AT-Pro question...

[bettendorfJoe]

I have been out with my AT-Pro about a dozen times to 5 different locations this year and have been to some fairly decent sites. I am no professional but it seems like the sites I have been to have not been hunted (or they were poorly hunted), I'm finding lots of clad but no silver.

I always dig the first dozen or so targets to get a feel for how things are ringing in (nickels like nickels, dimes like dimes, pull tabs like pull tabs, etc...) but I am not finding silver at all.

Nothing I search is less than 70 years old and I've done my research on where to search while on the properties (historic aerials, photos, etc...).

I pretty much stick to the coins setting, am I wrong? What am I doing wrong?

Last year was the same thing...

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[buzzhead]

Silver isn't as common nowadays.

 

[bettendorfJoe]

Silver isn't as common nowadays.

Yeah...I get that. What I want to know is, do any any other AT-Pro users have and land search tips for me?

 

[BigWaveDave]

Its not that you are doing anything wrong, just a matter of luck getting the coil over old targets. Patience my friend, the silver will appear. Keep in mind that while you are hunting sites that are at least 70 years old, 50 of those years have been the clad years. Where are you, btw?

 

[VBCurt]

I keep mine in PRO all with desc at 38 and iron audio on. I have found about 27 pieces of silver sense I have had my at pro. I have only found 1 spanish silver and it pops up around 75, but they very. I would not recommend coin setting unless your at a park. I have had lower numbers all the way to 53 with it jumping back up to 80s and 90s once i remove some dirt or open the hole. Also I discovered if the ground has alot of hills and valleys you want to ground balance the machine alot more.

 

[Loco-Digger]

There are so many variables, such as soil type, trash masking good targets, and did they have a lot of visitors on these properties. I have hit many parks that are on the map back in the 1800s. I have yet to find silver at any of them. I know there is silver there, but probably too deep for my previous detectors and sweep speed. When it comes to soil, it is my experience that coins will sink at a faster rate loose loam and practically stop sinking when they hit the clay. Slow your swing and dig the whispers. I have hit properties that were built in prior to 1875 and have not found any old coins, even though I was the first to hunt them. Some people were very careful with their change, money was harder to come by back then..

 

[bettendorfJoe]

Thanks guys...I have never really considered my swing speed as a variable. I am going to rethink my settings and slow things down this week. I will let you know how I do!

 

[pkb]

Swing speed is the key. slow and steady. Slower you go the better the machine works. Re scan those whispers. The AT Pro is a silver hog.

 

[bettendorfJoe]

What do you see a silver dime reading up as? Any other silvers? I have found tons of clad at 1" - 10" deep and they ring just about perfect.

 

[Fletch88]

It's not the machine. I experience the same thing with every machine up to and including the CTX. Then I can take a Tesoro out and find a silver in some off beat location I never expected to find silver. !

 

[pkb]

silver coins in the 80's. Dimes are usually 83 ish

 

[Higgy]

The ATP is a great tones machine. You can definitely tell the audio difference between a silver quarter and a claddie. The more you use it, the better it gets.

 

[Eagle101]

Don't get discouraged. If there is nothing in the ground than it's not there. I love my AT pro. i switched to the Xp deus and sometimes i want to switch back because it is a very good machine. Some guys run there machines different. I run mine with discrimination all the way to 44 and i notch out 95-99 doesn't mean i'm right or wrong. it's the way i like to run it. The silver will come just be patient.

I suggest getting all different silver coins and doing a field test in your yard. lay them flat, sideways, angled...etc. Just like they are in the ground. That worked for me. Good luck and happy hunting!!!

