Tried hunting for only gold rings today.

[Gene]

I can see that you sure have done a lot of thinking and planning on what to do David.
Good points you are making here too. One being, coins are easy. Everybody I see
when I am out likes to tell me of all the coins they have found. Don't remember anyone
ever talking about finding jewelry. When, and if, I tell someone of all the jewelry I am finding
they look at me like I have three heads or something. Last time it happened was just this last
season. Saw a man and woman with one detector on the soccer field as I pulled up.
The lady was detecting and the man was digging. Looked like they were trying to figure out
how the detector worked so I tried to help them out and went out in the field to detect myself.
After about an hour I went back to them to see how they were doing. They told me that it sure
was a trashy place and they were finding very few coins. I told them to go out where I just
was hunting and try their luck. I know there are quite a few coins out there because I heard them
and my meter was pretty sure that's what they were too. Didn't dig any of them though I told them.
Then I told them my theory for gold jewelry hunting. I told them that I had been doing this for a long
time and this is something that I learned and know that works and is nothing that I have just read.
I repeated what I told them to make sure they understood and wished them luck and went back
to hunting myself. About 45 minutes after that I dug a ring that more than paid for the detector
that I was using at the time. I was only about 2-3" deep. Well within the range of any detector.
Thing is, you have to know what to dig and what not to dig. When I looked up from digging that
ring I saw they were gone. I found it just the way I told them to do it. Never saw them again.
Would seriously doubt they are jewelry hunters. Probably still looking for coins would be my bet.
Didn't know this would be such a long run. Long type for a 2-finger typist. Most of the gold jewelry
on land isn't very deep but a lot of time surrounded by trash. Knowing the difference of at least
part of that trash will make a huge difference in doing very well. Determination goes a long way
too as there is far more trash than gold jewelry at least where I have been, You have the determination
David. You have a good plan too. Stick with it and you will do well I am sure. Sounds like you have a
new detector in the near future. At least that's what I am reading into this. Best of luck with that too.
This will not be like coin hunting. I am sure you dont need me to tell you that.
Good hunting to you ! I am giving my fingers a break..........Gene

 

[dahut]

Everybody I see when I am out likes to tell me of all the coins they have found. Don't remember anyone ever talking about finding jewelry. When, and if, I tell someone of all the jewelry I am finding they look at me like I have three heads or something.
I know what you mean. It seems like an illusion, or at least magic, when everyone is focused on the worthless trash and coins.

I told them to go out where I just was hunting and try their luck. I know there are quite a few coins out there because I heard them and my meter was pretty sure that's what they were too. "Didn't dig any of them, though..." I told them.
Spoken like a true jewlery miner!

Most of the gold jewelry on land isn't very deep but a lot of time surrounded by trash. Knowing the difference of at least part of that trash will make a huge difference in doing very well. Determination goes a long way, too, as there is far more trash than gold jewelry at least where I have been.
I've heard it said to be as much as 1000 pulltabs for each gold ring. If that can be only cut in half, then it is a huge advance.

Sounds like you have a new detector in the near future. At least that's what I am reading into this. Best of luck with that too.
This will not be like coin hunting. I am sure you dont need me to tell you that.
Yep, a new unit is on the way as we speak. I dont want to get into what model and so on, as this isn't about that. This discussion is more about method and logic, the WHY, behind the HOW. Suffice it to say it is a very particular type, well-suited to this sort of hunting.

Good hunting to you!
And to you!!

 

[coach c]

Talking about telling the difference in trash and good targets or just learning the difference in trashes. Does the brand of detector make a difference. I hunt with the GTI 2500 and it seems that all sounds except blips on small foil are the same. Is this true are can you actually learn to hear a difference?......Coach

 

[cwilk]

Sometimes I can tell the difference. I still dig it all. I can usually identify a deep nickel by the sound. Short and soft. To me a shallow nickel and a pop top sound alike. Gold rings too. Loud and harsh. Some say gold gives a round tone. If I dug more gold maybe I could figure out what that means. I also use a 2500.

I have tried to look for gold as you described in your original post. Never found any that way. There was a guy here a few years ago who dug only gold signals. He did OK too. For me, every gold item I ever found has been a surprise and usually when I least expected it.

Chris

 

[slingshot]

Sometimes I can tell the difference. I still dig it all. I can usually identify a deep nickel by the sound. Short and soft. To me a shallow nickel and a pop top sound alike. Gold rings too. Loud and harsh. Some say gold gives a round tone. If I dug more gold maybe I could figure out what that means. I also use a 2500.

I have tried to look for gold as you described in your original post. Never found any that way. There was a guy here a few years ago who dug only gold signals. He did OK too. For me, every gold item I ever found has been a surprise and usually when I least expected it.

