Mercury dimes and wheat pennies + question !

Treasuresabes

Tenderfoot
Dec 26, 2015
6
16
NC
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi kids-

I've gone over my backyard (home built in the 40's) about four or five times and keep coming up with new finds! Still working on my settings for the bounty Hunter (xmas gift). Basically everything that I have found worth keeping has been on the tone discrimination setting, with sensitivity very low and discrimination low. Am I losing depth by using the setting? The all metal setting has been pulling up every freaking nail or a piece of metal up to 8 inches below the ground. I've eliminated a lot of that on the tone setting, but wondered if I'm missing out by not taking all the metal targets. Any suggestions?

I'm also heading to the beach tomorrow, would love a couple of tips on settings for sand! Really enjoy this group, thanks so much for all of the suggestions. Will keep you updated.
 

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Scrappy

Gold Member
Mar 6, 2014
9,204
14,019
17th century
🥇 Banner finds
7
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030 & XP Deus
Primary Interest:
Other
Nope, nope. You're right where you want to be. You'll never be able to get past digging the junk...anyone that's serious about combing a spot knows that...

All said you're off to a great start. I'd go all-metal. I do on my machine. I dig a lot of junk and crap, but have retrieved some incredible things that sounded like garbage and rust: Spanish reales, cobs, buttons, rev war stirrups, early coppers etc...



You're doing great. Keep going!

Steve
 

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CRUSADER

Gold Member
May 25, 2007
40,820
45,226
ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
27
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II v0.6 with 11" Coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nope, nope. You're right where you want to be. You'll never be able to get past digging the junk...anyone that's serious about combing a spot knows that...

All said you're off to a great start. I'd go all-metal. I do on my machine. I dig a lot of junk and crap, but have retrieved some incredible things that sounded like garbage and rust: Spanish reales, cobs, buttons, rev war stirrups, early coppers etc...



You're doing great. Keep going!

Steve
Listen to the man that knows.

Its a common error/myth that companies sell you - 'our detectors allow you to discriminate against digging trash'. That is trash talk because in good areas you need to dig out everything. Many of my best finds have sounded iffy, for many varying reasons. What you can't do, is clear it all in 1 go. Start like you have with the better signals & then each time you grid it, get less fussy. All metal or higher Ses will help with depth.
 

OP
OP
T

Treasuresabes

Tenderfoot
Dec 26, 2015
6
16
NC
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Listen to the man that knows.

Its a common error/myth that companies sell you - 'our detectors allow you to discriminate against digging trash'. That is trash talk because in good areas you need to dig out everything. Many of my best finds have sounded iffy, for many varying reasons. What you can't do, is clear it all in 1 go. Start like you have with the better signals & then each time you grid it, get less fussy. All metal or higher Ses will help with depth.

Thanks so much! So should I just always use all metal and take everything?! I don't want to miss out, but it's a little frustrating pulling old rusty 3 inch nails every 3 feet. Not sure why those are in my backyard, anyway. Suppose a pin pointer would help me locate items more quickly?
 

against the wind

Gold Member
Jul 27, 2015
24,797
24,976
Port Allegheny, Pennsylvania
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E-trac, Excalibur, XP Deus, & CTX 3030.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
You have already been given some excellent recommendations. Digging all targets will certainly help you become more familiar with the target I.D. numbers as well as the different tones each target will give.
Old School diggers will tell you that the process of passing a fist full of dirt over a coil to check for the target has pretty much been eliminated thanks to the development of the Pin Pointer. I never leave home without it.

A sand scoop and a Lesche Digger are
 

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Trezurehunter

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
17,860
21,408
Illinois / Oklahoma
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
8
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Minelab Equinox 800 - Fisher CZ 5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I do what Scrappy said. I dig a lot of garbage in "hunted out places", but also come home with some very nice finds. I would dig 20 lbs. of garbage for a Half Reale any day.
 

CRUSADER

Gold Member
May 25, 2007
40,820
45,226
ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
27
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II v0.6 with 11" Coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks so much! So should I just always use all metal and take everything?! I don't want to miss out, but it's a little frustrating pulling old rusty 3 inch nails every 3 feet. Not sure why those are in my backyard, anyway. Suppose a pin pointer would help me locate items more quickly?

