GB_Amateur

Wow! I vote for Steve H. to add this post to the compendium of Equinox tips. My favorite quote of all (but it was a difficult choice) is: IMO, target masking is still the bane of coin and relic hunting. The Equinox has made significant strides in the right direction, but the problem isn't solved yet. Keep working, detector engineers! I have to give my 'honorable mention' award to one more quote: Detectors are going to respond preferentially to the strongest target in the field of view. Sometimes that target is so strong that it masks desirable targets. This has been true since Adam and Eve started using metal detectors, and it's still true today even with these lightning fast recovery speeds. It's not just large iron and aluminum cans that are the culprits. Sometimes modern coins mask the older, deeper coins. I hate Zincolns but I recover them just in case they are hiding the stuff I really want.

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/326548/4901-0249-1 Inst. Manual, EQUINOX 600 800 EN.pdf On page 52 there is a graphic similar to your EXCEPT for the Iron Bias it's only a factor of 2 (similar to the recovery speed conversion which you have shown correctly and is on page 51 of the manual) -- that is: 600 value 0 is equivalent to 800 value 0 600 value 1 is equivalent to 800 value 2 600 value 2 is equivalent to 800 value 4 600 value 3 is equivalent to 800 value 6 And yes, there is no higher Iron Bias setting on the 600 even though the 800 goes all the way up to 9. Good mnemonic: both Iron Bias scale and Recovery Speed Scale on the 600 is a factor of 0.5 times the equivalent value of the 800.

In the interest of full disclosure, historically those warranties have not been transferable. Recent models like the T2+ and F75+ are now covered after transfer, but I don't know about others. Having said that, most of the time you won't ever use the warranty. How many of you pay for an optional warranty when you buy a product at a big box store? If the discount from new to used is signifcant, on average you're better off going that route and skipping the warranty. But of course each person needs to make his/her own decision.

You've got to be impressed with young Tom's ability to explain things. How many years has he been at White's, 3 at max? He's gone from dog chasing detectors thrown into a lake to solo reporting on their latest product. Before he joined White's he was in Hollywood and didn't know which end of a detector was up. It's been said here before but I'll repeat: White's is fortunate to have him on the payroll.

From what I've read he's damn near there already.

A specific gravity test will separate aluminum from silver/lead and from platinum group metals quite easily. If done carefully it will separate lead from silver (and also from stainless steel, although I doubt this is SS). Aluminum is 2.7 to 3 (depending upon alloy), SS around 7-8, silver in the low 10's, lead in the low 11's, platinum group 18+ (which sets it apart from most metals, other than tungsten and gold which are also way up there). From the patina I doubt it's lead, although I can't rule that out. Lead is gray most of the time (or even white sometimes after a long exposure time). I agree with Steve that it's quite likely aluminum. I find quite a bit of melted aluminum in places I wouldn't expect it. (I also find a lot of melted lead and lead-tin solder, but as mentioned those tends to turn gray relatively quickly.) For your sake I do hope it's a precious metal, though.

I know you're talking about the White's MXT. What 14x10 coil do you refer? Is it a White's model or from one of the aftermarket manufacturers?

