I was out detecting in the yard using the 5.3 coil and was finding the usual trash. Can slaw, old brass rivets, zinc pennies and then I noticed my detecting buddy drive by and honk. He pulled into the drive and I showed him an area of the yard that I cleaned up and was trying to sift through the nails. After finding a couple ugly pennies I told him that I would show him the area where I had found some old copper jewelery and had been using the 5.3 coil to some good success.
The 5.3 goes deep, I found a misfired .22 short at 6 inches today amongst the trash. I dont even see that depth with my D2 with all the surface clutter. If its a big area and the trash is few the D2 comes out, but not today.
So after moping along digging some false signals ( I have my span opened way up to get the deep gold ) I came to the area of recent okay finds. I started scanning a little and got a 35 vdi that was screaming old pulltab. I went and passed it up and then told my buddy I better dig it to get it out of the way. I dug a shallow plug and out of the thatch comes this, 5.2 grams of 16k. It was completely silver in color and looked exactly like silver, I thought score, and we both came inside.
It was crusty with black oxides and had a tweak to it like the lawnmower hit it. I pulled out the acid kit and the silver acid did not respond. So I thought great, Platinum. Nope that acid stained it quick. I then worked up through the acid, 10 no problem and 14 didnt put a dent in it. But the 18k caused it to stain. I then buffed it out with my dremel and tried to fix the tweak in the setting only to have a crack form. The prongs have also gotten brittle from being in the ground for so long.
I may spring to have it restored, I dont know yet. I may give it to the owner of the land even though we are splitting the finds.
This is now the 3rd antique gold ring of the year. I may not be finding much old silver here but the last guys machine couldnt see the gold like this.
The 5.3 goes deep, I found a misfired .22 short at 6 inches today amongst the trash. I dont even see that depth with my D2 with all the surface clutter. If its a big area and the trash is few the D2 comes out, but not today.
So after moping along digging some false signals ( I have my span opened way up to get the deep gold ) I came to the area of recent okay finds. I started scanning a little and got a 35 vdi that was screaming old pulltab. I went and passed it up and then told my buddy I better dig it to get it out of the way. I dug a shallow plug and out of the thatch comes this, 5.2 grams of 16k. It was completely silver in color and looked exactly like silver, I thought score, and we both came inside.
It was crusty with black oxides and had a tweak to it like the lawnmower hit it. I pulled out the acid kit and the silver acid did not respond. So I thought great, Platinum. Nope that acid stained it quick. I then worked up through the acid, 10 no problem and 14 didnt put a dent in it. But the 18k caused it to stain. I then buffed it out with my dremel and tried to fix the tweak in the setting only to have a crack form. The prongs have also gotten brittle from being in the ground for so long.
I may spring to have it restored, I dont know yet. I may give it to the owner of the land even though we are splitting the finds.
This is now the 3rd antique gold ring of the year. I may not be finding much old silver here but the last guys machine couldnt see the gold like this.