It depends how serious you are about it. Its not a bad idea to go all metal all the time but some areas it would be annoying for a newbie. The more you dig those nails the more that sound will become familiar, & only when you are, you can just ignore them. It can take hundreds of hours to learn the sounds, so nothing comes quick in this hobby, other than luck.
Probably best leave all metal to year 2, & start on the basics of high sensitivity & low discrimination. Dig as much as you can put up with.
Part of my success is that I don't use a pin pointer, those that think it speeds things up are wrong & I would challenge anyone to get a target from beep to pouch in a faster time than I. (this is a field situation not grass, although I still don't use one then either)
However, I have the advantage of ploughed land, so its a quick flick of the soil, bend (no getting on knees & pulling out a pin pointer) & grab it in the soil first grab (this takes skill & time to learn, I still only have a 40% success rate), divide that soil in 2 lumps, drop one lump & scan, not in there then its in you hand, break into 2 lumps & repeat the process. I never pass my hands over the coil, as I still wear a ring on each hand, & I still manage most items in my pouch in 30 seconds or less.

I've been on a field with pin point user & he was on his knees more than I was detecting, the last guy I was with thought he was on the field with 2 Crusaders, because every time he looked up I was gridding the other half of the field. Speed of recovery is one of my best weapons, see evidence below:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/212827-new-1-day-button-record.htm
Including trash I was putting a object in my pouch every single minute (on average) for 4 hours. If people tell you that is possible with a pin pointer, they lie.:thumbsup:

However, where you're not using a large garden spade like I do (I cut a 3 sided turf & fold over to keep the roots attached) & use those blades to cut a small plug then its a good idea to have a pin pointer. Because in that situation speed is an issue & getting it out without scratching it is more important. So depends on what your digging tool is & where you plan to detect??
 

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CRUSADER

Gold Member
May 25, 2007
40,820
45,226
ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
27
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II v0.6 with 11" Coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Pin pointers are almost a must for this hobby.....
Speak for yourself. I had one once because I was digging deep holes in heavy clay & it was hard(& hard digging) to work out if it was below the 12" I had dug or on the side. But I ended up hardly using it & then it broken, I do not miss it one bit.
 

davehky

Hero Member
Jan 3, 2007
748
358
Mass
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250 garrette pro pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I'm a true believer for pinpointers! Find coins jewelry,etc 100% faster with way less digging extra...also I'm lazy,so I do not detect with all metals mode. I hardly dig junk. At times I dig up to 60 small holes,with all hits for coins and jewelry.im getting old so I realy have to dig all the good stuff!
HH
 

Trezurehunter

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
17,860
21,408
Illinois / Oklahoma
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
8
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - Fisher CZ 5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Speak for yourself. I had one once because I was digging deep holes in heavy clay & it was hard(& hard digging) to work out if it was below the 12" I had dug or on the side. But I ended up hardly using it & then it broken, I do not miss it one bit.
I am with Crusader on this one. I have been detecting almost 30 yrs. & just bought my first pin pointer last year. Yes, I do realize that pin pointers haven't been out there that long. It has helped with some very small items in the early morning dark hours that I hunt, but the bottom line is that I would have eventually found the item without it. They may save you time, but I'm out there to relax & have fun so if it takes me an extra minute to find the item, I don't mind. I'ts all a personal matter as if you want to use one or not.
 

CRUSADER

Gold Member
May 25, 2007
40,820
45,226
ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
27
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II v0.6 with 11" Coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am with Crusader on this one. I have been detecting almost 30 yrs. & just bought my first pin pointer last year. Yes, I do realize that pin pointers haven't been out there that long. It has helped with some very small items in the early morning dark hours that I hunt, but the bottom line is that I would have eventually found the item without it. They may save you time, but I'm out there to relax & have fun so if it takes me an extra minute to find the item, I don't mind. I'ts all a personal matter as if you want to use one or not.

True, they 'may' save you time, but like you say its what makes you comfortable & confident. I like speed hunting, very few on here would detect at my pace but it works for me/team (Dad & I). The tiny bits I find, are so small the pin pointer would have trouble, so there is no way it would speed up my operation, not a chance. But that comes with years of experience & millions of holes. I can roughly tell what the object is by its sound, how deep it is, & therefore how much soil I need to dig to get it first dig (60% of the time), then spread it with the foot, bend down grab first time, find it, crack on.
 

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GA_Boy

Bronze Member
Jul 30, 2006
1,433
1,579
Jefferson, Ga
Detector(s) used
BH LRP
1265X,
GoldBug II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Being an old relic hunter, if I hear a beep, I take a peek.
Marvin
 

GA_Boy

Bronze Member
Jul 30, 2006
1,433
1,579
Jefferson, Ga
Detector(s) used
BH LRP
1265X,
GoldBug II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Pin pointers are almost a must for this hobby.....
Even though I just bought one (Haven't used it yet), I made it 45 years without one and experienced some of the happiest times of my life.
To each His/Her own.:notworthy:
Marvin
 

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