I have over 100 hours on my Eqx 800. In fact, since I got mine it's the only detector I've used. I certainly can't compare it to any of the Garrett AT VLF's since I've never used them. Here are some of my pluses and minuses: Pluses ergonomic/etc. -- rechargebale Li-ion battery, built in fast wireless system which can be used with both the provided headphones (pretty good themselves) and your favorite headphones/earbuds when combined with the WM-08 reciever module (provided). Good balance with 11 inch coil; just under 3 lb weight. (Can't comment on the other coil options since I don't have them, yet.) Features -- 10 (!) modes which are in many ways different detectors, two gold modes included. Adjustable tone frequencies, number of tones, tone volumes, tone breaks. Simultaneous multifrequency and choice of five single frequencies. Micro frequency adjustments ("noise cancel" to shift away from EMI frequencies). Choice of four ground balance options (default, manual, grab, tracking). Memory ('Profile') to make it easy to switch between two modes. Affordable (in my world). Capabilities -- excellent target separation which exhibits itself in unmasking prowess. Minuses The TID range is in places too compact, particularly around US nickels (which also is an issue for some European coins -- not from my experience but that of others as you can read on this site). The detector is quite susceptible to EMI in my town. I suspect our power lines just happen to transmit/leak stray fields that are close to the Eqx frequencies. Even with that problem I can always make adjustments (particularly lowering the gain and if necessary on rare occasions, going to single frequency) to use the detector at a performance level that allows me to find desirable targets at reasonable depths. Many other posters here don't seem to have as much EMI problems as I, which is why I've implicated the particular power transmission system where I live. Also, my experience with other detectors has me thinking when I get the 6 inch coil this problem will shrink considerably with its use. I could list some other minor inconveniences (as well as minor nicities), but all are livable withable so why nitpick? Note: I only dry land hunt so I haven't even mentioned the fact it is waterproof. I'm sure others will comment on that.

I meant to link the following post/thread from Gerry (experienced metal detectorist, prospector, and multi-line dealer) which shows some of the capabilities of the Fisher Gold Bug, Gold Bug Pro, F19 and Teknetics G2 and G2+ family. Of course Gerry has some good hunting spots salted away, but no one is going to find gold where it isn't.

Now I have a new thought to contemplate: if one is wanting to capitalize on nickel cherry picking, is there an obvious detector that hits hard on nickels and separates their TID's from nearby junk targets? If not an obvious choice, please name some candidates. I admit this might be a lost cause, given that a lot of cupro-nickel alloyed coins suffer badly from being in the ground a long time. However, three of my 'old' coin finds this year include two Warnicks and a (unfortunately dateless) Buffalo nickel, all of which are in otherwise excellent condition considering how long they've been in the ground.

I think (please someone correct me if I'm wrong) this is the detector featured in the White's publication Taking a Closer Look at Metal Detector Discrimination by Robert C. Brockett (with later editing by A. Keith Zorger). I didn't realize it was available that early (1983) -- unbelievably now 35 years ago.? (I say that because 1983 seems like the day before yesterday.)

Good data collection&measurement. I'm looking at my Redbook (54th ed., 2001) and it seems to indicate that the larger diameter version (Designer Robert Scott) was minted prior to 1837. Those dated 1837 and later were designed by Christian Gobrecht and termed 'Young Head'. For the pre-1837 type there were two versions of lettering on the reverse (again from my Redbook). IMO (and it's very difficult to discern so don't put too much stock in my view) yours is the 1829-1837 variety. For the Scott design there seems to be a variation on the head profile on the obverse: 'Matron head' being minted 1816 to 1835. So that also can narrow down the date range of your coin, but it will take someone much more expert than I to figure this part out. Regardless, you've made some nice finds. And good for you to try an figure out more than meets the untrained eye.

How true, but often a difficult task due to previous searchers, access to virgin sites, etc. You're doing something right, and likely more that just one thing. Three silver dimes in one hunt is nothing to ignore in 2018, when the time since they were dropped increases, the number of unsearched sites decreases, and the competition (in terms of ability to recover thanks to improved technology) is clearly on the rise. Whatever you're doing, don't stop! P.S. Your settings are very similar to my defaults in all four aspects: Park 1 mode, gain 18-20, low iron bias, and recovery speed of 6. And I suspect your mineralization is worse than mine. Only my recovery success is different (lagging yours ?).

You and me both. I've borrowed a quote (common enough to be labeled 'cliche') from other endeavors: "the next best thing to searching for and finding gold is searching for it and getting skunked." If I had the choice of hunting with my 1970's Garrett Groundhog or staying at home doing just about anything else I know where you'd find me. I bet you'd be right there next to me, Mac.

Anyone who answers 'yes' I'm going to be suspicious of. "If gold were plentiful it wouldn't be worth searching for. If it were easy to find everyone would be doing it." (I put that in quotes because hundreds of people have said it, and thousands if not millions have thought it.)

