Have you ever watched a detectorist that is known as a pro hunt?

[Elmy]

Have you ever watched a detectorist that is known as a pro hunt?
He usually does not drop and start digging 12 inch deep holes but
moves around the area he is hunting digging rather shallow holes
and usually has a larger trash bag and a smaller container that he keeps using
every so often...that is his keeper container and he uses it often.
He does not spend a whole lot of time in one area but when he does he seems to
detect it in circles or back and forth across the same area.
Many times across it...back and forth...and then out comes the long
handle digger, and then the 12 inch digging begins.

To succeed in a situation such as iron/nail infested areas shouldn't we use a
lower sensitivity setting to get the coins lying within the 8 inch range as most
claim that all the good coins they find are no deeper than 8 inches?
A higher sensitivity may mask these easier to get coins, making them invisible to
a detector running at max sensitivity depth for their chosen coil.
This can mean that a large coil, at max setting, would miss a coin close to trash
while a lower setting would be a better footprint to actual hit the 8 inch coin.
This could also be used as a way to locate a coin hotspot, where after the lower
sensitivity is used, you could go up to the max setting for your coil and re-hunt
for deeper coins in a known productive place.

Sure we all want to dig the deep coins, but we all like shallow digs for silver too,
And it is a whole lot easier to locate and recover targets within the 8 inch range.

 

[1hotwire]

In our haste to find silver we forget the most effective way to hunt is with our common sense approach. Thanks for the reminder Elmy !

 

[BigTony]

Have you ever watched a detectorist that is known as a pro hunt?
He usually does not drop and start digging 12 inch deep holes but
moves around the area he is hunting digging rather shallow holes
and usually has a larger trash bag and a smaller container that he keeps using
every so often...that is his keeper container and he uses it often.
He does not spend a whole lot of time in one area but when he does he seems to
detect it in circles or back and forth across the same area.
Many times across it...back and forth...and then out comes the long
handle digger, and then the 12 inch digging begins.

To succeed in a situation such as iron/nail infested areas shouldn't we use a
lower sensitivity setting to get the coins lying within the 8 inch range as most
claim that all the good coins they find are no deeper than 8 inches?
A higher sensitivity may mask these easier to get coins, making them invisible to
a detector running at max sensitivity depth for their chosen coil.
This can mean that a large coil, at max setting, would miss a coin close to trash
while a lower setting would be a better footprint to actual hit the 8 inch coin.
This could also be used as a way to locate a coin hotspot, where after the lower
sensitivity is used, you could go up to the max setting for your coil and re-hunt
for deeper coins in a known productive place.

Sure we all want to dig the deep coins, but we all like shallow digs for silver too,
And it is a whole lot easier to locate and recover targets within the 8 inch range.

Interesting topic.
Some folks will not dig shallow coins thinking they are all clad.
I have found silvers shallow that me and others passed up because of that reason.
There are folks who are methodical like you speak of and they do well.

In olden days the large coil was said to give a stronger alert to weaker signal of old worn silver coins.
Nowadays folks don’t feel that is true.
Go slow and reap!
Tony

 

[Elmy]

Interesting topic.
Some folks will not dig shallow coins thinking they are all clad.
I have found silvers shallow that me and others passed up because of that reason.
There are folks who are methodical like you speak of and they do well.

In olden days the large coil was said to give a stronger alert to weaker signal of old worn silver coins.
Nowadays folks don’t feel that is true.
Go slow and reap!
Tony

Maybe the "PRO" can hear the etrac warble or the silver sound coming through no matter what depth the coin is ??? Also target Id helps decide when to dig. It all boils down to experience with a certain detector.
It is knowing when, where, and how they hunt that makes them successful. Watch "em hunt and learn their ways.

 

[Ronstar]

As I sit here and contemplate the silvers I have found it is true almost all were shallow. The ‘51 Franklin I believe was the deepest at 6-8” deep. The near mint ‘45s Merc was the shallowest at 2” (and it was next to a ‘44 quarter!)

 

[Elmy]

As I sit here and contemplate the silvers I have found it is true almost all were shallow. The ‘51 Franklin I believe was the deepest at 6-8” deep. The near mint ‘45s Merc was the shallowest at 2” (and it was next to a ‘44 quarter!)

I do dig many deep 10 + coins around my area, but then again, you have to really work hard to get them. There is a time and a place to max your detector out but usually not every time you use it.

 

[still looking 52]

Hunting in a wooded area I'd say 90% of the silver coins I've ever found is within the six inch range but when I get into the mowed park area then it's just the opposite.

 

[Ronstar]

Curious. Are you saying mowed is deeper? Could that be from the vibration of the mowing machines then?

 

[WV62]

It is because of the grass clippings are spread over the area and after time the clippings rot and turn in to soil. So the ground is building up over time, which makes the coins deeper.
For example I had a survey done on my property about 5 years ago, so to keep track of steel stakes I scooped out a couple of inches of dirt around the stake and poured concrete around it in about a 10" circle. So just this year I took the metal detector out in the yard to find them. So now the stake and concrete were under a couple of inches of dirt.

Sorry but I just can't go along with coins sinking unless they are dropped in swampy area.

So why are old coins in the woods right next to grassy areas only a couple of inches or so deep. So the trees around here only drop their leaves once a year and that amounts to a lot less soil build up than cutting the grass every week or so in the summer.
That is my take on old coin depth.

Ron in WV

 

[fishnnut]

I have found a few Indians and silvers barely under the grass at the root line in an old park here. You just never know.
then the next time you find a clad dime at 8“ or 10” go figure. Lol

 

[Elmy]

Have you ever watched a detectorist that is known as a pro hunt?
He usually does not drop and start digging 12 inch deep holes but
moves around the area he is hunting digging rather shallow holes
and usually has a larger trash bag and a smaller container that he keeps using
every so often...that is his keeper container and he uses it often.
He does not spend a whole lot of time in one area but when he does he seems to
detect it in circles or back and forth across the same area.
Many times across it...back and forth...and then out comes the long
handle digger, and then the 12 inch digging begins.

