). Thanks for the cool pics!

Nice, thorough tests as always, EL NINO, thanks! Maybe you've explained this before (and can link...), but could you say how you get the Fe3O4 data? Do you mix magnetite into your test soil, measuring it by weight? Or do you make a detector (such as Fisher Gold Bug) measurement?

Thought I responded to this post a couple days ago. Maybe the site crashed and was restored to an earlier backup? Anyway, what I meant to say was: Great finds GKman! I see a 1798 Large Cent -- a rare find to get any 18th Century official US coin since the mint didn't start up until 1792. I'm curious as to what that coin is shown just above the 1798 Cent. Have you identified it?

I'm sure someone else can answer the 2nd part since I'm not a beach hunter. I have both the 6" and 12"x15" coils but except for tiny nugget hunting with the 6" in the Nevada desert I haven't used either one much. The larger coil's extra weight bothers my back. I can see using that in a survey, for example when searching a large plot for an old, long ago raized dwelling. I think the 6" coil has the usual advantages (less ground and less trash in the field of view, increased sensitivity to tiny targets). However the stock 11" is so good at allowing me to distinguish good targets among moderate trash that its extra coverage leads me to use it most of the time. But thanks for reminding me -- I need to put some more time in on the two accessory coils.

So you're saying there's no shortcut? I guess that's one of the things that makes metal detecting fun -- the challenges. There are so many variables when detecting. We (hope I can speak for others...) tend to view the world in as few dimensions as possible, and that means too few. Dave Johnson makes a sobering point in this monograph: http://www.fisherlab.com/hobby/davejohnson/SearchcoilfieldshapeApril2012.pdf There he states: to say what happens when you swing a target past the searchcoil of a simple motion discriminator requires computation of at least 26 variables. I emphasized 'at least' because up to that point Dave has only assumed a single target. Add just one nearby target (with its own 26 variables) and.... I think I get the picture, and it's not a simple one. For a long time I didn't even understand what you guys are talking about. I hear a tone, what else is there? Eventually I wondered if those of us who never experienced the analog detector era missed out, since not only were the signals rich, but you had to rely a lot more on what you heard, not what you saw. In every endeavor worth pursuing, there is a threshold to cross which takes a person from an intermediate performer to an expert. In metal detecting, this may be the one. I know I'm not there yet.

Nice haul for such a small spot, but I guess you've got 2+ millenia of drops. I bet you also got your share of trash. ? What's a Nuremberg token?

Not to mention it's a lot easier when you're a local. Easier to research (e.g. close to libraries and county offices), less time to access and more opportunities to access, and more likely to be accepted by other locals. I've been on all five GPAA claims in the Southern half of the state and although they may (or may not...) be hard hit, they are quite close to the best gold producing districts in that part of the state. (North has historically produced the most gold, as you likely know.) Hope you can fulfill your dream.

A section is a square mile and that's equivalent to 640 acres. So, yes, 160 acres is 1/4 of that so a 'quarter section'. I was under the impression that a mining claim is 20 acres so it sounds like a quarter section is actually 8 claims, although maybe when strung together in one contract it's just called a single claim. 20 acre claims are typically rectangular and 1/8 mile (220 yards or ~201 m) by 1/4 mile (440 yards -- 202 m). These are good numbers to keep in your head when out tromping around claims.

Three Dragoon buttons in one day would be unusual by itself, but then you get a (silver) Real on top of it! Nicely done, Dan. You and your friend have a sweet hunting spot, obviously. BTW, the US didn't really convert to US coins exclusively until late 1850's, and that was in the East. Then the Civil War happened.... I'm not downplaying your Spanish coin find, just pointing out that foreign coins circulated freely in the US for the first half of the 19th Century. The fact that Dragoon regiments disappeared just before the CW confirms what you already know -- that your site was occupied prior to that. The Mexican American War (1846-48, which among other 'acquisitions' included today's California) was probably the sweet spot for Dragoon buttons. Could your site be that old?

It does?

This is an auction. The $0.99 is the starting price. It's typical for sellers to start at a low selling price. (For example, look at Serious_Detetecting starting prices for used detectors.) The dealer on that quarter has 2700+ listings currently. Take a look at some of his others. (Click "see other items" in the Seller Information box.) I don't know how easy it is to create a false feedback rating on Ebay but I would hope the site would detect that. This seller has almost a half million feedbacks and a 100% positive rating.