Chris

Chris, that's the only way as I understand it now. I tried listening and correlating all those sounds-heck!- I found COINS that acted the way they describe these "special" signals. I still say ANYTHING can mimic a good or bad target. Especially if there's another target in close proximity to the detected target, ground conditions, target position-the list is long. My decision was also partially made by listening to others with the familiar story: "It sounded like a pulltab(or whatever) but SOMETHING just told me to dig it....and now I'm glad I did".

 

[cwilk]

I lucked into a US gold coin set in a bezel that I was certain was a ring pull. My best ever find. I never get tired of showing a picture so here it is again.

Chris

 

[dahut]

Interesting, Dahut. What kind of analyses do you go thru-sound, steady ID of the target, etc? I'm all ears-I mean eyes.

There two kinds of information we can receive - auditory and visual. For our purposes, the other senses are moot.

AUDIO - If one can "create" the sort of audio response you receive, or tailor it to react a certain way, then it may be possible to do a better job of discerning the many targets we encounter. Some intruments allow this - others are limited in this regard. The Garretts are in the latter group.

They present the user with only a few pre-selected options, mostly having to with tonal variation. There is a bit more subtlety to be found in them for the serious student, but for the most part the Garretts offer various tonal beeps and boings with a Garrett.

On the other hand there are other instruments that let you modify the audio responses in myriad ways, tailoring them to specific tasks. This is not to condemn the Garretts. On the contrary, they are designed to be "automatic" instruments, eliminating a lot of adjusting and modfiication. This they do very well. But for those inclined to do so, the adjustment of certain parameters just might open the ability to get more refined target discernment.

VISUAL - The Garretts offer a wide range of conductivity identification - indeed, as many as 24 segments across the total scale on some models. This is fairly refined, and accurately places an item in the range with some certainty.
We are also familar with the VDI numbering system, where this condctivity information is presented as numbers on a scale, normally from 0-100.
This is even more refined, giving an even finer resolution to the target response.
Yet another method of presenting response data is with a spectrum graph, breaking down target response into vertical bars on a "chart."

Taken as a whole package of target data, audio as well as visual, this vast suite of target information can either overwhelm the uninitated - or offer a refined glimpse into a targets true response.

Garrett has decided to follow the KISS principle and present information in basic, informative units. Some of the data is not used, so that the user can concentrate on the hunt, more than the adjusting. That is, they use tonal response, a pointer arrow on a line graph and sound duration to indicate depth. They could offer all the other data mentioned, too, but have chosen not to.

Other makers have gone the other way, and made ALL of the target ID options available to the user. One doesn't have to use them, but they are there if wanted.
It is this wider selection that separates the jewelry hunters analysis from the coin hunter.

So where does this leave us. How does his apply to your question, slingshot?
My friend and I were detecgint eh local high school baseball field one day. As usual it was a trashy spot full of pultab signals. After a bit, Jim asked me to check out a signal he had hit upon.
"What does your detector say it is?" he asked.
I tickled the controls and twidded the DISC knob.... "Hmmmm, its a pulltab."
"Well, I understand why you would say that, but I see it a little differently..." He was using one of these other instruments, one which was giving him information I didn't have. All I knew was the conductivity range of the target.
"Would you dig it?" he asked.
"Probably not," I said.
So he did. It was a large, mans amethyst ring - a real beauty, too.

It was his analysis of the information he was given that direcly resulted in that recovery. I was stunned. See, I would have called it just another pulltab and either dug it - or moved on. Depending on my stamina and trash tolerance, of course. In short, I could either dig everything, or miss finds.
But Jim was processing information I did not have, which made his efforts focused in a different way than mine. This is the "analysis" that I refer to.
I am going to try and get to that point.

 

[lazyaussie]

this is an awesome post guys .
lazyaussie

 

[Gene]

Nice thread here David. Bet there will be more than a couple of people give it a try
and then go back to hunting coins. That's my bet. Just playing the odds....as usual.
Best of luck to you David. I hope you find gold jewelry hunting to your liking. After you
start to know what signals to look for you will be on your way. Your determination will take
you anywhere you want to go. Due to my work schedule I don't post very often but I sure
am glad that I said something on this subject. Nice talking to you. HH Gene

 

[Gene]

This is an excellent answer David. Detailed and to the point. Many will read this and
wonder if this is possible. Surely you have to dig all the pulltabs to get gold jewelry.
How many times have I heard that one. You can believe that if you want or you can
look closer for a better solution. No doubt you are on the right track now David
Your well thought out answer should be looked into by all those interested in hunting
gold jewelery. Have to stick with it though as you learn what and what not to do.
Most will go out once and maybe twice and the trash just overwhelms them.
They soon get discouraged with that and go back to hunting coins. Nothing wrong
with coins as I have seen my share of excellent coin hunters. Pick the right spot
and you can do well with that to. I have chosen to hunt gold jewelry myself despite
the trash which is just about anywhere I go. It's one thing to read all of this thread
and quite another to go out and do it. Yeah...you can wonder if this is possible all you want.
Myself, I have found the answer.
Good hunting to all that read this. I hope all of you come home with the gold ! Gene

