When Does A Zinc Penny Signal Make You Feel Good?

[Jeff McClendon]

I am old enough (64.5) and definitely sore enough from football, kick boxing, golf, gold prospecting, years of metal detecting, 30 years of K-12 teaching, four kids and bad genes to just walk over US zinc penny signals when I'm near the end of a detecting session, no matter how good a day I've had or what detector I'm using. It's just a corroded zinc penny RIGHT!!!!! Nope, too many times to count, I have dug a zinc penny signal and ended up with a shot bottle sized screw cap which is super annoying, junk pot metal jewelry, and large aluminum can slaw or building material. A few times however, luck and sheer tenacity (ignoring the pain) takeover and I dig that zinc signal on the Equinox 20-21 or ORX-Deus (and many other detectors) 82-84 and being stupidly stubborn does pay off .

 

 

This 14K 5 diamond beauty popped out of the ground at 3" depth July 3rd and seriously made my day. Screaming 20-21 on the Nox, Field 1, 50 tones. It sounded so good I almost didn't dig it, but common sense and experience thankfully took over. 9.8 grams of beautiful gold and 5 Sl1, H, diamonds totaling approximately .25 Karats.............

I also found this stunningly beautiful custom made pendant with turquoise, 14K gold and Sterling silver which made for an interesting crown bottle cap type signal with no iron grunt. At 4" deep it sounded like big, jagged, aluminum can slaw or a foil covered beer crown cap and bounced between 12 and 25 on the Nox. Gotta dig those weird signals folks.  Jeff

[devilsrenegade]

Very nice !!!!     I have also been digging bouncy zinc signals this year and it has been paying off with some nice small silver jewelry. I know eventually it will pay off with some gold.

[cudamark]

At the beach, I agree. I just can't bring myself to do it at an urban park......especially if I have to dig for it in the turf.

[GB_Amateur]

Two beauties, Jeff!

41 minutes ago, Jeff McClendon said:

At 4" deep it sounded like a huge aluminum can and bounced between 12 and 25 on the Nox. Gotta dig those weird signals folks.

Sometimes I dig weird audio and visual TID's just because my curiosity gets the best of me.  12-->25 on the ML Eqx, that's quite a range but looks like you were getting a dual-metal signal.  Definitely an unusual find, and worth taking the slim chance that it was something good.

46 minutes ago, Jeff McClendon said:

It's just a corroded zinc penny RIGHT!!!!! Nope, too many times to count, I have dug a zinc penny signal and ended up with a shot bottle sized screw cap which is super annoying, junk pot metal jewelry, and large aluminum can slaw or building material.

I'm sure you could easily double that trash list yourself, and with our help we could make it even longer.  I've had periods where I ignored those 20-ish targets, only (days) later to open up to them and find something really good.  Then I asked myself "what the heck were you thinking, walking by those 20's?!")  Good to see I have company in digging those Stinkin' Zincolns.

There are a few known rare die errors in the 1982 --> present USA cents, but unfortunately for us detectorists, the galvanic damage sets in so quickly (couple years?) that in most cases those rarities' signatures will be too obliterated for us (or anyone else) to ever know....

[Jeff McClendon]

8 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

There are a few known rare die errors in the 1982 --> present USA cents, but unfortunately for us detectorists, the galvanic damage sets in so quickly (couple years?) that in most cases those rarities' signatures will be too obliterated for us (or anyone else) to ever know....

Thanks Chuck,

Digging stinking post 1982 Lincolns is very labor intensive since they are so conductive and like to squirm around in the hole (at least for me!) and are a serious pain to clean up and tumble for return to the bank/CoinStar.

However, they eventually are worth the trouble. I will happily dig a few hundred of them to land a few $500 to $800 rings per year. So far, I have been fortunate and have managed to keep up that pace during the last 4 years.

Jeff

[Jeff McClendon]

21 minutes ago, cudamark said:

At the beach, I agree. I just can't bring myself to do it at an urban park......especially if I have to dig for it in the turf.

I have detected in the San Diego area often (when my son was stationed at Point Loma). Your beaches are not too trashy. The parks I detected in were a nightmare trash wise. I can understand your reluctance to dig yet another just about worthless turf trash target.

Jeff

[Joe Beechnut OBN]

Love the combo of diamonds and yellow gold! Very nice! 

I may dig five Zincons a year here, most places i hunt closed before they were made..very rare.

[cudamark]

There's a few beaches here that are loaded with trash too. At least I can attack those with a scoop and not have to get on my hands and knees with a Lesche to spend 5 minutes getting a Zincoln.

[locator]

Great finds beside a wonderful hobby. Congrats.

[2Valen]

Beautiful finds and glad to know that I need to keep digging those ranges.

Love the turquoises pendant very nice and I bet your wife is wanting it.