To succeed in a situation such as iron/nail infested areas shouldn't we use a
lower sensitivity setting to get the coins lying within the 8 inch range as most
claim that all the good coins they find are no deeper than 8 inches?
A higher sensitivity may mask these easier to get coins, making them invisible to
a detector running at max sensitivity depth for their chosen coil.
This can mean that a large coil, at max setting, would miss a coin close to trash
while a lower setting would be a better footprint to actual hit the 8 inch coin.
This could also be used as a way to locate a coin hotspot, where after the lower
sensitivity is used, you could go up to the max setting for your coil and re-hunt
for deeper coins in a known productive place.

Sure we all want to dig the deep coins, but we all like shallow digs for silver too,
And it is a whole lot easier to locate and recover targets within the 8 inch range.

Just for fun I did a few air tests on 3 coils to get a good, solid hit on clad dimes at 8 inches and 10 inches using my normal settings that I usually run....here are the results for all who are interested.

ETRAC air tests on various coils and manual sensitivity settings

ultimate 13 coil....
about 1/2 the sensitivity to depth comparison = solid tone
8 inch dime = solid tone-----a 16 manual sensitivity = 8 inch depth
10 inch dime = solid tone----a 20 manual sensitivity = 10 inch depth

detech 15 x 12 sef
about 1/2 the sensitivity to depth comparison = solid tone
8 inch dime---solid tone------ a 16 manual sensitivity = 8 inch depth
10 inch dime---solid tone-----a 21 manual sensitivity = 10 inch depth *** (surprising !) More sensitivity needed to hit a clad dime with a solid tone !

sunray x5
about 3 times the sensitivity to depth comparison = solid tone
8 inch dime--- solid tone-----a 24 manual sensitivity = 8 inch depth
10 inch dime--- solid tone----a 30 manual sensitivity = 10 inch depth

AGAIN... these are only air tests...you settings may vary with your results !

 

[jkline]

You would be amazed how much landscapes can change just from wind. The rolling hills of the Palouse in WA are loess soil-- windborne deposits.

I might also point to Darwin's little known last book, 'The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms' was about this very issue. Small changes over a long time can bury ancient landmarks especially when worms have a part in it.

 

[Elmy]

You would be amazed how much landscapes can change just from wind. The rolling hills of the Palouse in WA are loess soil-- windborne deposits.

I might also point to Darwin's little known last book, 'The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms' was about this very issue. Small changes over a long time can bury ancient landmarks especially when worms have a part in it.

yes....just lay a quarter on the ground and go eyeball it in 2 years......better mark the spot.....it won't be there on top of the ground !

 

[u2robert]

I have found silver deep and shallow.
just depend on the terrain and about a thousand different variables.

 

[coinspader]

About 5 years ago I got wind of a sight next to a creek, it was used for picnics and for gatherings around the turn of the century, late 1800's early 1900's. I was using an AT Pro at the time, I was doing some cruising around with the detector just to get an idea of any hot spots with multiple targets when I glanced over by the bank of the creek and something caught my eye. So I walk over to get a closer look and to my surprise I see what looked like the edge of a large silver coin, I slide my hand digger underneath it and popped out an 1898 Barber half dollar, I couldn't believe it, the coin had to have been laying there for over 100 years and it was practically laying on the surface, so I take my detector and start scanning that general area and boom! about 1 inch down was another Barber half, this one was a 1901. After finding those 2 coins I hammered the whole area all summer long and I found many old coins. Indian head pennies were abundant and so were Barber dimes. I also found a couple Barber quarters 4 seated dimes and 2 seated half dimes, these coins were much older than the majority of most of the coins I found but there was a small Hamlet close by that dated back much earlier than the time the picnic sight was used the most so I figured they were dropped by hunters and fishermen. Out of all the coins I found there none of them was deeper than 6 inches. I use an Etrac now and I dig any coin signal I get,shallow or deep.

 

[jkline]

I found a 1936 tax token on the top of a molehill last week. Just saying.

Coinspader, you magnificent bastard!

 

[Elmy]

About 5 years ago I got wind of a sight next to a creek, it was used for picnics and for gatherings around the turn of the century, late 1800's early 1900's. I was using an AT Pro at the time, I was doing some cruising around with the detector just to get an idea of any hot spots with multiple targets when I glanced over by the bank of the creek and something caught my eye. So I walk over to get a closer look and to my surprise I see what looked like the edge of a large silver coin, I slide my hand digger underneath it and popped out an 1898 Barber half dollar, I couldn't believe it, the coin had to have been laying there for over 100 years and it was practically laying on the surface, so I take my detector and start scanning that general area and boom! about 1 inch down was another Barber half, this one was a 1901. After finding those 2 coins I hammered the whole area all summer long and I found many old coins. Indian head pennies were abundant and so were Barber dimes. I also found a couple Barber quarters 4 seated dimes and 2 seated half dimes, these coins were much older than the majority of most of the coins I found but there was a small Hamlet close by that dated back much earlier than the time the picnic sight was used the most so I figured they were dropped by hunters and fishermen. Out of all the coins I found there none of them was deeper than 6 inches. I use an Etrac now and I dig any coin signal I get,shallow or deep.

I used to walk the plowed fields as a kid....the ones that had those old wells with hand pumps sitting out in the middle of nowhere....I got quite a collection of Indian head pennies that way.. All surface finds.

 

[Jeff in Pa]

I remember an old site I went to with a friend. I dug a '65 2 cent piece at 2 inches.
Ya just never know.