VDI on Indian Heads

Digger

Hero Member
Mar 24, 2003
740
186
Dodge City Kansas
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, E-Trac, Makro Racer 2, DFX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I dug an Indian Head(can't read date) last night with my DFX sporting the 4x6 DD shooter coil and it bounced between 34-63. It was about 5" deep. It would read 63 most of the time but bounce down to 34 once in a while.

indian.jpg
 

JerV3

Gold Member
Feb 28, 2005
5,718
2,613
Three Rivers
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac ,Xp Deus, Ctx 3030, Vanquish 440 X 2, Equinox 600, Equinox 800
It depends on a number of things.

First you better be in a area that's a 100 yrs old and has some natural soil. Second depth will change the vdi on them as well. The deeper they are the lower they read. The closer to the surface the higher they read. 46 through 52 is a real good vdi number for them on the dfx.

I have found hundreds of indians from 9 inches deep to on the surface. Also the fatty type 1860 to 1864 will read low tab 30 to 35. They are thicker and are mixed with a nickle composition.

Hope this helps. Getting that first one can be a real pain. But the rest will come easier.

HH Jer
 

curbdiggercarl57

Silver Member
Nov 19, 2007
4,362
1,041
Largo, Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Whites Silver Eagle, DFX, Shadow X-2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Really the best way to figure the sound or VDI is either buy an Indian, or better yet borrow several from anyone you know that may have found some. Try to get some corroded as well as in good shape, and after playing around with them on the surface of the ground, try burying
them in and seeing what the signals and VDI's are. They won't have a "halo" fom being in the ground for awhile, but hey, it is better than nothing. Good luck!
CurbdiggerCarl
 

relichunters

Bronze Member
May 4, 2008
1,647
36
Virginia
Detector(s) used
Tesoro
Different detectors, detect as different objects. A white gold ring on mine comes up as Iron, while a stering silver ring is a Pull Tab. Just depends.
 

OP
OP
jgas

jgas

Silver Member
Apr 23, 2008
3,793
2,469
Midwesterner
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
DFX, Pro 6000XL, SunRay Probe, Centech Pinpointer
Thanks for the replies, Wow I never realized the VDI would be that low. I usually dig most everything, especially in an older yard. I guess when my coil goes over one I will have my first. I find wheats all the time but not the IH's...I better go and keep digging huh? Thanks again for the replies, it will help. jgas
 

JerV3

Gold Member
Feb 28, 2005
5,718
2,613
Three Rivers
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac ,Xp Deus, Ctx 3030, Vanquish 440 X 2, Equinox 600, Equinox 800
You'll hit one soon.

If your finding wheats and other stuff your bound to hit one here. Just keep looking one will come your way soon. The Dfx is a real monster on them. If they are there it will find them.

HH Jer
 

N.J.THer

Silver Member
Nov 16, 2006
3,282
238
Middlesex County, New Jersey
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX w/ Sunray DX-1 probe and Minelab Excalibur 1000, Whites TRX Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
As other stated the VDI on the DFX really jumps around. When I dug my first Indian Head I was so surprised because I could not get a good signal it was bouncing around all over the place. There is one park I go to that was established in the late 1800s and I dig IH all the time. Since I hit this park quite often I try to dig everything to help clean it out so I can find coins that may be masked. I think more important then knowing the right VDI is searching the correct places. Yesterday I was able to pull out a 1900 Barber Dime from this same park. Keep at it and you will find an IH and they travel in tribes so once you find one more usually follow rather quickly.

Happy Hunting

NJ
 

liftloop

Silver Member
May 7, 2008
3,140
390
lakelinden mi
Detector(s) used
MXTdeepscan 8by14dd, bulls eye 2, 5900diprosl Maxima1500, Master Hunter cx plus Treasure Hound, surf
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
:thumbsup: youes guys are so lucky
 

rhedden

Sr. Member
Mar 23, 2003
365
453
Eastern NY
Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Simplex
I use an XLT, and the usual range for (shallow, 1-3" deep) indian heads is from 58 to about 64. Generally speaking, if they are near new and aren't corroded, they are closer to 70. If they are very worn and/or corroded, the number is lower. The highest I have found was probably a +68 and the lowest I recall was just a +39 (worn out and thin 1869). Now if they are deep, like 5-7" deep, the signal can go very high on the VDI scale, and they may give a broken sound like a rusty bottlecap. So if you want those really deep ones, dign any questionable signals at a depth of greater than 4 inches. I bet you'll find a few deep ones that gave crazy readings on the meter.

The copper-nickel indians minted from 1859-1864 are made of a different alloy and read out as pulltabs- about +31-32; and so do flying eagle cents. Those will be a real pain to identify in an old park.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top