Good advice from Chase, as usual. One thing I can say about the Eqx 800 in my town -- the EMI is far more noticeable than any other detector I own. One part of learning the Eqx (long term) is learning to deal with EMI. For me the noise cancel function has a chance if the chatter isn't bad. If that chatter is bad then I have to go to other measures, such as turning down the gain (sensitivity) and/or lowering the recovery speed. It's been mentioned that sometimes just changing modes helps. Another thing to remember (Steve H. has emphasized this many times) is that EMI varies considerably in space and time. For example, one of my parks has a lot of EMI. I've had to to run single frequency on quite a few occasions there (which still makes the detector usable but of course we buy an Eqx to be able to run multifrequency). A couple days ago I was there running in Field 2 and even at gain 20 (I think recovery 5 or 6) it was quiet. I walked (swinging) about 50 m west and started getting considerable EMI. Headed back the other direction and quiet again. That's the spatial variation. Other times you find that certain times of the day are bad and other times quiet.

And a good habit to establish, IMO.

OK, I have to ask: how do you get half a Wheat Penny?

I have a Vaquero with the stock 8"x9" concentric coil. I'm wondering if I should get a DD. There are quite a few out there, for example the Tesoro 5"x10" (stock on the Lobo SuperTraq) and similar size (open structure, though) by Mars and also Cors/Nel. I'm only interested in coin hunting with this detector. Anyone out there with experience care to comment whether or not I'll see (hear!) much difference if I get one of the DD's?

Great post, Daniel! I say that because it has given me a lot to think about, particularly when you said: I'm about 40% through Andy Sabisch's book. He talks about how all the possible adjustments/settings provide a universe (my word, not his) of setups, and that not taking advantage of them could mean running the detector in suboptimal mode for the given site. He emphasizes occasionally not immediately digging a target but rather to change modes and/or settings and trying to find the combination that best responds to that target. Now you add the above. Nice day today and I'm pumped to find a few hours to rehunt with different mode/settings! Thanks. Regarding small items, I had an interesting experience the other day. I was in my favorite hunting ground and got a weak but clean signal with TID varying between 26 and 28. No iron grunt whatsoever -- two directional nice signal. I was sure it was at worst a Wheat Penny and hoping for a silver dime. I mean this was as good of a signal as I've ever heard in that TID sweetspot, and the fact that it was weak meant 'deep'. I was running Park 1, gain 20, recovery speed 4 or 5 (don't remember). I put the TRX tip on the ground fully not expecting a peep and got a weak to moderate response. My heart started to sink right then. About an inch or inch and a half the target was out of the hole. Thumbtack! I've found thumbtacks before but they've never been this high of TID. For comparison, roofing nails usually hit around 22-23 when they are optimally oriented. Maybe this thumbtack was brass/copper, but I still wouldn't have expected such a high hit. Now I'm starting to wonder if there was a coin deeper.... I almost always recheck my holes no matter what I pull out, but in my disappointment maybe I forgot. Another lesson learned. Now please excuse me while I go get my detector and head back to that spot. ?

Those alone really narrow down the possibilities. I was wondering about other WWII Utahs, such as the battleship sunk at Pearl Harbor and the beach at Normandy (D-Day Invasion). Another important observation. The quality of the craftmanship tends to indicate a low grade. The GI's often had a lot of time on their hands, whether during training or awaiting battle. And recall that many servicemen/servicewomen even during WWII were not on the front lines but rather supporting those who were. Memories of home were often among the free time distractions. Bottom line, goldbrick, is that I think you are on the right track.

Well, I might have made my usual mistake of putting in too much detail/requirements. I think some of you picked up on what I was getting at. Detectors have improved over the years, although (not surprisingly) not in a steady trend. Gold, in particular, but even relics and coins, have been constantly vacuumed up. If you start too early, you have lots of good sources but little capability to find them. If you start too late you have great tools but limited sources. Is there a sweet spot in between? Here's something to keep in mind (and note that silver tends to track gold) -- see graph below. The sweetspot probably occurred somewhere between the late 70's and the new millenium for gold, coins, and maybe relics. Jewelry is a bit different in that there is a source component (fresh drops) as well as a sink component (finds reducing the supply), but as has been noted on this site multiple times, among the common person gold has lost its luster. Otherwise why are we finding these disappointing titanium and tungsten-carbide wedding bands? So which detectors were the right ones to swing? Here I'm even less certain, but the Garrett Groundhog, Fisher CZ series and Gold Bug I & II, and several White's Goldmasters come to mind in the IB/VLF world. Minelab PI's (although apparently quite expensive throughout their history) have led the way, if you could afford them. Yeh, these are the kind of things I think about when I'm spending several hours finding the crumbs left behind.... ?

