How to tell the difference between a copper penny and a clad dime using a Fisher CZ

[L.W. Steve]

First of all it is harder to tell the difference between the two when you are using the 5" coil, because with the 5" coil you will get better target accuracy than you will with the 8" coil.

It is easier to tell the difference between the two when the soil is dry, rather than when the soil is wet. Because wet soil will enhance the halo effect of the coins and thus the coins will read higher up on the scale.

Having said this...

Copper pennies will many times jump back to the zinc penny category briefly before ending up in the high coin category.
Clad dimes very rarely will they ever bounce back to the zinc penny category. (only on rare occasions)

So when the soil is dry, I can easily tell the difference between a copper penny and a clad dime because the copper penny will bounce back to the zinc penny category very frequently.
Clad dimes will stick to the high coin category 99% of the time.

To tell the difference between a dime and a quarter...
The quarter is obviously louder, but you need to dig all solid high coin signals anyway so you don't really need to know how to tell the difference between the two.

Screw Caps sound almost like pop can lids and they are very easily distinguishable by their loud echoing sound.

HH and remember...

If It Is Deep... Dig It!

L.W. Steve

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Thanks for the input as I will have to try along those lines...
Just too many pennies with different mettalic differences so its a darned if I dig and darned if I don't..
Quarter just covers more area when pinpointing.
As far as screw caps usually very shallow cover a large area and just sound different...which comes with time..
Wow time for a CZ with a 1-100 meter....
When you get into silver dimes and wheats its really a crapshoot as half of the wheats come in coins all and half in zinc depending on their age and crusting..If you listen closely...silver coin will usually have a more mellow sounds...
Not the most accurate meter in the world but its a nickle killer in most areas and of course goes as deep or deeper than any on the market coil for coil..

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I had a Teknetics Mark 1 with a 1-100 scale and the ID was so accurate it could tell the difference between a clad dime and a silver one. I haven't noticed any difference's either.Even with all the short commings of the CZs ID I think it one of the best detectors in the field in my area in Michigan period.Everytime I purchase a new detector and take it through the obsticle course (my coin garden with very deep silver coins) and compare the results against the CZ the new keeper ends up on the auction block.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

As much as I like a CZ if it had a 1-100 meter either analog or digital it would be a world beater...As far as the Teknetics meter you speak of was extremely accurate and may be the best analog meter ever..Vintage late 80's are we going backwards....Interesting to see what happens now that Teknetics bought out Fisher...

 

[Ron from Michigan]

The Teknetics Mark 1 was very bulky and heavy it was like a small suitcase.I agree the CZ would be unstopable with a 1-100 ID scale.