 

[VBCurt]

silver coins in the 80's. Dimes are usually 83 ish

Same. Here

 

[tndirtdigger]

Just from my experience with the AT Pro the pennies usually ring in at 79-81, dimes at 82-83, and quarters anywhere above 83 and below 90. The only coin I found that hit a 90 was a half dollar. Seems like I find a bunch of scrap aluminum and beer tops at 85, not sure why but nothing good has come from an 85 yet. The nickels have been weird for mine, I found a shield nickel a few weeks ago that bounced all over 45-60 and at first I didn't even want to dig it, but I kept hearing something that sounded appealing. I was rather surprised that it was a shield nickel. I'm not an expert with the AT pro yet but that is what I have learned so far about the machine. Do you use the large coil 8.5x11 or the smaller 5x8?

 

[bettendorfJoe]

Just from my experience with the AT Pro the pennies usually ring in at 79-81, dimes at 82-83, and quarters anywhere above 83 and below 90. The only coin I found that hit a 90 was a half dollar. Seems like I find a bunch of scrap aluminum and beer tops at 85, not sure why but nothing good has come from an 85 yet. The nickels have been weird for mine, I found a shield nickel a few weeks ago that bounced all over 45-60 and at first I didn't even want to dig it, but I kept hearing something that sounded appealing. I was rather surprised that it was a shield nickel. I'm not an expert with the AT pro yet but that is what I have learned so far about the machine. Do you use the large coil 8.5x11 or the smaller 5x8?

I use the large coil... & from reading the posts above, I think I haven't been digging enough targets? I "usually" dig the first dozen or so, no matter where they ring in, but I don't think that is the correct path. It sounds like I may have been letting some good stuff lie. I think I am going to adjust my settings and dig EVERYTHING for a while to see if I am leaving the good stuff there. I do know that I am not digging deep (maybe 6-8") enough to find the silver. I think I need to slow down and deepen my search.

I guess I thought my detector would say "RING, RING" when I was near anything good. I have found over $35.00 in clad this year and my hand hurts like hell from digging so much, I just think it hasn't been as detailed and tedious as most of you are...?

This weekend will tell. I'm going back to a site where I have found lost of clad...I think I was just ignoring the deep stuff thinking it was garbage, but not anymore!!!

 

[jeepGold]

AT Pro sounds about the same as my AT Gold. I've never used a Pro but I've walked right where guys with Pro's had come and gone and found ALOT of stuff that they either didn't swing over, discrim'ed out,or simply ignored. I run my detector in discrim 1 and set it to 44. 48-53 usually nickels or gold, 54 to 65 are tabs but I still pull them because that could be gold (usually tabs). 66 to upper 70's are pennies(or big gold), 80 to 83 are dimes and up is quarters or silver.
Practice practice practice. I've seen 400.00 detectors out perform a deus. It's 80% skill 20% machine... or there about.


A wise man once said, " It's not metal finding, it's metal detecting." You can't go to a place all willy nilly. Walk grids, pay attn to where people would normally congregate. Tree's are a big one. Roots suck but they hold prizes. Soccer field side lines are huge....

 

[bettendorfJoe]

Well...I think my attitude towards things jumping out of the ground and into my pouch has changed. I just may have passed up good stuff thinking it was junk. No more of that though. I am going to go back to every site I've searched in the past and start over with a slow n steady search method to see what I missed.

Thank you to everyone for your input, I'll keep you updated on my results.

Joe

 

[langsy]

