Best detector for finding deep silver coins?

[Bungyrich]

Hi I am looking to buy a new detector but can't decide which is the best for finding deep silver. I have used an AT Pro and a v3i all have disappointed me in finding a silver quarter at 12-14" I hear that lower frequency detectors are better for finding deeper higher conductivity targets. What are others experiences in a good detector that can handle this? I am looking to keep it under $700

 

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[fistfulladirt]

Still, $2,400 is a lot of money Popeye. There is no majic wand. And those are some expensive mercury dimes.

 

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[Jason in Enid]

Still, $2,400 is a lot of money Popeye. There is no majic wand. And those are some expensive mercury dimes.

You're looking at it wrong. What you find isn't valued based on what detector you swing. This is a hobby and nothing more. Use the tool that fits you best. For me thats a CTX. Now if you put me on a golf course, I won't play worth a damn whether I swing a $50 set of clubs from a pawn shop or a $1000 set of Callaways so I would be happy to play with the cheap ones!

 

[jeepGold]

whats golf?

 

[IDXMonster]

You're looking at it wrong. What you find isn't valued based on what detector you swing. This is a hobby and nothing more. Use the tool that fits you best. For me thats a CTX. Now if you put me on a golf course, I won't play worth a damn whether I swing a $50 set of clubs from a pawn shop or a $1000 set of Callaways so I would be happy to play with the cheap ones!

I see the light on that Jason,you're absolutely right. I have a couple of used 200-300 dollar machines which I have found that I have not mastered completely. When I feel I've gotten everything out of them then I'll step up to what I know to be a deeper,more informative machine,probably an Etrac...but still keep what I've got too. I can take the skills I've accumulated and apply many of them to the next machine that will keep the hobby interesting and producing good finds. To me it's all about finding what I'm after,though the dollar value of what I find will most likely never pay for the gas,snacks,supplies,machine,etc. It's what we do for entertainment,and rarely will you see a profit from your entertainment. But there's always hope. Everybody just has to do things within their own budget. If detecting is fun enough and you have access to the funds,by all means,get an upgrade. Just don't do it because you're failing with what you have and think a new machine will cure that. Most machines,even cheapos,will find spectacular things at a reasonable depth in most places. The high end tech will definitely tell you more about the real deep stuff so you have a better chance of digging something good at serious depths. Going really slow and analyzing everything is also very key,it takes patience,patience,patience. I know there's guys out there who could dig circles around me with a 100 dollar used machine,others could do the same with machines that are upward of a couple grand. Learning the machine is incredibly important,it builds skills to move on later.

 

[fistfulladirt]

"Just don't do it because you're failing with what you have and think a new machine will cure that."

That's exactly what I was getting at.

 

[Rick60]

Pickup a used Garrett GTI 2500 the detecting frequency is adjustable from about 1.5 k to 8 k it is a heavy machine but in all metal mode this unit detected targets much deeper than my Minetrash Eureka Gold my XTERRA 70 , my Fisher Gold$trike and Coin$trike , and this was with it's standard 8in coil And I am talking a significant difference in depth , I have read about hunters picking up a lot of false signals , I looked into this with my GTI 2500 and found it was very small pieces of metal in the ground easy to miss when you are looking for a target !! You try to find your target with nothing showing up, the GTI 2500 is very sensitive to very small targets, you can pickup one of these guys used in the $500 range and within your budget ! Also detecting at about 3k frequency setting will yield you more silver , I have been an Electronics Tech for 30 years and started out by building ,calibrating and servicing industrial $10,000 a unit metal detectors , and that was our low end equipment !!

 

[DiggerGal]

Have you considered looking into a NEL coil for the ATP? Rather than investing 700 on a detector that you will have to learn a new language on, stick with the ATP and look into the NEL coils. They will give you more depth than the stock coils and you would not have the learning curve of a new machine. Just a thought....
I love my ATP (my dream is to move up to a ctx ).
HH!

 

[testing123]

What i mean is if you can find an IH at 14 half inches then silver would not be a problem at that depth, let me tell you this last year i nailed a barber so deep my elbow was level with the top of the hole think about that....

I hope the barber was still able to cut your hair after that...imagine he'd be limping for a few days after such an experience

 

[Jason in Enid]

I hope the barber was still able to cut your hair after that...imagine he'd be limping for a few days after such an experience

HAHAHA! I had to read that twice!

 

[rainyday101]

I think that 705 with a big 3 kHz coil is a good choice. If the area is trashy, separation may be an issue though. Despite the higher frequency, the Tejon is a depth demon on deep coins. I found a modern dime in wet sand at 11" that hit loud and clear.

 

[Bungyrich]

I think that 705 with a big 3 kHz coil is a good choice. If the area is trashy, separation may be an issue though. Despite the higher frequency, the Tejon is a depth demon on deep coins. I found a modern dime in wet sand at 11" that hit loud and clear.

As long as the trash is pretty small it should focus on the silver and higher conductivity targets with the right settings.

 

[pgfhgs]

Get a great big coil and a sling like the BIG Nel 18 x 19 O'yea and a back brace!.........LOL

 

[lockster99]

I have an ATPro and also a CTX3030 and I will tell you all this honestly with no bias. I keep both machines in my vehicle when I can and use them depending on where I am and the conditions. The bells and whistles on the CTX are really nice, but the ATPro is more fun for me. I pull it out and I can hunt really quickly if I dont have a lot of time.
But, it's true that the CTX goes deeper. I pulled the stock coil off and put the 6" coil on.....whole new world. Zeros in on each signal individually. Descriminates iron great also. Still, the Pro is an awesome all around good detector. Love it.

