Critterhunter
New member
A few days ago I headed out to a site I haven't really hunted before and did a quick hour plus hunt just to see what might be lurking around. I was using my GT and 12x10 coil. Running about 7 or 8PM on the sensitivity dial (near max manual full sensitivity). Got a good silver sounding hit at 7 or 8". Out pops this beauty...
[attachment 254435 IMG_2126.jpg]
Looks like a promising spot in such a short hunt, so a few days later I show up at the site again. This time I was running into strong EMI in some spots, so rather than fuss with sensitivity and keep adjusting it up and down as I moved in and out of the EMI pockets, I just lowered it to what was stable for the zones of EMI I kept walking in and out of, which turned out to be around 11PM to quiet it down. That's still outstanding depth on the GT with the 12x10. Heck, even 3PM is very deep for me and I've popped some very deep coins with it running that low in the past.
So I hunted about 7 to 7 & 1/2 hours and of course took several short breaks here and there. I decided to dig all signals above iron for the day. The effort was worth it, because here's a plate full of goodies I recovered on that hunt, excluding the the 1909 barber dime pictured on the plate that I found on the short scouting hunt the other day. You can see 5 wheats sitting by theirselves, and the other grouping of coins are the few clads I dug.
[attachment 254439 IMG_2111.jpg]
Here's a close up of the two mercs. One was about 7.5" deep and the other about 8 to 8.5". Both banged hard with perfect ID. That might not sound too impressive in your soil, but up until my GT only the best two non-Minelabs I ever owned over the years (and I've owned MANY machines over those years) could hardly muster a max of about 7.5" on a silver dime in my mineralized soil. One of the mercs is a 1919 and the other's last two digits of the date have damage so I don't think I'll be able to tell on that one...
[attachment 254440 IMG_2127.jpg][attachment 254441 IMG_2128.jpg]
Then I happen upon a perfect nickel ID and tone that sounded about 8" deep. The dead lock 143 or 144 nickel VDI # and round distinctive "boing" sound of a nickel (both tone and ID are lower than tabs, which usually start at 149, thanks to the high low and mid conductivity resolution on the Sovereign) had me knowing for sure it was going to be a nickel, just a question of what kind of nickel. Was hoping it would be my first shield, as I've dug plenty of Vs in the past but no shield yet. Turned out it was a buffalo with no date, but that's still a keeper in my book...
[attachment 254442 IMG_2130.jpg]
Wouldn't be the perfect day without a little gold in the mix, and this site didn't let me down. Got a low foil tone. 101 VDI #. Digging it all above iron today, ain't I? What the heck, let's dig...First thing I see is a gold clip of some kind, but I quickly knew it was plated. Stuck my Pro Pointer back in the hole and hear another signal. Jesus on the cross, and it was easy to see it too was plated. Hey, maybe there's a gold chain in there? Stuck the Pro Pointer in the hole again and hear yet another signal. A little dirt exposing and I see gold! And this time it looks like the real deal! Yep, saw the 10K mark on the clasp. Stick the pin pointer in again and find another piece of the chain. Two pieces, and unless this is a bracelet there should be more in the hole, but I didn't surmise that until I left and realized it would be odd to hang a pendant on a bracelet (I guess??? Anybody?). You can see the chain and the clip/pieces parts next to Jesus on the plate in the first picture above, but here's a close up of the 10K mark on the clasp...
[attachment 254443 IMG_2129.jpg]
Either way, I think next time I head back I'll re-check that plug better and a bit deeper and wider just to make sure I ain't missing any more chain here. I did sweep over the plug with my GT but if only chain is left, I doubt this thin of a chain will sound off, as Minelabs aren't known for that. I suspect the only reason I got a foil hit on that chain was due to the pendant and clasp. Perhaps if the chain was balled up it would sound off, but I wouldn't put money on it. The Pro Pointer though does obviously pick up the chain, so I'm going to deepen/widen that plug (in a careful clean way to not muck up the ground of course) and look for any more next time there.
Wait, we ain't done yet...
Did you notice that large silver looking disc sitting next to the silver dimes on the plate? I could use your help on this one...Welp, I figured it was silver due to it's being heavier than aluminum by feel, and also of course due to the silver look to it and the sweet high tone it gave me, but I wasn't sure until I got it home and looked under a loop. I've reached the maximum allowed number of pictures in one post, so scroll down to the next post to see what I saw...
