My take on the nickel category is that there are many junk items that mimic a nickel so getting any detector to "lock on" is something we can only dream of.
Detectors seem to do better with the higher conductors as far as getting it right than lower conductors.
For example, many of the newer type rectangluar pulltabs have a very close conductive signature as nickels.
Also when nickels have been in the ground for a while, they get a tarnished covering over them that can make them read lower than they normally read out of the ground.
Now add some depth and sometimes all one can get is a broken signal that resembles a junk item, such as foil.
Sometimes people tear off a beaver tail that can read almost exactly like a nickel, not only that but some smaller pieces of shredded alum cans read like a nickel
or lower like foil and where some thin gold rings show up.
With a numbered digital ID system, numbers can bounce around created by many factors, including depth, nearby trash, angle of target in ground so it is better
to average out the numbers that appear.
As has been already pointed out, ID systems with fewer segments appear to be more stable but the fact is with fewer segments the ability for "jumping around"
is diminished.
Brands employ different circuitry and filters to allow for target ID, I suppose there is a micro-processor that averages the signal out to determine what value
to place on that particular signal.
Personally, I like the 6"DD HF for IDing lower conductors like nickels, maybe the other HF Xterra coils also do well?
I have found out it does better for me to distinguish between nickels and those newer rectangle pulltabs, nickels read
12 and maybe 10 while the pulltabs read 14 or higher.....but this is for shallow depths under ideal circumstances (mostly clad-hunting situations).
Relic hunting is different matter however with small lead reading all over the place in the lower conductive ranges.
Detectors seem to do better with the higher conductors as far as getting it right than lower conductors.
For example, many of the newer type rectangluar pulltabs have a very close conductive signature as nickels.
Also when nickels have been in the ground for a while, they get a tarnished covering over them that can make them read lower than they normally read out of the ground.
Now add some depth and sometimes all one can get is a broken signal that resembles a junk item, such as foil.
Sometimes people tear off a beaver tail that can read almost exactly like a nickel, not only that but some smaller pieces of shredded alum cans read like a nickel
or lower like foil and where some thin gold rings show up.
With a numbered digital ID system, numbers can bounce around created by many factors, including depth, nearby trash, angle of target in ground so it is better
to average out the numbers that appear.
As has been already pointed out, ID systems with fewer segments appear to be more stable but the fact is with fewer segments the ability for "jumping around"
is diminished.
Brands employ different circuitry and filters to allow for target ID, I suppose there is a micro-processor that averages the signal out to determine what value
to place on that particular signal.
Personally, I like the 6"DD HF for IDing lower conductors like nickels, maybe the other HF Xterra coils also do well?
I have found out it does better for me to distinguish between nickels and those newer rectangle pulltabs, nickels read
12 and maybe 10 while the pulltabs read 14 or higher.....but this is for shallow depths under ideal circumstances (mostly clad-hunting situations).
Relic hunting is different matter however with small lead reading all over the place in the lower conductive ranges.