5 Rings: Was it Skill, Luck or ATX? You Decide

WaterWalker

Hero Member
Jan 31, 2007
525
674
Cape Cod, Massachuestts
Detector(s) used
Garrett (Infinium, ATPro, ATX), Minelab Excalibur, Tesoro Conquistador, Whites (Surfmaster PI, Quantum), JW Fisher 8X, DetectorPro Underwater 8", Minelab Equinox 800, Manticore, Pro-Find 35
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
5RingDay.JPG

Two weeks after the New England's deep freeze put me into hibernation it went north for 3 days. In its place came a blue sky, temperature hitting 49, melting snow, and 15mph winds…it was time to go detecting.


I was off to a less popular beach with a detecting partner. We had been to the small beach 7 times in the last 7 months. I had used my Infinium in all of the previous outing, this time I was going to use my new ATX. I just had to see what, if anything, I and two other detectorists had missed. Not expecting to find much I was surprised to find an old belt buckle, then a penny, a nickel and two dimes so thin they had only one side in the first two hours of detecting.

The 38F water was putting a chill in my hands and the thought of coffee was setting in. Then I heard the Hi-Lo, repeatable signal and yes it was a 14K white gold wedding band. Minutes later I heard another sharp, Hi-Lo, repeatable signal. This time it was faint and only 1 LED lit up. Digging six scoops (approximately 18 inches) down to the hard-pack layer a 10K 1972 class ring was looking at me through its green “eye”. It soon found its way into my pouch. Again that Hi-Lo signal sang in my ears, I saw 2 LEDs and after 3 scoops I was holding a beautiful 18K signet ring.

I could not believe, nor could my detecting partner, what was coming out of an area that three detectorists had covered so well over the past 7 months. And while he was watching I was digging after another ATX signal that produced 1 lit LED. This time I dug in what seemed to be an hour before hitting the hard clay bottom. In that scoop was a 10K 1960 class ring.

My detecting partner then told me to go for number 5. Another few minutes passed with only a nickel hitting the inside of my pouch. Then I had another nickel sound. I scooped shallow into a hard layer of snails but missed the target. The next scoop went through the remaining snail layer and into small pebbles and the signal was gone as was the 6 glowing LEDs. The target was in the scoop. Yes, number 5, another 14K wedding band joined the other rings in my pouch.

All this happening within 30 minutes had me thinking: How did I every miss all of these rings with the Infinium? I know I had covered the area several times and had only found two rings in the past. They were not fresh drops. Was it SKILL – I did not think so as it was only my 20th hour using the ATX. Had the sand moved that much, or what was it? I don’t think it was the sand movement, I knew the terrain and the area was only about 200 square feet and the water was less than waist deep at low tide. The terrain had not changed. Luck? Well it could be and I would say yes, but there were 5 rings. How could that be luck? That leaves only one variable – the detector – the ATX! Don’t you think so?

 

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EccentricInTexas

Hero Member
Jan 14, 2013
944
659
Central Texas
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 11DD coil 11x15DD coil 6DD coil
Schiebel AN-19/2,
Bounty Hunter Land Ranger Pro,
Bounty Hunter Pioneer 505,
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Awesome FNIDS!!! After watching some youtube videos of the ATX I think its that machine. The videos I have seen have shown it to be super sensitive and deep seeking!!! If I were to ever go nugget hunting that would be the machine I'd want to take!
 

OBN

Gold Member
Dec 30, 2008
6,528
7,009
Maryland Waters
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
"Excalibur"..
"AQ" Impulse
Primary Interest:
Other
Knowing who you are and a good person, ...all a very good combo. I would say 25% skill, 25% machine, 25% movement, 25% luck.....

And a very nice payday, should cover the price of your machine...or close.
 

CASPER-2

Gold Member
Jan 3, 2012
17,158
19,959
NEW ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
WHITE'S XLT, PI PRO, GARRETT 2500, 3- FISHER CZ21s, JW FISHER 8X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Id say all 3 - man - machine and luck
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Ive been hitting old deep gold on the Cape the last 2 yrs that others have missed - stuff is down around 2 feet
been following guys with Excals - using my cz21 in all metal
been getting old wedding bands - one is dated 1878
and all kinds of early 1900s class rings
continued good luck
 

Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,082
White Plains, New York
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I would say that I wish I had been there with my Sand Shark! Great finds and congratulations!:occasion14:
 

SonnyFl

Hero Member
Mar 9, 2007
898
582
Hudson Fl.
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Excal
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
What ever you have, don't loose it. Just remember what you did. OUTSTANDING!
 

Fletch88

Silver Member
Mar 7, 2013
4,841
2,367
Valdosta, GA
Detector(s) used
Garrett ATPro- 8.5x11, 5x8, CORS Fotune 5.5x9.5
Tesoro Silver microMax- 8 donut, 8x11 RSD, 3x18 Cleansweep
Minelab Excalibur ll- 10" Tornado
Minelab CTX 3030
Minelab Xterra 305
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
What a hunt! Congrats on an awesome day! Sounds like the machine to me and a little luck. I think the skill was a given.
 

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Whydah

Bronze Member
Feb 24, 2010
1,079
1,914
New England
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 30-30 Minelab X Calibur 1000 MineLab Equinox 800 Garret Infinium Fisher CZ 21
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
Good score on the rings Rick, very surprised to see you posting????..lol Hmmmm
 

Reelsnrods

Sr. Member
Feb 13, 2013
396
313
Nantucket
Detector(s) used
AT Pro
CZ-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wow... That is quite a day, no matter the detector! Congrats!!!
 

hubcap76

Hero Member
Jun 27, 2013
532
241
Treasure Coast, Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign Xs 2a pro, Excalibur ll, Explorer II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well done on the rings and kudos for hunting in those conditions, a lot of respect for all you northern winter water hunters. Amazing
 

fongu

Bronze Member
Mar 30, 2012
1,335
875
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You had a great day with all 3 combined: skill, luck & ATX. HH.
 

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