GB_Amateur

Pretty sure Steve H. has advised on this multiple times. My recollection of his suggestion: Field 2. How many hours of searching without finding gold will she say the same thing?

Yes, that's typical for a standard specular mirror, the kind to see one's reflection. Aluminum is the modern replacement for silver since it is less susceptable to tarnishing. This one doesn't appear to have a specular but rather diffuse (scattering) surface. I wonder if it's some kind of paint which has a lot of ground up metal (aluminum?) rather than an evaporated (modern method) or disolved (old fashioned method) deposition. Mitchell, when you said: did you mean the detector didn't signal on the find after you pulled it out of the sand?

Of these two, the Mojave has the advantage in weight (2.2 lb vs. 3.0 lb). If you got either of the optional coils for the Multi Kruzer, then weight appears to be the only advantage for gold hunting of the two. Frequency (Mojave@12 kHz, MK selectable 19 kHz) is a clear advantage for the MK. The MK's 'gen' mode provides minimally filtered operation which is a near requirement for native gold hunting. Even if you only have the stock 7"x11" DD coil for the MK it should be the preferred choice. Obviously take the Mojave along as a backup. Good attitude. Your first time out (even your first few times out), unless you have a master gold detectorist along as a mentor, will likely be purely learning experiences (that is, without finding gold). I recommend watching the following video (more than once!) to clue you in on how to set up your detector. Native gold compared to coins/relics/jewelry is very different when it comes to setup and approach.

The strength of the coil attachment isn't based solely on the ears, but also the nut&bolt design, the shaft mounting design, and the implementation. IMO, all of these integrated together on the Equinox make the coil attachment the most robust of any of my detectors. Frankly I find it hard to understand how someone broke off an ear if all the parts were properly attached and reasonably tightened. Now if the coil were sitting alone on the ground/floor and someone stepped on it.... Adding anything to strengthen the attachment runs the risk of doing the opposite by overriding the integrity of the design.

It's difficult to rent a vehicle (4wd) which will get you through many of the trails you'll be wanting to travel on. Think of it this way -- the easy places to access are the first ones to get picked clean. That doesn't mean there aren't places to find gold close to the paved and well-maintained non-paved roads, but you need to 'dig deeper' in your search to find them. As Mitchel pointed out, joining the GPAA and accessing their claims saves a lot of research. If you were a seasoned prospector then going on your own (the Land Matters search for unclaimed federal land) would likely be more productive, but you need considerable knowledge/experience AND likely a true 4wd vehicle for that. Considering your cost of travel, etc., joining the GPAA is a bargain. You get two periodicals, a gold panning kit, a catalog of claims (hardcopy and online access). There are a handful of GPAA claims in the Wickenburg area as well as the Prescott area -- more/less on your way from Phoenix to Las Vegas. I've been on several of them myself. A good clearance 2WD (such as a Nissan Rogue which can be easily rented) will allow access to some of those GPAA claims. Don't expect to drive right up onto the claim. But getting within a mile or so is doable. I didn't see when you were planning on being in AZ/NV. If soon you need to be EXTREMELY AWARE of the hot weather. I know it gets hot (and humid) in Florida, but American Southwest is a whole 'nother ballgame.

Welcome. What country are you in? I don't recognize these denominations {5p,5s,10p,10s}. Clearly the size and compositions of those coins is key to answering your questions, and that will be done best by someone who actually has them.

Jim, your photography is only outdone by your writing mastery. Thanks. When you say "Northeast Ontario" do you mean up by Hudson Bay?

Two more pieces of good news: Montana has nuggets, and they haven't all be found. Thanks for enhancing the story with more details. My second guess on the location was California since it's been yielding big nuggets for going on 1 3/4 centuries (and it's dry there, too). GPZ 7000 finds yet another, but I'm thinking at ~4.5 tr.oz. there are many detectors that could have picked up this one. The key is that you (plural) went into an uncomfortable spot and were justly rewarded. Congratulations, and deservedly so.

I assume you refer to this model: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY03CZP/?coliid=IR6R0VV8NPW7C&colid=KT4N3YMOA948&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it This uses Delorme's (proprietary?) communication system. Here is a Delorme's model: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I6EY01C/?coliid=I37BLUV8OMN406&colid=KT4N3YMOA948&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it Does anyone know of any advantages of paying the extra $160 to get the Garmin instead of the Delorme?

Well deserved. I hope you put some time in hunting native gold with the Equinox 800. I'm particularly looking forward to your review on its performance in that area of detecting.

Fantastic find! Do you mind saying where (just within a couple hundred miles) you found this. If in the US, just tell us the state. Canada, the province.... At first I thought "gotta be Australia" but the thread title steered me away from that idea. Also, what detector model is that? Settings?

Sonic boom?

Excellent finds! Is the 1965 dime actually silver? Did Canada lag the US a year or two in converting to non-precious metals? That Merc looks like it just came out of the mint. Nice! Ditto on the 1918 quarter; in fact all of the quarters are strong and only likely ciruculated for a short time. Six weeks (you didn't say how many hours) is just getting started with this detector, IMO. I can't wait to see what you find the rest of the summer.

Yes, it's very complicated. But I don't think it's impossible for someone to build a model which handles this, given you know all the variables. Difficult, in most cases, absolutely. Another possibility which we all know about but which can be missed is the search history. The objects nearer to the surface, particularly those which are of high conductivity, are more likely to have been removed by previous detectorists. Recent drops, no, but most of us are looking for old stuff. Here in the US it's been 50 years since valuable coins have been dropped. The chances that no one has searched a public site in the last 50 years is small although non-zero. Private property, however, is a different ballgame. Old property which has been in private hands is our best option if we're looking for old coins, relics, and jewelry.

