Last week I sold a metal detector to a local young man. I spent about an hour showing him how to use it in my test garden. Mind you, this guy has never swung a detector and I did not feel that he had even a basic "grasp" of what I was attempting to teach or show him. Yesterday I got an email from him and he was basically lost. I sensed total frustration and I offered to return his money. He did not want that and asked me to help him this am. He told me he had marked every solid signal in his yard. I had told him to only dig repeatable signals.
When I showed up this morning, he had at least 20 signal flags marking his findings. I checked about half of them with my detector and all were pull tabs. At least he only marked repeatable signals I thought. I finally found a coin type signal on my detector and I had him check it with the detector I sold him. Tight numbers and tones that indicated a copper penny. I used this opportunity to show him exactly how to pinpoint. He had trouble, but finally got close enough to dig. Out comes a 1926 wheat penny. He had found the signal and marked it, so I knew there was hope.
We hunted around the yard, cross-checking signals and I knew he was "getting it". He found a signal that indicated a might be silver coin. When I checked it, I got a definite silver "whine" on my F5, but the target showed way to big when pinpointing. I told him I would not dig it as it was more than likely deep, rusty iron. I left and a couple of minutes later I saw him digging the signal. I wandered over to observe and let him use my pinpointer. He dug an 8 inch deep hole and finally touched the object with the pinpointer. This was about 9 inches deep. I told him to give it a wide berth and he did. He flipped the last trowel full of dirt on the ground and I saw a silver coin, but he never saw it. I was astounded that I had passed and a complete newbie decided to dig. I told him to check the pile of dirt with the pinpointer and he nonchalantly found it and said it looked like silver. I was figuring a silver Washington, but he said it was a 1919. I knew what it was and it was a beautiful coin. I have been detecting 25 plus years and have found only 10 of these coins with only one having a date. This was a 1919 d and perfect condition!
I believe I have created a monster and at that moment, I felt like a "proud father" He is hooked and I feel like he is off to a great start in this great hobby.
When I showed up this morning, he had at least 20 signal flags marking his findings. I checked about half of them with my detector and all were pull tabs. At least he only marked repeatable signals I thought. I finally found a coin type signal on my detector and I had him check it with the detector I sold him. Tight numbers and tones that indicated a copper penny. I used this opportunity to show him exactly how to pinpoint. He had trouble, but finally got close enough to dig. Out comes a 1926 wheat penny. He had found the signal and marked it, so I knew there was hope.
We hunted around the yard, cross-checking signals and I knew he was "getting it". He found a signal that indicated a might be silver coin. When I checked it, I got a definite silver "whine" on my F5, but the target showed way to big when pinpointing. I told him I would not dig it as it was more than likely deep, rusty iron. I left and a couple of minutes later I saw him digging the signal. I wandered over to observe and let him use my pinpointer. He dug an 8 inch deep hole and finally touched the object with the pinpointer. This was about 9 inches deep. I told him to give it a wide berth and he did. He flipped the last trowel full of dirt on the ground and I saw a silver coin, but he never saw it. I was astounded that I had passed and a complete newbie decided to dig. I told him to check the pile of dirt with the pinpointer and he nonchalantly found it and said it looked like silver. I was figuring a silver Washington, but he said it was a 1919. I knew what it was and it was a beautiful coin. I have been detecting 25 plus years and have found only 10 of these coins with only one having a date. This was a 1919 d and perfect condition!
I believe I have created a monster and at that moment, I felt like a "proud father" He is hooked and I feel like he is off to a great start in this great hobby.