If you have a route to sell your detector(s), buy one now, sell it when you've saved up some more $ and then buy something better. BTW, others have said this and so have I many times -- the used market should not be ignored. Right now (or at least this AM) someone here on this site is offerering a Minelab Equinox 600 for $450. If I were you I wouldn't walk but rather run to get that. And if too late, other good buys are available on Ebay and will come along there, here, and elsewhere.

I guess! How many hours of searching was that? Any hints on the site? And no, I would never ask you to give enough info for someone to retrace your path, just an overview such as public site and type (school, park, etc.) vs. private permission. That's half a year's silver haul for me and sounds like you did it in less than one day. Some nice relics are the icing on the cake. Way to go! P.S. looks like you were discriminating high -- a typical ploy when time is limited. Does it bother you that you left a slew of Buffalo nickels behind? ?

Happa 54's thread about hunting nickels (and Steve H's previous, similar thread) plus some recent hunts have got me thinking. Back in the early days of discrimination, all you got was a knob to determine what conductivity to cut off your signals. If you set it to detect nickels and above you had to deal with the annoying pulltabs plus other trash targets (including Zincolns). So there certainly was reason to set the discrimination level higher, even just below dime & copper penny, which cost you finding nickels. If you were on virgin ground, holding silver coins, there was extra incentive not to waste time dealing with trash just to be able to pull in those lowly nickels. I'm hunting a school which was built in 1926. Of 354 coins I've found there, only 7 (four Wheaties, one Indian Head penny, one Warnick, one silver dime) have been what I consider 'old'. (For me, 'old' means pre-Memorial penny, pre-Jefferson nickel, pre-clad.) Yesterday I pulled in 11 Jeffersons (no other nickels); one was 1939 and two were 1941. I realize these date+MM are among the highest mintage prior to 1960, and you can find them in pocket change today (particularly the 1941). Still, it got me wondering if previous seachers who took most of the old coins were skipping nickels. Thoughts? On a side but related note, what year did metal detectors start giving an indication of coin ID rather than just accept/reject above/below a certain threshold value?

Hope Alan Hale (aka 'The Skipper') isn't in charge. Take an MD along just in case.

I don't interpret what maxxkatt posted as depth limit. No way a silver dime can be detected deeper than a silver quarter under the same conditions. (Now someone is going to stack a bunch of quarters, fail to turn off the discriminator, and claim you can. ? )

Welcome, Leighton! Have you read Steve's reviews of these two detectors? That's the place to start. (For G2+, read Fisher Gold Bug Pro review; it's basically that with a few coin hunting bells and whistles, which you'll find described there -- same detector as the Fisher F19 with exception of the shaft.) One of the differences between sister models is the search coil each comes with. For example, the Gold Bug and Gold Bug Pro come with the 5 inch closed round. The F19 comes with the 5x10 in^2 closed ellipse. The G2+, Gold Bug DP, T2 come standard with the open 7x11 in^2 eliptical. Closed coils are usually better for ground where native gold is found. Also smaller coils do better with tiny gold, which is the most common size. You can buy coils separately so it's not like you're making a permanent commitment to the coil that comes with the detector, though.

Looks like I misspelled it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossicking

My sister ran into a fossiker when out camping who was having an issue with tiny shot while finish panning. He was sucking the shot into his snuffer bottle when trying to collect the gold. Any suggestions? I have a feeling he's not the first person to be annoyed by this.

Iron Age? No, but I checked one I found in a former redwood forrest in California -- probably late 1800's or early 1900's. In field-2 under 4 inches of moderately mineralized soil it was hitting 14 with excursions to 13 and 15, depending upon height of coil, orientation of swing direction, etc. Hopefully someone with a relic closer to your anticipated age & composition will give you a better response.

That's what I was thinking. Who goes from Western US (dry) scorching heat to Hawaiian (humid) boiling heat? More likely he did a nostalgic trip to his boyhood home.