 

[atomicscott]

Still, $2,400 is a lot of money Popeye. There is no majic wand. And those are some expensive mercury dimes.

I always though it strange to spend well over $1000 & many, many hours to find a few silver dimes (& or quarters) per year, that are only worth $2 bucks each or so. At least when I dig clad I get a buck or two each hunt. It may only amount to $100 a year, but it would take a lot of silver dimes (and A LOT more digging) to equal it.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I always though it strange to spend well over $1000 & many, many hours to find a few silver dimes (& or quarters) per year, that are only worth $2 bucks each or so. At least when I dig clad I get a buck or two each hunt. It may only amount to $100 a year, but it would take a lot of silver dimes (and A LOT more digging) to equal it.

Some people chase the history. Some just like finding old thing. Some like finding silver. Some think digging clad is useless and boring. This is a broad hobby, don't judge other based on how YOU enjoy it. I'm sure the beach hunters think the rest of us are all stupid to dig pennies in the dirt while they pull up $1000 rings.

 

[atomicscott]

Some people chase the history. Some just like finding old thing. Some like finding silver. Some think digging clad is useless and boring. This is a broad hobby, don't judge other based on how YOU enjoy it. I'm sure the beach hunters think the rest of us are all stupid to dig pennies in the dirt while they pull up $1000 rings.

Nobody is JUDGING anybody. Did I say you were "stupid to dig pennies in the dirt?" I do not remember typing that. I totally understand the history aspect of detecting. In fact that is what I MOST enjoy about detecting. I love digging up an old flat hasp padlock or IH penny that are probably worthless to many but give me a thrill to think about who was the last person to touch this or how the hell did this get here?

 

[swagman]

I like variety, If I pull up clad one day and then old coins the next then that's great but at the moment I do particularity like to find silver and wheat/indian head pennies. The ATPRO does just fine but I would like to step up to a deeper machine because there are places that no longer produce anything with the ATPRO but I am sure there is deeper stuff there, it just that I can't just reach it.

So I think the best of both worlds would be great, an all round detector with a deeper machine to finish with, they would compliment each other.

While we are on the subject of deeper depth, would a bigger then stock Nell coil go deeper on the ATPRO?

 

[atomicscott]

I like variety, If I pull up clad one day and then old coins the next then that's great but at the moment I do particularity like to find silver and wheat/indian head pennies. The ATPRO does just fine but I would like to step up to a deeper machine because there are places that no longer produce anything with the ATPRO but I am sure there is deeper stuff there, it just that I can't just reach it.

So I think the best of both worlds would be great, an all round detector with a deeper machine to finish with, they would compliment each other.

I totally understand, all the old homesites near me I have hunted to death. Found many wheats, an IH, a lot of cool old relics. I STILL think there must be some silver coins out there. There comes a point where one needs to either drive further & further to find the goodies, or try a new detector or coil at the old sites. I know of a few guys who were about to give up on their usual old sites, until they got an Etrac & started pulling silvers up like never before. Some detectors are better than others at picking out silver from surrounding iron, so that may be the case at some of iron-trashy sites I hunt at least.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Whoa calm down there jason! Dont get your panties in a bunch. Nobody is JUDGING anybody. Did I say you were "stupid to dig pennies in the dirt?" I do not remember typing that. I totally understand the history aspect of detecting. In fact that is what I MOST enjoy about detecting. I love digging up an old flat hasp padlock or IH penny that are probably worthless to many but give me a thrill to think about who was the last person to touch this or how the hell did this get here? I myself, (see how that works?) just do not see the fascination of finding silver coins enough to spend that kind of money. There is a difference in "having an opinion" & "judging somebody". Didn't realize you were so easily offended. My sincerest apologies.

calm down? I'm calm. I think you are reading too much into my words. What I was saying was

1 - everyone has a different way of enjoying the hobby of metal detecting
2 - nobody should judge another because they only dig clad or because they use a $2500 detector to dig silver dimes
3 -jokingly said that the guys who dig gold on the beaches probably think the rest of us are crazy.

Now, to THIS post, you have become VERY condescending. "getting my panties in a wad"? So you attack my manhood and call me a woman... very mature. Calling me "so easily offended" when there was no offense other than the one you imagined is both demeaning and insulting. Again, thank for taking the high-road. "your sincerest apologies" when you truly apologize for nothing and is just another attempt as a cyber-slap in the face. Thanks for showing your true character.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Please stop sniping at each other......

I look at it differently, I don't look at the cost of my detector I spent as lost money since I can get most of my money back on resale..... I find gold with my detectors, I never caught a fish worth several hundred dollars but found lot of rings that are worth it and every time I hunt there is the chance of finding something worth 10 times that. Never caught a fish with history in its belly, but found history when I dirt hunt...


There are plenty of hobbies that only cost with no financial return back, golf and fishing come to mind. I had several friends who called their boats "holes in the water they pour money in to"....Even with out a boat I spent a fair amount of money fishing. Golf is another hobby that costs lost of money with no financial return for 95% of the people playing......

Doesn't matter what it cost if you enjoy doing it, life is short... Minelab GPZ 7000 cost $10,000, but it helps gold hunters go deeper in hunted out gold fields to reach gold nuggets they couldn't reach before so good for them...