AT PRO VDI ITEM READ OUT
99 -- Ike Silver Dollar, Morgan Silver Dollar
98 -- Ike Silver Dollar
97 -- Ike Silver Dollar
96 -- Morgan Silver Dollar, Walking Liberty Silver Half Dollar, Franklin Silver Half Dollar, Large Silver Ring
95 -- 1 Troy Ounce .999 Silver Coin, 4 Quarters in a stack!
94 --
93 -- Peace Dollar, Kennedy 40% Silver Half Dollar
92 -- Clad Dollar, Kennedy 40% Silver Half Dollar, Clad Half Dollar, Aluminum Token, Large Silver Ring
91 -- Barber Half Dollar
90 -- Presidential Dollar, Clad Half Dollar, Clad Quarter, Large US 1 Cent, Silver British Half Crown
89 -- Washington Silver Quarter, Clad Quarter
88 -- Standing Liberty Silver Quarter, Washington Silver Quarter, Clad Quarter, Medium Silver Ring
87 -- SBA Dollar
86 -- SBA Dollar, Sacajawea Dollar, Spanish 2-Reale
85 -- Barber Quarter, Clad Quarter, Seated Dime, Matron Head Large Cent
84 -- Seated Dime, Matron Head Large Cent, Small Silver Ring
83 -- Mercury Silver Dime, Roosevelt Silver Dime, Clad Dime
82 -- Clad Dime, Small Silver Charm, 1 Yen Coin (JPN), Large 9K Gold Ring
81 -- Seated Dime, 10 Yen Coin (JPN), 1 Yen Coin (JPN), Vintage Silver Ring
80 -- Seated Dime, Copper Lincoln 1 Cent, King George Half Penny, 10 Yen Coin (JPN), 1000 Peso Coin (Mexico, 1988), 5 Gram Gold Bar, Large Plated Ring, Small Silver Ring
79 -- Seated Dime, Heavy Woman's Bracelet Watch
78 -- King George Penny, Chuck-E-Cheese Token
77 -- 1 Euro Coin (Ireland), New Zealand $2.00, Australian $1.00
76 -- Seated Liberty Half Dime, Indian Head 1 Cent, Australian $2.00, New Zealand $1.00, King George Half Penny, 5 Yen Coin (JPN), Medium Plated Ring
75 -- Bottle Cap, Spanish 1-Reale, Zinc Lincoln 1 Cent, 5 Yen Coin (JPN)
74 -- Bottle Cap, Rev War British Musket Ball, Copper Lincoln 1 Cent
73 -- Bottle Cap, Small Silver Ring
72 -- Bottle Cap, Small Silver Cross
71 -- Bottle Cap, Large Tungsten Ring
70 -- Bottle Cap, Civil War Mini-Ball, Medium Charm
69 -- Civil War Mini-Ball
68 -- 22K Gold Sovereign, Civil War Mini-Ball
67 --
66 -- Pop Top, Small Charm
65 -- Large 18K Gold & Platinum Ring, 1 Gram Gold Bar
64 -- 3 nickels on top of each other!
63 -- Small Silver Earring
62 --
61 -- Indian Head 1 Cent
60 -- Medium 9K Gold Ring
59 --
58 --
57 -- Large 14K Gold Ring
56 --
55 -- Mens Titanium Ring
54 -- Small 14K Gold Ring
53 -- Pull Tab, Buffalo Nickel, V Nickel, War Nickel, New Nickel, Small Charm, Large 14K White Gold Ring, Medium 14K Gold Ring
52 -- Pull Tab, Buffalo Nickel, V Nickel, War Nickel, New Nickel, Small Charm
51 -- 100 Yen Coin (JPN)
50 -- 3 Cent Piece, 14K Gold Chain, 100 Yen Coin (JPN), 50 Yen Coin (JPN), 2 Peso Gold Coin, Small 10K Gold Ring, Small 9K Gold Ring
49 -- 3 Cent Piece, 14K Gold Chain, 50 Yen Coin (JPN)
48 -- $1 Gold Coin (13mm), 14K Gold Chain, 14K Yellow & White Gold Ring
47 -- Large Junk Earring
46 --
45 -- Foil, Small 14K Gold Ring
44 -- Foil, Small Platinum Engagement Ring
43 -- Foil, Small 10K Gold Ring, 14K bracelet
42 -- Foil, Small 10K Gold Ring
41 -- Foil
40 -- Foil,14K Hollow Earring (1.3g)
39 -- Foil
38 -- Foil
37 -- Foil
36 -- Foil
35 -- Foil, Nail
34 --
33 --

 

[Eagle101]

76(everyone i have dug) British musket ball 69 American Musket ball 64 French musket ball. Excellent list dead on the money!!