Numbers to learn by?

[Grunter]

I wish more folks would throw down some hard vdi numbers so that we can figure out about whats there. It's be my experience that in the sand 53 is almost always a pull tab,45 a bottle cap,bottle caps seem to hit around 65-66 alot of times. Beer cans,soda cans 78-80. Aluminium 42-43. Clad Coins quarters 60-63,dimes 81-82 nickels 51-52,pennies 75-77. These are just the numbers I've been hitting running Pro-zero,iron disc 35 all but 2 bars of sensitivity an GB 60.

 

[blade310]

Hi Grunter. Clad quarters never hit below 80 for me and usually around 83,84,85. dimes.... 78,79,80,81,82. nickels 49,50,51,52,53,54 Nickels really bang around with my atpro. as long as I see a constant 52 popping up I am fairly sure its a nickel. if a 53 p[ops up more than a 52 then its usually anything from small bit of can confetti or a beavertail pulltab, once in a great while it will be a square pulltab but usually the square pull tab hits in hi 50s up to mid 60s. copper pennys 77 ,78,79,80,81. zinc pennies (discussting little pieces of metal) from 70,71,72,73,74,75,76. normally 75,76. a couple nice women's (small) gold rings I have found came in at a solid 47. gold can pop up under alot of differ ant # silver is normally high like dimes and quarters or halfs. yea lousy aluminum from cans show up in a lot of areas also. Gunter this is just the way it is with my Atpro. next person may post differ ant numbers. And nothing is set in stone. depth,shape,size,ground conditions and other things can change those numbers. Don't know if this helps but best of luck to you

 

[Jeb NWR]

I`m using the AT Pro Gold in All metal ,and I Just dig all targets above 40. Anything below is always Iron or junk. Your meter will always guide you .
Because anything over 40 is going to be non ferrous, your going to have to dig it. You can`t afford to pick & choose over 40 in case you reject a ring or such targets. Bend that back and lift that sod.

 

[William-NM]

Hi Grunter, here are some notes I've compiled from a couple sites and my limited experience, hope it helps!

Dimes - 81-82 fairly consistently
Quarters - 87-88 fairly consistently
Copper pennies - 80-81-82
Zinc pennies - 77-78 fairly consistently
Nickels - 51-52-53 fairly consistently.

**Good signals often don't jump by more than one number**

Bottle caps come in at 77 with a sharp, sometimes scratchy signal. When they are very rusty, they can sound just like a dime or a quarter.
Aluminum bottle caps get me every time. They can come in at 77 or 81.

Follow the numbers above. After a while, you will find that sometimes the rules don't apply all the time. Sometimes, I dig a signal with an 84 VDI and I dig a wheat cent. Sometimes I dig a scratchy 88 signal and get a clad quarter instead of a bottle cap.
I've dug a signal with a 77 VDI expecting a zinc penny and got an Indian Head cent.

