I found the site of homestead shown on an 1851 map, and at my first visit a week ago, I dug and 1847 Large Cent. But at that time conditions were terrible so I didnt stay long. It had rained that day and everything was soaking wet. I would be back again under better conditions.
Saturday I was at a National hunt all day but had about and hour of daylight left on my way home so I took a detour. Anxious to get swinging with so little time, I grabbed my F75 but could not get it settle down. No matter what I did it was chattering badly. I started off, periodically changing things around, performing the factory reset, but nothing helped. Power lines nearby may have been the culprit. I headed back to my van, tried putting the 10" coil on it but again, I could not quiet it down. By now I am a bit upset, my detecting time is ticking away and now my F75 has a problem (so I thought). So I took out my brand new, F70. My first machines from the factory were all sold to customers and it wasnt until Wednesday of this week that I got my second shipment and snarfed one for my own personal use. First time I used it, first signal I dug, was this coin! Ha!
Armed with my F70 I headed into the woods, and it was probably only 5 minutes until I got this, my first signal. The signal was bouncing around a bit, 28, 29, then 32, back and forth, but knowing the age of the site I knew I had to dig this target. I cut a plug, turned it over and got no signal in the plug so I knelt down and turned on my pinpointer. I zeroed in on the Target and gr abed a hand full of dirt, then waved the pinpointer over it and sure enough I had the target in my hand. This was sandy, loose soil so I flattened it out in hand a bit and saw a small object, only about 10% of the rim was showing, and it looked gold. I cant tell you how many times in the past I THOUGHT I had gold coin, only to be disappointed when it turned out to be button or piece of gold color foil, so I really didnt bust lose right away, nor would even allow myself to consider it might be a gold coin.
But if the potential of a good find exists, and dont ask me how I know this, the first order of business is to remove my gloves so I delicately set the dirt covered object on the plug while I gingerly removed my gloves. Even at this point I was still refusing to allow my self to even consider it might be a gold coin, but something about the way that rim looked........ With my gloves off I then plucked it from its resting place to get a closer look. The second I touched the rims and lifted it, I knew it had a reeded edge (and buttons dont have reeded edges!) and it felt heavier than a button...... could it be? Now I was nervous. I carefully blew the dirt off the coin and raised it up to my face for a good look. FIREWORKS! Oh man, I recognized that sweet lady on the coin and instantly realized that I was now experiencing the "second in time" when I first realized I had, indeed, found my first gold coin!!! Words can not describe!!!
I tried to continue hunting, but it was pointless. I was way too jacked up to concentrate on hunting, besides, I had to rush back to my van and start making phone calls! Hee hee. On my walk back to my van, it sank in that this was the very first target, the very first coin, that I had dug with my new F70. Wow!
Back at home, the next morning, I tried my F75 and it worked fine, so I am convinced it must have been the power lines that were interfering with it.
I am still walking on air. I have been chasing a gold coin for a long time. I often wondered what it would feel like, and now I know, and it is SWEEEEEEET!!
Scully
Saturday I was at a National hunt all day but had about and hour of daylight left on my way home so I took a detour. Anxious to get swinging with so little time, I grabbed my F75 but could not get it settle down. No matter what I did it was chattering badly. I started off, periodically changing things around, performing the factory reset, but nothing helped. Power lines nearby may have been the culprit. I headed back to my van, tried putting the 10" coil on it but again, I could not quiet it down. By now I am a bit upset, my detecting time is ticking away and now my F75 has a problem (so I thought). So I took out my brand new, F70. My first machines from the factory were all sold to customers and it wasnt until Wednesday of this week that I got my second shipment and snarfed one for my own personal use. First time I used it, first signal I dug, was this coin! Ha!
Armed with my F70 I headed into the woods, and it was probably only 5 minutes until I got this, my first signal. The signal was bouncing around a bit, 28, 29, then 32, back and forth, but knowing the age of the site I knew I had to dig this target. I cut a plug, turned it over and got no signal in the plug so I knelt down and turned on my pinpointer. I zeroed in on the Target and gr abed a hand full of dirt, then waved the pinpointer over it and sure enough I had the target in my hand. This was sandy, loose soil so I flattened it out in hand a bit and saw a small object, only about 10% of the rim was showing, and it looked gold. I cant tell you how many times in the past I THOUGHT I had gold coin, only to be disappointed when it turned out to be button or piece of gold color foil, so I really didnt bust lose right away, nor would even allow myself to consider it might be a gold coin.
But if the potential of a good find exists, and dont ask me how I know this, the first order of business is to remove my gloves so I delicately set the dirt covered object on the plug while I gingerly removed my gloves. Even at this point I was still refusing to allow my self to even consider it might be a gold coin, but something about the way that rim looked........ With my gloves off I then plucked it from its resting place to get a closer look. The second I touched the rims and lifted it, I knew it had a reeded edge (and buttons dont have reeded edges!) and it felt heavier than a button...... could it be? Now I was nervous. I carefully blew the dirt off the coin and raised it up to my face for a good look. FIREWORKS! Oh man, I recognized that sweet lady on the coin and instantly realized that I was now experiencing the "second in time" when I first realized I had, indeed, found my first gold coin!!! Words can not describe!!!
I tried to continue hunting, but it was pointless. I was way too jacked up to concentrate on hunting, besides, I had to rush back to my van and start making phone calls! Hee hee. On my walk back to my van, it sank in that this was the very first target, the very first coin, that I had dug with my new F70. Wow!
Back at home, the next morning, I tried my F75 and it worked fine, so I am convinced it must have been the power lines that were interfering with it.
I am still walking on air. I have been chasing a gold coin for a long time. I often wondered what it would feel like, and now I know, and it is SWEEEEEEET!!
Scully
An F75 find I thought was just a shiney zinc at first 
What a way to kick off with a new detector!