Here is how the GTI/ACE should read Canadian Coins....
You get best results using a concentric coil. The key to recognizing Canadian clad, especially nickels, dimes and quarters is how they bounce back and forth between the 70's to low 80's
PENNIES: Depending on their year and length of time in the ground, expect
them to read one notch before the penny icon to a couple of notches past the
penny icon. You have to dig dig dig.
NICKELS: Again....what year and length of time in ground. They will either
show up at the penny icon or nickel icon. They tend to give a smooth signal on
the nickel notch, not a rough sound like the sound of a pulltab. Fresh drops read a steady vdi of 51.
DIMES: If 1968 0r older,(silver)they will read clearly in the penny range.
Newer, they might not read at all if freshly minted and recently fallen on the
ground. (not to worry, my buddies non-Garrett machine does the same) If they
have been in the ground, say for several months, they tend to bounce around
pulltab and coin. If you dig the plug and loose the signal, chances are that you
got a clad dime. You now need to find it in all metal mode (pinpointing) to find
it and remove it. vdi bounces from about 70 to low 80's.
QUARTERS:1968 or older read in coin range, usually smack dead center under
the quarter icon. If new, again, might be missed. If in the ground for at least
several months, expect it to bounce around penny, quarter and pulltab icon.
Again, once you make a plug, you may loose the signal, so you have to use
pinpoint mode to find it and remove it. vdi bounces from about 70 to low 80's.
LOONIES and TOONIES ($1.00 & $2.00 coins) give a strong signal under the
coil at penny or quarter. Garrett machines like these coins. If you get one
under your coil, you will surely dig it!
Summary on Canadian Coins:
If you hunt in coin mode and notch out the nickel and pulltab, you will still
get nearly all of your Canadian Coins, with the exception of a few nickels.
"BUT", you might also miss out on a gold ring too. So, based on your goals and
available time for a hunt, choose your programs carefully.
Some other makes and models of detectors will not read or barely read our
Toonies, Loonies, & nickels. I know from experience from hunting recently
hunted playgrounds, and that's what I usually found...nickels, loonies. toonies
and some other clad. I suspect that Garrett engineering designed their machines
to detect these one and two dollar coins, as I sent them one of each several
years ago. I am also hearing from others using the recent Garrett lines of
detectors getting the same results.
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AT SERIES METAL DETECTORS
Because nearly all detectors are made in USA, they read U.S. coins with great
accuracy. When hunting Canadian coins, you need to slow down a bit, and if you
get any signal at all, you should go over it in different directions.....to see
if it will read and bounce around in the coin and pulltab range.
These readings explained below are found using the AT Pro in PRO Mode, Zero discrimination, Iron disc set at 40 with the iron audio turned on. The same results will be found on the AT GOLD In Disk 1.
PENNIES
Older pennies, up to the middle 1990's will read in the penny icon, or with a VDI in the 80's. Now the newer strikes, can be made of metal or zinc plated with copper. These are harder to ID as pennies, especially when the copper coating begins to wear off. But, expect them to read as a steduy VDI reading of 74 +/- about 2%. Others will read in the high 70's and lower 80's. The key is where the VDI numbers read MOST of the time. If you decider to NOT dig pennies for whatever reason, expect to miss some silver rings and 10K gold rin
NICKLES
They usually give a softer sound with a VDI reading at 50 +/- 2% and remain there. Square pull tabs give a harsher sound and often times reamain at 53. Gold is common in this area +/- 10% with a consistent softer tone.
DIMES
Older silver dimes, (pre 1968 ) or older will read as silver and read in the lower to mid 80's. However, if they are beyond about 6 inches in depth, they may start to read as junk. Use your common sense rule that if it is deep, it is probably old. Now freshly dropped dimes will read loud and allow the VDI numbers to bounce around the 60's to the 90's. With the IRON AUDIO turned on, they will grunt (low iron) and give a nice loud sound in the 80's -90's. Dig them, as they might also be a quarter. Older dimes tend to fluctuate in the 40's to 70's with the odd spike to the 80's.
Quarters
Pre 1968 quarters were silver and will read in the 80's consistantly. New fresh dropped quarters give a loud signal, with a VDI bouncing back and forth between 30's - 70's. You will eventually learn their distinctive audio. Older (not silver) quarters tend to bounce back and forth around the 70's to 80's. They also give off a loud signal.
Loonies
Give off a very loud audio bouncing back and forth 70's to the 80's.
Toonies
Give off a loud signal in the 70's and can sometimes give off a spike to the 90's.
Some results will vary if detecting to sanded tot lots or areas with higher soil mineralization. The soil in my areas is basically low to moderate. Good luck, and if you discover any other good tricks for detecting Canadian clad, please comment.