The rules work 80% of the time. The remaining 20% are Wild Turkey Surprise.
______________________________________________________________________________
If it chatters and VDI is 75-77, it IS a screw cap...
If VDI stays at 80, but you cannot pinpoint it to a small area...It IS a deep Soda can
If VDI is 40-45 and not crisp, it IS foil
If VDI is 52-57 and crackly, it IS a pulltab
______________________________________________________________________________
VDI -- Item
99 -- Ike Silver Dollar, Morgan Silver Dollar
98 -- Ike Silver Dollar
97 -- Ike Silver Dollar
96 -- Morgan Silver Dollar, Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar, Franklin Silver Half Dollar, Large Silver Ring
95 -- 4 Quarters in a stack!
94 --
93 -- Kennedy 40% Silver Half Dollar
92 -- Clad Dollar, Kennedy 40% Silver Half Dollar, Clad Half Dollar, Aluminum Token, Large Silver Ring
91 -- Barber Half Dollar
90 -- Presidential Dollar, Clad Half Dollar, Clad Quarter, Large US 1 Cent, Silver British Half Crown
89 -- Washington Silver Quarter, Clad Quarter
88 -- Standing Liberty Silver Quarter, Washington Silver Quarter, Clad Quarter, Medium Silver Ring
87 -- SBA Dollar
86 -- Spanish 2-Reale
85 -- Barber Quarter, Clad Quarter, Seated Dime, Matron Head Large Cent
84 -- Seated Dime, Matron Head Large Cent, Small Silver Ring
83 -- Mercury Silver Dime, Roosevelt Silver Dime, Clad Dime
82 -- Clad Dime, Small Silver Charm, 1 Yen Coin (JPN), Large 9K Gold Ring
81 -- Seated Dime, 10 Yen Coin (JPN), 1 Yen Coin (JPN)
80 -- Seated Dime, Copper Lincoln 1 Cent, King George Half Penny, 10 Yen Coin (JPN), 1000 Peso Coin (Mexico, 198, 5 Gram Gold Bar, Large Plated Ring, Small Silver Ring
79 -- Seated Dime, Heavy Woman's Bracelet Watch
78 -- King George Penny, Chuck-E-Cheese Token
77 -- 1 Euro Coin (Ireland), New Zealand $2.00, Australian $1.00
76 -- Seated Liberty Half Dime, Indian Head 1 Cent, Australian $2.00, New Zealand $1.00, King George Half Penny, 5 Yen Coin (JPN), Medium Plated Ring
75 -- Bottle Cap, Spanish 1-Reale, Zinc Lincoln 1 Cent, 5 Yen Coin (JPN)
74 -- Bottle Cap, Rev War British Musket Ball, Copper Lincoln 1 Cent
73 -- Bottle Cap, Small Silver Ring
72 -- Bottle Cap
71 -- Bottle Cap, Large Tungsten Ring
70 -- Bottle Cap, Civil War Mini-Ball, Medium Charm
69 -- Civil War Mini-Ball
68 -- 22K Gold Sovereign, Civil War Mini-Ball
67 --
66 -- Pop Top, Small Charm
65 -- Large 18K Gold & Platinum Ring, 1 Gram Gold Bar
64 --
63 -- Small Silver Earring
62 --
61 -- Indian Head 1 Cent
60 -- Medium 9K Gold Ring
59 --
58 --
57 -- Large 14K Gold Ring
56 --
55 -- Mens Titanium Ring
54 -- Small 14K Gold Ring
53 -- Pull Tab, Buffalo Nickel, V Nickel, War Nickel, New Nickel, Small Charm, Large 14K White Gold Ring, Medium 14K Gold Ring
52 -- Pull Tab, Buffalo Nickel, V Nickel, War Nickel, New Nickel, Small Charm
51 -- 100 Yen Coin (JPN)
50 -- 3 Cent Piece, 14K Gold Chain, 100 Yen Coin (JPN), 50 Yen Coin (JPN), 2 Peso Gold Coin, Small 10K Gold Ring, Small 9K Gold Ring
49 -- 3 Cent Piece, 14K Gold Chain, 50 Yen Coin (JPN)
48 -- $1 Gold Coin (13mm), 14K Gold Chain, 14K Yellow & White Gold Ring
47 -- Large Junk Earring
46 --
45 -- Foil, Small 14K Gold Ring
44 -- Foil, Small Platinum Engagement Ring
43 -- Foil, Small 10K Gold Ring, 14K bracelet
42 -- Foil, Small 10K Gold Ring
41 -- Foil
40 -- Foil,14K Hollow Earring (1.3g)
39 -- Foil
38 -- Foil
37 -- Foil
36 -- Foil
35 -- Foil, Nail
34 --
33 --
32 --
31 --
30 --
29 --
28 --
27 --
26 --
25 --
24 --
23 --
22 --
21 --
20 --
19 --
18 --
17 --
16 --
15 -- Washer
14 --
13 --
12 --
11 --
10 --
9 --
8 --
7 --
6 --
5 --
4 --
3 --
2 --
1 --

 

[Grunter]

Thanks fellas, I'm definitely going to write some numbers on my finds bag. My bad on the quarters, I should have put 80-83, the 60 range I mention mostly hits aluminum shards. I've hit alot of 90's where I've been hunting but can't find anything, I may have passed up some good stuff. I've pulled so many pull tabs at 53 that I cherry picked those. I probably should have dug the ones that were 53-54 but I'm still learning.

