Hello new here...

sammerguy · Feb 9, 2011

Hello everyone here at TN! New member here but i have been "hunting" treasure my for awhile now. Just recently I decided to look more into the whole MD aspect because of my somewhat better than average luck regarding the finding of coins and other valuables. All of the items I have found have either been found while thrifting,walking or just sorting change, almost never intentional. I hope to acquire a MD soon and do some searching when the weather gets more reasonable. I owned one a few years back that I got from "the shack" but it was really bad, no way to tell the difference between tabs and coins, just metal was there or not there(sometimes nothing at all even with a signal). I got rid of it shortly after purchasing it. I realize that it takes some time to learn your detector, but this thing was nothing but disappointment. So now I have some questions to ask about detectors.
1>Do the MDs that claim to differentiate between different metal types actually work? I'm OK with digging trash, but would like to be able to have a better idea of what MIGHT be there.
2>Is there a decent beginners MD in the 150-200$ range, or will any low price detector just show the presence of a metal object and not help me decide if the chances are good that it is an old item/coin? For instance, can it let me know with some reasonable accuracy if it is Aluminum,Iron,Copper etc.?
Thanks in advance!
I have attached some pics of my most favorite items that have been found.

sammerguy · Feb 9, 2011

Sorry the pics are so big! Im tryin to fix them....

liftloop · Feb 9, 2011

..........Welcome to T'net... those spoon's hit nice don't they.....get your self a Whites detector.. their the best get your self a prizim 5 950 with mxt style coil.. that my friend is a good beginners detector for your money.. watch on ebay... and if you like it and what to move up.. I'd get an MXT that's the next best thing on the market....

sammerguy · Feb 9, 2011

Thanks for the help. None of those items were found with a detector, just by chance. All the silverware is from thrift/junk stores.
Change and jewlery was all found about with good eyes.

The one you suggested is well out of my price range at the moment any other suggestions?

NHBandit · Feb 9, 2011

If your price limit is $200 the best "bang for the buck" in my opinion would be to watch craigslist, Ebay, and also the classified ads on this forum for a good used machine. Once you find something in that price range do a search on here BEFORE you buy it and read the pros and cons of that make & model. I'm sad to say there are lots of good quality detectors sitting in someones closet collecting dust because they bought it thinking it was magic and then lost interest after going out a few times & coming home with only junk. Sad for them but good for you. My own machine is a Garrett Gtax1250 which is not the latest & greatest by any means but is a much better than average machine that probably cost in the $500-$600 range when new. I bought it for $150 from a guy who had used it twice and put it in the closet.

desert dog · Feb 9, 2011

AWESOME FIND AND WELCOME TO TNET

Roland58 · Feb 9, 2011

The answers to your questions are "yes" and "yes", however, I could not tell you what the best detector would be for YOU, especially, in your stated price range. A lot would depend on where and how you plan to use the detector and your primary targets. Do some studying on this site and other related sites. Do your homework to determine what makes and models will do what you want and then pursue your purchase price. Telling you that one brand is the best over another brand is simply "opinion" and you know what they say about opinions. If you think you are really serious about taking up MD'ing, consider putting a little more $$$ into a machine that you would be happier with and not get discouraged because it doesn't perform as you wanted. Locate a vendor or club in your area and find out, first hand, what works for YOU.

Welcome to TN. The first time your detector tells you the target is a "whatever" and you dig up a "whatever"........you'll be hooked. This hobby is incredibly addicting. :icon_thumleft:

sammerguy · Feb 9, 2011

Thanks for the reply guys! I will confess that my main goal is to check my grandfathers farm. After reading about the history of the property a bit I realized that the house had been there since the late 1880's, and the barn longer still. I also know that there were at least 3 buildings that are no longer there, 2 houses, a chicken coop and an outhouse but im not sure where that was. There are a few fire pits and very old trees plus 2 trash dumps. I am fairly sure no one has been there before to check with a MD, at least not for almost 40 years that my family has owned it, probably not before that either. It would seem to make sense that there would be some really cool stuff to be found around those 40 acres. So i guess I need one that will go 8-12" in the ground and will help me to distinguish between metals. I dont really care about gold so much as silver/iron and aluminum.

Here is the one I was looking at that made me ask this question initially:

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/ele/2139865179.html

I would like to have an experienced person with me, so i am posting in the Ohio forum hoping that someone will want to help me in return for some of whatever we find. Probably only old farm equipment and some change but you never know...

I suppose I could wait and save up a little more money or sell some stuff. But I defiantly don't want to buy something that is more than I need. That seems like an easy thing to do in this field.

liftloop · Feb 9, 2011

.....all depends on the pin pionter.....

Roland58 · Feb 9, 2011

You would have to go waaaaaaay beyond the one you are looking at to be getting "more than you need." As far as the one you are looking at, it seems to be a fair price for what you are getting.

mlayers · Feb 9, 2011

Welcome to Tnet sammerguy. The bounty hunter that you are looking at is a decent machine for the m oney but it will not get down 8 inches unless it is something big. Too bad that you are 4 hours away or I would surgest that we get together and ypu could try out some os my detects. I have a Bounty Hunter and a Whites. Plus a couple of water detects. I am straight up 127 to the very top of Ohio. If you are still looking this spring and you would like to get together drop me a line.....Matt

sammerguy · Feb 9, 2011

That would not be out of the question at all mlayers considering I'll be unemployed from aprilish till august. Thanks for the invite!

mlayers · Feb 9, 2011

Ok just keep me in mind and when you would like to get together on a weekend just drop me line. The invite is always open......Matt

Woodland Detectors · Feb 10, 2011

Welcome to the absolute BEST treasure hunting forum in the World! No B.S. :hello:

Maybe I can help you here.
Without a long winded reply,

1>Do the MDs that claim to differentiate between different metal types actually work?
A. NO
2>Is there a decent beginners MD in the 150-200$ range,
A. Yes. The Tesoro Compadre, The Garrett ace series. Again, no machine is totally accurate telling you what is in the ground. The manufactures that claim this should get smacked with a cane one time on the butt.

Become a Tone hunter now, and you'll be ahead of the game.

Roland58 · Feb 10, 2011

"1>Do the MDs that claim to differentiate between different metal types actually work?
A. NO"

Admittedly, none are 100% correct, but, you have to admit that they do a pretty good job of sorting things. If mine tells me there is a big chunk of iron, I would just about put a paycheck on it.

sammerguy · Feb 10, 2011

Thanks everyone! After reading what has been posted I think I decided on the ace 250. I realize that what I need is not to tell me the metal type but the depth. I dont care what it is so long as its old. The metal discrimination is not that important. I am lookin for old things in general. So long as it will give me fairly accurate depth reading I believe that I will be able to disregard the newer things. Honestly, if I dont have to dig everything that beeps I will be happy.

Any good tips on some kind of average depth of soil per decade? For instance, 6"=X years...

I will not be able to start searching for a few months yet so I've been doing research into my hometown and the locations of buildings and mills that are no longer there. My grandfathers farm seems really promising as I have located the house that was originally there prior to 1880(it was in a picture at the library), and he assures me that no one has use an MD there since at least 1970 when he bought it. So maybe, just maybe Ill find something old and cool.

Roland58 · Feb 10, 2011

You will have a ball with the Ace 250, be assured. I believe there are some 'guesstimation' formulas for sink rates, but, the variables (i.e. rainfall, type of soil, compaction, size/weight of object, etc.) would render them a guess. I predict you will find most of your coinage from 3 to 5 inches, maybe a little more, but, what do I know?.....I'm just a newbie myself. That's what I have experienced in the 6 months I have been at this.