Canadian coins- questions

[Nevada Gary]

Went back today to a park where I found some Canadian coins--including one gold plated war penny- pierced for earring(?) and today found the mate and the other two coins in the last row.

Question--what the heck are the 25, 10 and 5 cent coins made of? Readings can vary in and out of the ground and when approaching the coil from the side and tip and whithdrawn, the grunt like iron and read as iron. Oh, and when was the last year for silver in Canada?

I was using an MXT with the 10x14 DD coil. Also like the Bigfoot, have the 6x4 and the stock coil.

Thanks for looking and any info on the readings on the coins.

-Gary

 

[boxtopp]

http://members.shaw.ca/diggerdale2/silvercontent.htm
Here you go

 

[Nevada Gary]

n/t

 

[Rick(ND)]

Many of the modern Canadian coins like the dimes and quarters will stick to a magnet and I understand they are stainless steel, so they will read as iron and bounce around the meter a bit. The Nickles seem to be odd as to the years as some will read OK and some will not. I have even found some of the earlier 60s that were rusted. The pennies will read like they should as they are copper.

 

[Monte]

respond quite similar to our quality older coins also of copper and silver.

The newer US coins of a lesser-quality metals at least have the benefit of being made of non-magnetic metals.

Those newer Canadian coins, however, that cause some problems are made of 100% nickel. Don't confuse the term "nickel" that was associate with a 5

 

[Rudy]

Monte,

Great write up with a practical way to observe the EPR you've written about
in the past.

You definitely need to find some time and write that book you keep talking about.

 

[Nevada Gary]

Thanks for all the info Monte. I discovered the EPR method myself last year, so good to know it's in use.

I did NOT realize nickel is ferromagnetic! Those coins will stick to a magnet. I guess that accounts for the weird readings. Luckily, I guess, there are very few of them in Nevada. Must be interesting in Canada!

Thanks again- HH
Gary

 

[Rudy]

Nickel is one of the five ferromagnetic elements. Because of the precise alloy used, the US "nickel" coin is not ferromagnetic, while the Canadian coin of the same name is up to and including the year 1958.

 

[Bard (NS)]

And just when you figure you've got Canadian coins figured out, along comes the P series.
All coins from the penny, nickel, dime and quarter have a steel core and have been minted since 2001. So, unless I can eyeball the newer coins, the only way I'll dig them is if I get a signal in a sandbox. But I dig everything in a sand box... depth, angle have a big effect on signal and VDI. Dollar coins are made of a phosphorous bronze and usually give a high VDI in the upper 80's or low 90's. Two dollar coins are bi-metallic with the bronze center and a stainless outer ring. VDI will vary a lot. The MXT is not programmed for Canadian coinage, so it is sometimes a challenge. All part of the fun of detecting.