Silver dollar of iron junk?

[BumLuck]

I hunt with a 2500 GTI.

Every so often, my heart jumps out of my chest when I get a silver dollar reading on the GTI, and it is repeatable enough to dig it.

So far I am 0 for maybe 50 that when I dig, it's some form of iron junk. Throw in the possibility of masking by a nail of a silver dollar, and what can you do?

Is there a strategy out there that you have developed to sort this out?

 

[khouse]

I have never used a 2500. But on any machine or brand you have to dig those if you have properly sized your target. If it's coin sized you better dig it! I know of no magic wand.

 

[cwilk]

I'm about 1 for 500 and that one was a clad Eisenhower. Indicated silver dollar, size B, at 4 inches. That's what it was. I'm gonna find one some day and I hope you do as well. It'll be dumb luck for me.

Chris

 

[khouse]

Yes, very seldom is it a big old dollar coin. You'll dig more 2000 Saca"freakin" jawea dollars that the old large ones!

 

[metalhead]

There's not a metal detector made(Garrett or otherwise)that can't be fooled by rusty iron/iron oxide. A heavily corroded piece of iron or even just a rust pocket(completely corroded piece of iron) will read as highly conductive/high on the coductivity scale. That's just a metalurgical phenominon we have to deal with while enjoying this great hobby. It's also metalurgical phenominon(halo effect)that allows our metal detectors to detect coins that have been in the ground for several years more deeply. Just my $.02Happy Hunting!

 

[khouse]

One way I try to see if it's rusty/large iron is this. If the target is suspect find the location in the disc mode by checking your target at 90 degrees. If your pinpoint mode is around that same spot then dig it. Sometimes on a large piece of rusty iron your machine will only beep at the edge of said metal. But your pinpoint mode will be in the center of said metal. Since both locations don't line up then you can move on.

 

[BigCatDaddy]

the "John-Edmonton Stomp"!! If you feel it might be that big ol' rusty chunk of funk, give it a few hard stomps with your foot. That will break up the rust halo and might even make it totally disappear. I've done it and it worked!!

 

[Johnny Cache]

I am frustrated by these problems too. I found my Barber half in my first week of detecting, so I didn't really know how amazing it was at the time. I thought every day would be like that...boy was I in for a surprise! Ever since then, every large silver reading has been RUSTY IRON. Also, the depth reading seems to be wrong in these situations as well. It says 2 inches deep before I dig, but then I find the junk 6 or 7 inches deep. I guess it'll pay off when we actually find some big silver...someday...HH

 

[khouse]

I was at an old house remodeling their kitchen. This house was built in 1905 and was a mansion. The front and back yards were just average sized and it is on a very busy street. I asked the homeowner if I could detect their property. He gave me permission. I couldn't stand it being locked up in the kitchen and not out hunting! Well about 3 o'clock I had enough. The first 10 or more hits were all junk. I got another half reading and just jabbed my Lesche in the ground. Out pops a 1943 Walking Half! I hoped that I didn't scratch it. I was lucky! The next time I got a half reading I dug a BIG flap! There she was - another 43 half! I went on to dig three 1943 Walker's and one Franklin. I think some kid got into his Dad's collection for me to find three 1943 Walkers. Over the next month I hit that yard both ways. Each time finding more wheats and two Indians. That has been two years ago and I've only dig one more Walker. Everything else has been trash. So keep digging! I think I need to go back there!
PS: All said coins were found using an Ace 250 with 9x12 coil running it at 6 bars of power. All Halves were 6 inches plus deep in black soil.

 

[drplaztics]

I've always made another pass over the 25cent, 50cent, or silver-dollar target (AT A 90 degree ANGLE) to the object with my GTP 1350. When I do this it almost always switches to an 'iron signal' and I'll know if I'm going to dig it or not. I'll have to try what khouse recommended to see if his technique works with my GTP 1350 also.