Drove out to a little beach that has been a favourite of mine since I came across it in 1987. I have had a huge amount of coinage here particularly after '89 hurricane here in UK, but it has a habit also of throwing up old finds. Picked up a 12th cent Silver Penny last time I was here. Odd Hammered silver, couple of Roman and some classy 17/18th tokens and copper coins over those years. Uncommon they might be but I know they are there. Eroded dunes and old land surface shows now and again.
There were quite a few coins all deposited in a small area nicely classified by weight. I spent a lot of time hunting the area where a few old brass 3 pence pieces and old pound coins (both heavy) were predominant. Plenty of iron there too. Went over this small spot three times, no more signals after third pass. Decided to dig out iron concretions as i normally do, moved a dozen ferrous lumps stuck on the bottom. Found another two brass 3p hidden by iron. A small non-ferrous but clear target was a belting Portuguese 1/2 escudo of 1732. Iron stained reverse mostly cleaned off ok. Very satisfying find to say the least, far better than the gold ring I might have expected.
Spindle Whorl (medieval wool spinning weight), buttons, couple of silver coins and 18th cent syphilis syringe (they used Mercury!) also dug.
Like most, I tend to alter detector settings. I don't apply unnecessary harshness to these settings to places that don't require it, and vice versa. As for the iron, here's a tale from years ago. I found and exposed bedrock surface never before seen by me and my old beachcombing chum. We cleared all loose non-ferrous, plenty of coins and stuff. I was then 13 and my old chum said we must return with a hammer & chisel next day. Iron was welded to the bedrock in great profusion. We chipped and cracked all the bed of iron that was winnowed into that spot over many years. My friend found a big 22ct ring in a block and silver/copper coins. He also had a brush to empty out the water out which I did & spotted a gold half sovereign stuck in the iron bed, 1896, my first gold coin. (The half sovereigns are similar to your $5 gold)
I can relate several tales like this. I remember digging out a big hole filled with rocks and water, at the bottom it was full of metal gathered over the years. Passing it through a sieve, was my second half sovereign 1885.
I'm finding the Deus II to be exactly what I expected from XP. They've got it right, its a proper instrument.
There were quite a few coins all deposited in a small area nicely classified by weight. I spent a lot of time hunting the area where a few old brass 3 pence pieces and old pound coins (both heavy) were predominant. Plenty of iron there too. Went over this small spot three times, no more signals after third pass. Decided to dig out iron concretions as i normally do, moved a dozen ferrous lumps stuck on the bottom. Found another two brass 3p hidden by iron. A small non-ferrous but clear target was a belting Portuguese 1/2 escudo of 1732. Iron stained reverse mostly cleaned off ok. Very satisfying find to say the least, far better than the gold ring I might have expected.
Spindle Whorl (medieval wool spinning weight), buttons, couple of silver coins and 18th cent syphilis syringe (they used Mercury!) also dug.
Like most, I tend to alter detector settings. I don't apply unnecessary harshness to these settings to places that don't require it, and vice versa. As for the iron, here's a tale from years ago. I found and exposed bedrock surface never before seen by me and my old beachcombing chum. We cleared all loose non-ferrous, plenty of coins and stuff. I was then 13 and my old chum said we must return with a hammer & chisel next day. Iron was welded to the bedrock in great profusion. We chipped and cracked all the bed of iron that was winnowed into that spot over many years. My friend found a big 22ct ring in a block and silver/copper coins. He also had a brush to empty out the water out which I did & spotted a gold half sovereign stuck in the iron bed, 1896, my first gold coin. (The half sovereigns are similar to your $5 gold)
I can relate several tales like this. I remember digging out a big hole filled with rocks and water, at the bottom it was full of metal gathered over the years. Passing it through a sieve, was my second half sovereign 1885.
I'm finding the Deus II to be exactly what I expected from XP. They've got it right, its a proper instrument.
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