 

[Gene]

Wow ! That's an absolutely beautiful coin Chris. Thanks for showing it.
Good inspiration!
I don't have a 2500 so I don't know if this will work for you or not.
About 20 years ago I was using a detector with no meter on sports fields.
I did have a notch control though. This notch control, even when it was off,
would give a high tone above the notch and a lower tone below the notch
level. I set it where aluminum tabs would give a mix of high and low tones
at the same time. This was a rectangular tab that would read much higher
than a nickel on an I.D. meter.
This did very well as far as identifying aluminum trash was concerned.
Next I had to determine the difference between a nickel, pencil ferrule and small
gold jewelry without having a meter. So I tried an old water hunter trick.
I put a nickel on top of my foot under my sock. Now I had something to compare
the suspect signal with. In the pinpoint mode of this detector the nickel, pencil
ferrule and gold jewelry had a different fade rate. You had to listen close sometimes
but it was there. When I got one of these signals I guessed what it was before I dug
it. This I did for about 3 months of hunting. Still did it sometimes after that just to
check myself. Very seldom was I fooled by what I dug. This detector and technique
was the best I have ever used for hunting, and finding, gold jewelry. Been trying all
kinds of detectors for the past 4 years or so and I have found some that were pretty
good but none that could come close to that one. Yeah...the old nickel in the shoe trick.
Sounds kind of strange but it sure worked for me. Check your fade rate in pinpoint
on the 2500 Chris and see if you can hear any difference. Sometimes too you can tell
what the target may be on certain detectors by the beginning and end of the signal.
Check a tab and gold ring. A tab will probably ramp up at the front and down at the end.
Gold should be smooth from beginning to end. Foil will fade fast as you raise the coil
whereas gold will remain strong more distance from the coil. You might want to experiment
with this a little when your hunting season is over this Winter.
Good hunting to you Chris ! Gene

 

[slingshot]

Thanks for all the great posts!

 

[Gene]

This is some good stuff here. Not for everyone but it may be worth trying.

 

[slingshot]

Well, I went out for an hour after reading these posts and it happened to me again. With my detector at just above iron nails, I got an iffy signal-strong, but slightly broken up. It was a NICKEL andd the patina on it kinda told me a lot of people had passed it up.

 

[Gene]

A nickel is in the range I key in on Slingshot. Maybe up to a little higher
than that and down through the foil range. I really like the foil range as a
lot of my gold rings were hiding out there. Whenever I find nickels and no
other coins I know I am in the right place for interesting possibilities in
gold jewelry hunting.
I know you have been around for awhile and know this. I just wrote it for
those that may not have experienced this.
Correct me if I am wrong but didn't I see your picture with a Garrett BFO
somewhere saying it would detect gold chains ? I am betting most
so-called modern detectors wouldn't have a prayer of hitting that.
Yeah...have to agree with you on the nickels. A lot of them spend a long
time underground where I am. I do my best to free them whenever I am in
the area. Good hunting to you ! Gene

 

[Gene]

You don't have to worry that you missed anything if you dig it all.
Definitely right about that one. Bet you have some interesting
stuff to show for it too. Good hunting to you and just keep on
digging ! Gene

 

[dahut]

This is an excellent answer David. Detailed and to the point. Many will read this and wonder if this is possible. Surely you have to dig all the pulltabs to get gold jewelry. How many times have I heard that one. You can believe that if you want or you can
look closer for a better solution. No doubt you are on the right track now David.
Your well thought out answer should be looked into by all those interested in hunting gold jewelery. Have to stick with it though as you learn what and what not to do.
Most will go out once and maybe twice and the trash just overwhelms them. They soon get discouraged with that and go back to hunting coins. Nothing wrong with coins as I have seen my share of excellent coin hunters. Pick the right spot and you can do well with that to. I have chosen to hunt gold jewelry myself despite the trash which is just about anywhere I go. It's one thing to read all of this thread and quite another to go out and do it. Yeah...you can wonder if this is possible all you want. Myself, I have found the answer.
Good hunting to all that read this. I hope all of you come home with the gold ! Gene

Here is another bit of commentray from Mr. Clynick on the matter:

There are no "magic numbers" which will allow you to hear only good targets An enhancement program, in and of itself, is simply a system that allows you to sort through the trash more effectively and efficiently. The idea here is that signals with potential will attract your attention because of reasonably clear audio cues or good visual data, after which you can "zero in" to get more precise information.

