ATX Finds Its First Silver Coin in Dry Hard Packed Sand

[SoCalBeachScanner]

ATX Finds It's First Silver Coin in Dry Hard Packed Sand

-
YESTERDAY afternoon I met up with TNet member DrJoePrime to show me the ropes on using a PI machine in the surf at Long Beach, CA. This was my first go of the ATX in the surf line as the tide was going out. That mineralized sand down in the surf line in Long Beach is like road tar mixed with concrete. Not fun with a swing type scoop, although my scoop would work better in the soft sand in Huntington Beach. Time for me to invest in a good step-on scoop.

Nothing special was found with the ATX yesterday afternoon; just couple pennies, bits and pieces of pull tabs, lead sinkers, deep cans or iron that would sound with the coil one foot off the sand after making a scoop or two, and bits and pieces of metal.

TODAY
This morning for 1.5 hours, I went to back to Long Beach to one of the areas I suspected older coins might be found in the hard packed moist sand.

I used the ATX this morning at default settings at start-up with Discrimination at Zero (1-LED) of 13 and the Sensitivity at 10 of 13. I haven't played with the discrimination on the ATX yet, so I was scooping everything.

I scooped about 25-30 holes, some deep some shallow and found a 1941 Mercury Dime & a Buffalo Nickel that I can't read the date, down between 10"-12" (estimate) in the hard packed moist sand. I think that I just might like this machine once I get it dialed in to my style of detecting.

Of the items that I brought home is a small rusted padlock and a solid iron bottle shaped thing with a red stripe on it.

I also had to scoop a couple bobby pins, bits and pieces of pull tabs, small pieces of rusted sheet metal, couple nails, old rusted steel bottle caps, street sweeper metal brush blade, 4" long x 1/2" wide iron flat rod. I feel like I'm relic hunting instead of beach hunting.

The Iron Check on the ATX will sound a faint grunt on bobby pins less then 3" down, and will sound on totally rusted bottle tops at about 5", but not on un-rusted caps.

It is way to difficult to use a swing type scoop to dig deep, so a step-on scoop will be on my must have list.

Thank for Looking ... Happy Hunting this Weekend


--

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[krymesolvr93]

Nice work.

 

[RustyGold]

Hey SoCal,
Love that Buffalo Nickle! Great finds! Yeah, I think you need a different scoop. I'm still waiting for Ruslan to tell me my order is ready from Stavr Scoops!
It's been awhile since I placed the order.
Best of Luck - Please but a lottery ticket! Lol!

 

[Sir Gala Clad]

Good input on the swing type scoop working better in the soft sand in Huntington Beach and that you will need a good step on scoop for the mineralized sand down in the surf line in Long Beach is like road tar mixed with concrete. As you are digging deep, I suspect that the earlier Sunspot Stealth 720i stainless steel" basket (15" length, 7" width, 6" high) which has a pointed Vish eurotip would work best. The new tube Stealth 720I, which is easier to control in current has only a 14" length basket. If you are tall, order it with the 54 inch wood handle as you can retrieve deeper in the water, use the extra length to push you back to shore if you get to deep. It also provides more leverage.
Be sure to use the gloves, Chuck provides for free, to cushion your hands from the heavy load - this is a real earth mover, you have to be in good shape to effectively use it properly.



If you are digging everything, I do not understand why you are not playing with discrimination to determine where it works and where it doesn't.
I primarily use discrimination, but still dig everything other than iron which nulls on the excel ll. On a null, I always change the direction of the search coil and dig if I get a tone as Iron can mask a target.

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

Good input on the swing type scoop working better in the soft sand in Huntington Beach and that you will need a good step on scoop for the mineralized sand down in the surf line in Long Beach is like road tar mixed with concrete. As you are digging deep, I suspect that the earlier Sunspot Stealth 720i stainless steel" basket (15" length, 7" width, 6" high) which has a pointed Vish eurotip would work best. The new tube Stealth 720I, which is easier to control in current has only a 14" length basket. If you are tall, order it with the 54 inch wood handle as you can retrieve deeper in the water, use the extra length to push you back to shore if you get to deep. It also provides more leverage.
If you are digging everything, I do not understand why you are not playing with discrimination to determine where it works and where it doesn't.

Hi Sir Gala Clad,

Thanks for the info on the scoop. I do know of the Stealth Scoop and that may be an option. TNet member RustyGold is a neighbor of mine and has a Stavr Scoop on order and said that I can try it out. I really like the shape of the Stavr Scoop to slide the sand out easier. All those canned shaped scoops out there do nothing for me.

I will use the discrimination on the ATX. Since this was only the 2nd real time out with the ATX, I was just trying to get familiar with the Signal Strength Indicator vs what I scooped and how deep.

Thank You for your comment

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

Hey SoCal,
Love that Buffalo Nickle! Great finds! Yeah, I think you need a different scoop. I'm still waiting for Ruslan to tell me my order is ready from Stavr Scoops!
It's been awhile since I placed the order.
Best of Luck - Please but a lottery ticket! Lol!

So when will our scoop get here? I look forward to trying it out.
Thanks, RG

 

[RustyGold]

So when will our scoop get here? I look forward to trying it out.
Thanks, RG

Yes!!!!!!!!!!
I emailed Ruslan and he got right back to me and said my order was ready to ship so I took this information and went to Western Union and it couldn't be easier! I used my Debit Card to pay so all my personal info is safe and not sent out. It cost me 10.99 and an extra 2.00 to write in the question box the order #.
Now we will see how long it takes to get to SoCal! I placed my order on the 13th of November and back then he said Two weeks until the Evroexcavator 2.22 would be in stock!
I will keep you posted!

 

[riden2low]

Saving money for the ATX to try up here on the Oregon Coast. Right now I own Garrett's infinium which I have almost dig everything. It has reverse discrimination and I do use it but the ATX seems to be the better unit.