MXT Question, Coin/Jewelry Mode vs. Relic Mode for Older Coins

[Rowdy Yates]

I've had my MXT a little over 6 months now. For the most part, I've always hunted in Coin/Jewelry mode with the settings at (or around) the factory presets. I feel pretty confident and comfortable with those settings, but lately I've been fiddling around in Relic mode and I have a few questions.

My overall goal is to try and squeeze some older and deeper coins out of previously hunted and fairly trashy (man-made iron) areas. There are a few places (older lots and parks) where I've been teased with some older wheaties, and I know there's gotta' be some silver left there, somewhere.

It seems as if in Coin/Jewelry mode, I've been having a difficult time separating out a good, repeatable, deep diggable signal, especially when there's more than one target close to each other, which is most often the case. I'm using the 4x6 DD Eclipse coil almost exclusively, and many times it's hard to determine if there's actually something worth digging in Coin/Jewelry mode if the MXT can't make up it's mind what's down there, what with all the trash, etc.

Anyway, the last few times out, I've switched to using Relic mode. I really like the high-pitched "Beep" because, first off, it tells me that there's something down there that isn't iron. In fact, I've been running the MXT with the trigger-switch in the forward position to eliminate the iron "Grunt". This way, it seems that even if there is some iron near the target, the MXT still tells me there's a potential older coin there. Never mind if the VDI says it's a Button or a Buckle, or whatever, just by sweeping the coil in Relic mode with the trigger in the forward position, if I get a high-pitched "Beep", I feel it's worth a few more passes with the coil.

Next, I look at the numbers. Since I'm going after older coins, especially silver, I'll dig everything from a +60 to +94. Most of the parks I go to have a lot of pull-tabs, so I probably won't dig anything between +24 to +42. From +42 to +60, I'll change position, make a few more sweeps and see. Sometimes the number will creep up into the +70 to +80 range in which case I'll definitely dig it. Sometimes, the numbers drop down into the below +42 range, and I'll leave it be. Numbers between 0 to +24 can be tricky. Usually foil, but of course I'll dig anything with a solid +16 to +22, but I usually get 2-3 pull-tabs for every nickel. I usually won't dig anything between +10 to +16 unless it's an easy, shallow dig (2"-4") and never anything less than +10.

Before I dig anything though, of course I'll "pinpoint" it. It seems as if this is when I make that critical decision whether to dig the target, or not. Quite often, in Coin/Jewelry mode, it seemed difficult to accurately pinpoint a "good" target. The VDI would jump around from "penny-dime" to "iron" to "nickel/pull-tab", and I'd have to swing over and over the target until I got the VDI I wanted, and then pinpoint.

In Relic mode, though, it seems much easier to establish the "good" VDI number and then pinpoint. I'm also getting more accurate (and deeper) location and depth readings than in Coin/Jewelry mode. Just recently, I went back to a few areas where I had hunted before and had found a few coins down to about 5 inches in Coin/Jewelry mode. When I reworked those areas in Relic mode, I found quite a few more coins that I had missed before, and all of them were deeper, down to around 7 inches (still just clad, though).

Anyway, am I on the right track here?? I'm not so much interested in modern rings, jewelry, etc., but more interested in the older coins at a deeper depth. I've also tried locking the ground-balance at around 50 (my soils are usually around 50-62), and it seemed to stabilize the MXT even more. I'm finding that by just listening for the high-pitched "beep" in relic mode, I'm able to cover more ground, easily identify potential and deeper targets, and decide faster whether to dig or not.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Rick

[gmu4me]

Here are my 2 cents on the MXT... I relic hunt in the highly mineralized, very trashy hay and corn fields of central Va... full of old iron parts, horseshoes, foil, copper wire, shotgun shells, modern shells, and CW relics. I used to hunt mainly in Relic mode... it was easy... high beep I dig, low beep I ignore.

However, last month I started hunting in Prospecting mode and my results increased significantly. I picked up several CW Eagle/Eagle I buttons, many bullets, many small brass objects, etc. What I also found was my first silver coin.. an 1845 Seated Liberty Dime. I also found 2 IH pennies.. 1863 and unknown. I also found an old flattened silver heart pendent no larger than a dime. Most items were down 4-6 inches.

My point is this.. I find the audio tone in Prospecting mode easy to interpret and the "% Iron" display is a great indicator of what targets to dig. If the "% Iron" reading is 10-30%.. I dig. If the reading fluctuates.. I still dig cause there might be iron masking a good target. I was able to clearly identify all the items listed above as non-iron. The VDI number helps me guess what the target might be.

This solution is not the best in areas full of non-iron trash since there is no discrimination for pull tabs, foil, etc. But in my case.. its worth digging if it is a non-Iron reading.. Also, switching to the M6 Eclipse Shooter DD (4x6) coil helped me find good targets in HIGHLY trashy areas and previously hunted areas. I found one of the IH pennies in between two filled holes that my buddy left from a previous hunt.

Hope this helps you.. Look forward to hearing back with results.
Dean

[Trescher]

I just got my MXT last week and I think that I will have similiar questions and/or experiences.

First off, I am starting with the defaults in Coin/Jewelry mode, and I find myself staring at the display because I don't seem to get strong beeps for a penny or a quarter even when the indicator is three blocks high. I am keeping the trigger switch in the center position and everything else at the defaults.

I've only been out twice, but this seemed a little strange. My ACE 250 would always give a coin beep in the higher VDIs. I have not seen this with my MXT.

Any thoughts? How are you liking yours after 6 months with it?

Thanks.