Like I said before, what we are after here is trash discernment. If you can gain confidence in the data you receive and can eliminate just one third of the trash items you encounter, then you have made great strides indeed.
It takes time to learn this. It takes specific equipment and a certain, unique logic. It takes determination.
You might fail or miss something now and then, too.

Hey, life is like that. But it certainly seems worth the effort to try.

 

[slingshot]

A nickel is in the range I key in on Slingshot. Maybe up to a little higher
than that and down through the foil range. I really like the foil range as a
lot of my gold rings were hiding out there. Whenever I find nickels and no
other coins I know I am in the right place for interesting possibilities in
gold jewelry hunting.
I know you have been around for awhile and know this. I just wrote it for
those that may not have experienced this.
Correct me if I am wrong but didn't I see your picture with a Garrett BFO
somewhere saying it would detect gold chains ? I am betting most
so-called modern detectors wouldn't have a prayer of hitting that.
Yeah...have to agree with you on the nickels. A lot of them spend a long
time underground where I am. I do my best to free them whenever I am in
the area. Good hunting to you ! Gene

Yeah, that was me! About 200 years ago I was at a beach with my Garrett BFO and found 2 gold chains in a clump at a beach-they were covered in moss and would probably still be there. A few months ago, Tabdog gave a challenge and EVERY detector I had but the bfo couldn't pick up the gold chain. On top of that, it rejects paper clips, hairpins, and tiny nails while doing it. So my dream of a totlot special bfo in the shape of a walking cane is still on the backburner, and if I get off my lazy can I'm gonna call it the totlotter.

 

[dahut]

Talking about telling the difference in trash and good targets or just learning the difference in trashes. Does the brand of detector make a difference. I hunt with the GTI 2500 and it seems that all sounds except blips on small foil are the same. Is this true are can you actually learn to hear a difference?......Coach

The instrument you use DOES make a difference. The type, or types of response information you are presented with AND the fineness of detail within that information is what makes the difference in telling "trash from treasure." A few graphic icons, pointer arrows and audio "boings" just don't provide the hairsplitting resolution needed for this sort of discernment.

Flatly put, the Garretts don't provide enough of this subtlety, if you are intent on really exploring this sort of thing.
This is by design, we should add here, recognizing that they are more geared towards the "dig everything" mentality.

Now some will say, that I am knocking them. Long time visitors to this forum will know I am NOT; I am simply calling a spade, a spade.
I like the Garretts, especially the GTP 1350. In fact, I'm selling off several of my other detectors, as we speak, just so I can get another one.**
I believe it to be one of the best general purpose detectors money can buy, and I miss having one.

We should recognize that the 1350, 1500 and the 2500 all offer valuable sizing features found on no other detector, presenting size-related information in a simple, up front manner. Other detectors have to be "worked" to get the same information. Since most of the "good stuff" generally falls into only a couple of size ranges, anyway, these instruments increase the odds in your favor. The logic behind them is sound.
But targeting and finding high-value jewelry is not a general purpose endeavor, not by a long shot.

It is a fact that the most of these big-buck targets are elusive, hiding among a confounding array of similarly sized trash targets.
So, to the general purpose detector, even a "sizing" one, a nice gold ring has the same basic attributes as a pulltab or foil ball or screwcap......... that ring also shares some electrical characteristics with these trash items.
Ever heard the old adage that goes, "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck - 'must be a duck." It was tailor-made for the general purpose detector.

And while the ring can certainly share some electrical characteristics with these trash items - it only shares some, and not all. The ring has its own responses, unique unto itself. This is the crucial element... there are discernable differences in the ring that are not found in the trash.

But you must really work to exploit these differences to your advantage; and size information is not enough, all other elements being the same.
If you cannot ALSO discern the finer trash responses from that which is not - within the same size grouping - then you have only one option.... dig anything that appears in the grouping range. This eats up time, and using your time in the most profitable way is the crux of all of this.

All this discerning and categorizing and fine resolution just is not the realm of "one size fits all" detectors. Rather, by neccessity, it demands a particular instrument. And in this case, those are not found in the Garrett line-up.


** Anybody want to work out a trade, A Tesoro Golden for a GTP 1350?

 

[Gene]

Sounds like a good totlot special to me, Would like to see you make it
in the shape of a walking cane. That would be nice. Trouble is it would
be so light you might not ever want to stop. Started out during the
BFO era but never had one. Went the TR route myself. Used a
Metrotech starting out.......like you about 200 years ago.
Thanks for the reply. Not many around anymore that know much about
a BFO. May have to find one myself. You just never know. I have all these
ideas. Sometimes even good ideas. Good hunting to you ! Gene