Inspired by the recent thread: I've thought up the following question. This is (obviously) a hypothetical/ficticious situation but I think the replies might answer the question in this topic title. Suppose a Genie shows up providing you with the following opportunity. You will be transported back in time for a 10 year period, starting time is your choice. Once the 10 years are over you return to June, 2019 as if you never left. Once transported you will not have any knowledge/memory of the future ('future' defined as anything after the date of your arrival) but will have a passion for treasure hunting. You will be 30 years old, single, with a college degree in science education and a high school teaching job (and salary) consistent with that degree. You get three months per year off (you get to choose the months). You will be provided with a 4WD camper, an initial $3000 (important, January 2019 dollars!, to account for inflation) or the equivalent in the country of your chosen location. The purpose of this money is to buy a metal detector (that existed at that time -- no taking a modern detector back with you!) and other appropriate recovery equipment and materials. In addition, each succeeding year for 9 years you will get an addition $1000 (2019 equivalent). To drive home this $3000, 2019 equivalent, here are some actual year amounts for the initial stipend: 1951--$300. 1956--$317. 1961--$352. 1966--$376. 1971--$470. 1976--$657. 1981--$1028. 1986--$1294. 1991--$1590. 1996--$1824. 2001--$2086. 2006--$2342. 2011--$2601. 2016--$2798. You can answer for either coin/jewelry/relic/beach/cache detecting or electronic prospecting. That is, your 'passion' can be in one or the other. When, Where, Why?

Great post, Gerry, and I can say that never having hunted on a saltwater beach. Not only is it chocked full of objective info, but a lot of diplomacy as well. I know your primary occupation is treasure hunting, but I get the impression there is salesmanship somewhere in your background. ?

Welcome, Hobo6228! You are asking the right questions at the right place. Here are some threads you should read: https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/3531-first-texas-value-fisher-f44-teknetics-eurotek-patriot-bounty-hunter-land-ranger-pro-etc/page/2/#comments https://www.detectorprospector.com/metal-detector-database/teknetics-minuteman-r98/ https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/8616-how-to-get-started/?tab=comments#comment-85792 One thing you'll notice is that difficult ground comes in many categories, and the detector(s) that can handle it in one place may not work in another. It helps to have locals (for example, metal detecting club members and knowledgeable dealers) who are familiar with the conditions you expect to hunt. Treasure Mountain Metal Detectors is located just south of Knoxville, TN and have prices that are competitive with most Ebay dealers. It couldn't hurt to contact them. They may be familiar with your area and its ground conditions: http://treasuremtndetectors.com/metal-detectors/ Unfortunately you will come in contact with people who have a favorite detector and are not very knowledgeable about other models. That can happen anywhere (even here...?) and it's good to diplomatically probe a bit. Another thing that occurs too often is that you state a price ceiling and you get recommended detectors that cost way over that. I'm pretty sure there is a detector (and probably multiple detectors) that will work adequately in your area and are in your price range.

Great finds, Strick! I agree that those officer hat pins are the highlight. One is almost brand new (I see you had to straighten out the bent rim) and the other well worn. Or is the wear actually just the result of a poor strike? Why would a hat pin suffer a lot of wear? Also, do you know what that tag marked 'Utah' is?

Yesterday I was hunting a curb strip which I'm pretty sure had power transmission lines buried under it. Even the single frequencies (including 10 kHz, 15 kHz and 20 kHz which usually work fine in my EMI) got noisy at gains 20 and above, and even in the high teens for 10 kHz. I was able to run quietly enough with motion in Park 1, multifrequency, ground balanced, recovery speed 5, all metal, and gain of 16. Then I remembered the above tip and tried recovery speed of 4. I was able to turn the gain up to 19 before the EMI noise equaled that running at gain of 16 (recovery speed 5). As long as the trash isn't too bad, I've found that recovery speed of 4 works pretty well. As the nails (in particular) start to get more dense I have to go up to 5, 6, or even 7.