[attachment 254435 IMG_2126.jpg]
Looks like a promising spot in such a short hunt, so a few days later I show up at the site again. This time I was running into strong EMI in some spots, so rather than fuss with sensitivity and keep adjusting it up and down as I moved in and out of the EMI pockets, I just lowered it to what was stable for the zones of EMI I kept walking in and out of, which turned out to be around 11PM to quiet it down. That's still outstanding depth on the GT with the 12x10. Heck, even 3PM is very deep for me and I've popped some very deep coins with it running that low in the past.
So I hunted about 7 to 7 & 1/2 hours and of course took several short breaks here and there. I decided to dig all signals above iron for the day. The effort was worth it, because here's a plate full of goodies I recovered on that hunt, excluding the the 1909 barber dime pictured on the plate that I found on the short scouting hunt the other day. You can see 5 wheats sitting by theirselves, and the other grouping of coins are the few clads I dug.
[attachment 254439 IMG_2111.jpg]
Here's a close up of the two mercs. One was about 7.5" deep and the other about 8 to 8.5". Both banged hard with perfect ID. That might not sound too impressive in your soil, but up until my GT only the best two non-Minelabs I ever owned over the years (and I've owned MANY machines over those years) could hardly muster a max of about 7.5" on a silver dime in my mineralized soil. One of the mercs is a 1919 and the other's last two digits of the date have damage so I don't think I'll be able to tell on that one...
[attachment 254440 IMG_2127.jpg][attachment 254441 IMG_2128.jpg]
Then I happen upon a perfect nickel ID and tone that sounded about 8" deep. The dead lock 143 or 144 nickel VDI # and round distinctive "boing" sound of a nickel (both tone and ID are lower than tabs, which usually start at 149, thanks to the high low and mid conductivity resolution on the Sovereign) had me knowing for sure it was going to be a nickel, just a question of what kind of nickel. Was hoping it would be my first shield, as I've dug plenty of Vs in the past but no shield yet. Turned out it was a buffalo with no date, but that's still a keeper in my book...
[attachment 254442 IMG_2130.jpg]
Wouldn't be the perfect day without a little gold in the mix, and this site didn't let me down. Got a low foil tone. 101 VDI #. Digging it all above iron today, ain't I? What the heck, let's dig...First thing I see is a gold clip of some kind, but I quickly knew it was plated. Stuck my Pro Pointer back in the hole and hear another signal. Jesus on the cross, and it was easy to see it too was plated. Hey, maybe there's a gold chain in there? Stuck the Pro Pointer in the hole again and hear yet another signal. A little dirt exposing and I see gold! And this time it looks like the real deal! Yep, saw the 10K mark on the clasp. Stick the pin pointer in again and find another piece of the chain. Two pieces, and unless this is a bracelet there should be more in the hole, but I didn't surmise that until I left and realized it would be odd to hang a pendant on a bracelet (I guess??? Anybody?). You can see the chain and the clip/pieces parts next to Jesus on the plate in the first picture above, but here's a close up of the 10K mark on the clasp...
[attachment 254443 IMG_2129.jpg]
Either way, I think next time I head back I'll re-check that plug better and a bit deeper and wider just to make sure I ain't missing any more chain here. I did sweep over the plug with my GT but if only chain is left, I doubt this thin of a chain will sound off, as Minelabs aren't known for that. I suspect the only reason I got a foil hit on that chain was due to the pendant and clasp. Perhaps if the chain was balled up it would sound off, but I wouldn't put money on it. The Pro Pointer though does obviously pick up the chain, so I'm going to deepen/widen that plug (in a careful clean way to not muck up the ground of course) and look for any more next time there.
Wait, we ain't done yet...
Did you notice that large silver looking disc sitting next to the silver dimes on the plate? I could use your help on this one...Welp, I figured it was silver due to it's being heavier than aluminum by feel, and also of course due to the silver look to it and the sweet high tone it gave me, but I wasn't sure until I got it home and looked under a loop. I've reached the maximum allowed number of pictures in one post, so scroll down to the next post to see what I saw...
