Where do I start?

[rodbuilder]

I'89 ad bought a house 2 1/2 years ago that belonged to an 85 year-old woman and would like to buy a metal detector so I can look for whatever she might have hidden in my yard! Along with that, I live in an area that was settled in by John Deere and Abe Lincoln, so who knows what someone with too much time on his hands might find here - right?

I want to limit myself to a machine that costs no more than $200 or so.

That said, what should I be looking for in the way of a metal detector? As for what I'm looking for, all I can say is STUFF!! Coins, artifacts, jewelry, that coffee can full of hundreds that the old lady buried (!!!!).........STUFF!!

I realize that stuff that someone intentionally buried is probably going to be down farther than that diamond ring Ashley or Susan dropped in the local park, so what do I need in the way of a decent metal detector for around $200?

Here are my concerns, as I know NOTHING about them:

1. Will a detector that's made to look deep, find things just 6-8 inches underground, or is it a deep-only machine?
2. What about the display - do I need a digital display - and if, not why not?
3. What about brand names - is one brand automatically better than the other one, in the same price range?
4. What about a used detector? Are these thins susceptible to damage if used properly and are they expensive to fix?

Thanks for your experienced help.

 

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[captbo]

My choice would be the Garrett Ace 250!

 

[Loco-Digger]

What state are you in, and what is the nearest city? I hunt in Ohio. If the soil has not been altered, I have dug coins from the mid 1800s at the depth of 5 to 7" inches deep. On the other hand I have hunted yards on old sites and found a clad quarter at 9 inches due to later construction. There are many entry level detectors on the market that will find coins at he 5 to 7" depth. The size of the coil has much to do with depth. Normally, the bigger the coil, the deeper you detect. The issue with big coils is that they should be used in low target areas. If you use them in a trashy area, the odds are that the coil will cover many more targets at once which affects what kind of tone or numeric readings (VDI) that the detector provides. For trashy areas you need a small coil, it is less likely to cover more than one target at a time and provide better separation of targets. I would want a detector that had 3 tones (minimum). Low tones for iron, mid tone for foil through pull tabs, and high tone for copper and silver. Gold rings in as a mid tone from the foil through pull tabs. Most entry level detectors could have found all the targets that were 5 to 7 inches deep. I doubt if you can find a deep detector for caches that are three feet deep or deeper. I always hunt listening for tones and then use the VDI readings to determine if I dig or not. If the VDI reading jumps around with a variation of 4 or more numbers I usually move on. (Example: VDI reading is jumping between a 55 and a 59, more chance of it being an alloy. From what I have read, the VDI readings on detectors are only accurate to about 8 to 9 inches, deeper targets ring in lower than normal. I have bought many used detectors and have had no issues with any of them. Most warranties do not transfer. With your $200 budget you can get a decent used detector, or buy a new entry level. There are many cheap brands. I'd stick with Bounty Hunter, Whites, Fisher, Minelab, Tesoro, Teknetics and Garrett. These are not listed in any sequence. I have used Whites, Tesoro, and a cheap brand, but I swing a Fisher. I left a few brands off since I have never seen one of their models sell for $200 or less.

Good Luck