"Frost heave" -- freezing of ground in cold months, thawing in warm months. Landscaping -- reworking the soil intentionally, particularly bringing in fill. Excavating (very similar to landscaping). Some of the processes you and others (including I) mention can work both ways, that is pushing recoverables deeper or bringing them closer to the surface. Likely it's not a fair game here and we are net losers.

Nice pendant on the chain. Those cufflinks are intriguing. You say they aren't silver. They certainly look clean so either fresh drop or they are made of a metal that is quite resistant to salt water. 316 Stainless steel? Platinum (I hope, I hope)?

? Just another bonus reading this site -- we get to pick up on lots of lingo which isn't typical in areas we live.

It really sounds to me, based upon the above three things you said, that your lead detector should be a waterproof PI. There aren't many of those -- Garrett ATX @$2100 and Minelab SDC 2300 @$3750 come to mind. Those are new prices. You can find used ones on Ebay, particularly the ATX, for considerably less. There are a lot more choices for waterproof IB/VLF detectors (if iron sand and hot rocks are an issue this is likely your backup) but unfortunately the Fisher Gold Bug 2 (which you mentioned in your first post) isn't one of them. Although it's possible to use a non-waterproof detector around water since most are waterproof up to the control box, one slip and you and your detector go swimming. You might be able to swim but most detectors are very sensitive to water, so much so it can ruin them, but often if you take the batteries out immediately and can open up (voiding warranty...) and dry off quickly you'll be ok. Better to not take that chance unless you have no options.

Didn't take you long to start cashing in. Well done! As far as pitting the Equinox 800 vs. 600, Ok, that can be a discussion topic. But the bigger issue is Equinox vs. all other induction balance (IB) competition, including Minelab's own models.

I've bumped my head on that ceiling a few times (as you likely noticed) but I'm fine with the limit, which seems to be a rolling 24 hours -- that would make the most sense. If it won't let me like a really good post I can just wait a while and try again.

Now here's an irony -- the other day in a different thread we were talking about our US Independence (from Britain) Holiday and you find a coin with the one and only George III's likeness on it! Looked him up in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom to make sure he was the guy Thomas Jefferson (and friends) despised and sure enough, one and the same. Sixty year reign! And the coin you found and show above was apparently minted in the last year of his life. Small world....

I wouldn't say "out done by Steve" -- just enhanced. Your comment about "having the strength left" emphasizes the difference between a 3 lb detector and a 5 lb detector (do I need to mention names?). Further, a $900 price tag vs. a $2500 one allows you to step up from McDonald's to Applebees. ?

Nice finds, guys! My goal (posted here, but don't remember the thread) was to find a dated Buffie in the first month after getting my Minelab Equinox. It's been 4 months now and no dice, but I did get a dateless one. ? What I have noticed is how many nickels (mostly Jeffersons) I've been finding this year relative to clad. This is with the Equinox. I don't think it's random fluctuations (don't have the numbers in front of me). For some reason the Eqx loves nickels. It also loves trash in the nickel range, but that just comes with the coin-hunting territory. Jewelry hunters are going gaga over the gold rings (in the nickel zone) they are finding. This seems consistent. I reprogram my tones and thresholds to give a 23 tone on 12-13 but dig anything which hits in this range 50% of the time, and maybe even less. I've yet to find a nickel which hits 15 or 10, but spillover to 11's and 14's -- yes.

If you get a chance could you go into a bit more detail about where to hunt on the peninsula, what to expect in terms of targets, etc.? I see pieces at gem and mineral shows but am always a bit suspicious as to what was found and what was subsuently modified. I was told by one dealer (I think I understood what he said...) that the native copper is found in those thin, scraggly sheets and if you see a shiny 'nugget' it has been melted, etc. But since you've been there I'd like to hear what you are finding (and even see some pictures)!

Out this morning with the Equinox 800 in a park which was previously a 19th century farm/homestead. I noticed recently indications they are going to let the grass grow without mowing in a spot where I previously have found old farm parts (but no old valuables). I've found modern coins in the vacinity but those have all been dropped since the park was established in 1969. Unfortunately the lot where the house stood is now in a subdivision with newer homes built in its place. But the driveway leading from the main road to the farm lot near the house is actually on (municipal) park property and I hunted along it last winter without success. I was operating in Park 1, ground balanced, noise adjusted, recovery speed = 6, Fe bias = 2, custom 5 tone, gain = 20. I got a loud hit with ID=21 (solid and steady from two directions). At first I thought it was a recently dropped Zincoln but it wasn't double blipping and that was inconsistent with the signal strength. I checked in pinpoint mode and not only was the VCO indicating strong (large/close?) target and the profile (size) was indicating something larger than a coin. At that point I would have bet 3-to-1 it was an aluminum soft drink or beer can. Three inches down I was amazed at what I pulled out. My first concern (always) was "is it real?" There were no Civil War battles fought in Indiana although the Confederate Morgan and his Raiders did wreak some havoc on our side of the Ohio River, including going into the state of Ohio as well. Still, his path is over 50 miles from where I was hunting. I guess it's possible there were skirmishes with native Americans in the first half of the 1800's. Also, many soldiers (and some regiments) came from Indiana so there may have been an encampment in this field. All highly speculative right now until I can get to a library and do more research. My first thought was "belt buckle" but after doing some research online I found out it is a "cartridge box plate". You can tell that from the four rusty attachment points on the reverse side -- two loops of steel originally mounted on, soldered with lead. BTW, the dimensions are approximately 3 1/2 in X 2 1/4 in (90 mm X 58 mm) which matches pretty closely dimensions I was able to find online. Note the weight (a bit over a quarter pound) and the gray surface on the back of the plate -- the remaining lead which is characteristic of a cartridge box plate. I think it's real!