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Sound is ALWAYS the best indication to dig on any machine. Numers can be thrown off by many many things.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

I find I do better if I don't even look at the numbers and let my ears determine what I'm digging. Anthing that's solid and repeatable gets dug.

 

[marcomo]

Interesting to see how different individual machines of the same detector are getting different VDIs. I'm thinking probably more to do with differing mineralization as opposed to difference in machine specs, but that's just a guess.

Grunter gets clad quarters in the 80-83 range and blade gets them at 83-85. Clad quarters for me are usually in the upper 80s. When I see 83-85, I get my hopes up for a newer silver dime.

Unlike William, I find that good signals for me will usually jump more than one number unless the target is shallow.

Most (but not all) of the time I find older coins of the same composition will hit at lower VDI numbers than newer coins of the same denomination. Mercurys lower than Rosies. Indians lower than wheaties. Older wheaties lower than newer wheaties.

Bart and Big Cat make excellent points about audio as opposed to VDI. The AT Pro has far and away the best audio of any detector I've ever used. Coins, even at depth, usually have that smooth distinct coin sound. Again not a hard and fast rule because of masking and other factors, but most of the time.

Nickels are a crapshoot for me VDI wise, but they often have that mellower more audio-symmetrical coin sound, albeit in the mid-tone and not as distinctive to my ears as the high tone.

 

[TheGeorgiaCanuck]

Sound is 95% of why I dig most of the time. If it's a loud signal and has good VDI that's great. But the "iffy" signals, you have to make a sound decision. That's why I like running zero discrim with Iron Audio off. I hear all the sound, low grunts, medium tones and high tones. Those pennies I dug day before yesterday, most folks would have not dug them. The VDI was in the low 60's and iron growls mixed in. But there was also medium tones and a whisper of a scratchy high tone. I dug them because of that high tone.

 

[GoGoGopher]

Dig it ALL, then you will never have to guess...

HH,

 

[TheGeorgiaCanuck]

Dig it ALL, then you will never have to guess...

HH,

I'd need a 50gal drum on wheels to drag around for all the iron. And a new back.

 

[MikeLab]

Just wanted to bump this thread up. I sure see what a chicken I have been by avoiding much of the 50's and 60's. I'm going to break that bad habit right now.

BTW, I found a silver ring that read about 88. Stamped Israel 825. I don't know what it is about the foreign rings for me. Last one said India.

 

[Diggin-it]

ALWAYS dig those 52-53 pull tabs....I got 2 of my nice 10K mens gold rings and my last 14K mens gold ring that way. You just never know.

 

[GoGoGopher]

OK...So not ALL...lets say every solid signal above 45...
William's numbers are right in line with what I get...Great job on those!


HH,

 

[MikeLab]

Bump

 

[firstring]

Dig it ALL, then you will never have to guess...

HH,

A friend of mine says the same thing. He taught me that I have a metal detector and it detects metal. I reckon a person can use all those different numbers as a "guess" as to what may be under the coil, but can you say for 100 % certain what you see on the screen translates to what you are going to dig? He taught me that gold is alloyed with other metals, in some cases more alloy than gold. He taught me to dig a wider range, a wider variety of signals and the variety of finds would change. Boy, was he right. I hunt parks and schools, a style some would label "coin and jewelry". It can be said this type is not C/J, but J/C (Junk Collecting). Has anyone dug a ring with a broken band? Maybe a broken chain necklace with the gold charm seperated? How about 2 rings in one hole, one being gold? Shall we continue? How about digging a "pulltab" or digging a "zinc penny" because that what the signal "says" only to find a gold ring at the bottom of the hole? When is a pulltab or zinc penny not an undesirable target? When it turns out to be a gold ring. Maybe you didn't dig that zinc penny signal or pulltab/foil signal and let the gold slip by. It's a choice. For all those who have found the gold, congratulations. I know a nickel signal every now and again dug will be gold. I know that ladies gold jewlelry is lost more than than men's. That means more of the gold rings are at those lower VDI numbers and a lot of trash is going to get excavated and hauled out. I'm here on the West Coast in some highly mineralized ground, not on a sandy beach. I also know all those VDI numbers you all refer to is for modern coins. Is that all you got back on the east coast, modern coins? Think about it. Thanks to all. Happy hunting.