I'm still confused about Indian Head cents appearing so much lower to detectors , than wheaties ..

[Argentium]

The composition of the IH is not that different from the wheat cents, certainly not as different as a zinc cent - where they tend to appear to detectors . On my White's MXT , I find Indian Heads between 45 and 60 or so ( on a 100 scale ) I'm sure the Flying Eagles and "fatties " would read way lower 35 to 40 because of the nickel content . Please educate me on the 1864 to 1909 Indian Head cent discrepancy !

 

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[Blackfoot58]

The composition of the IH is not that different from the wheat cents, certainly not as different as a zinc cent - where they tend to appear to detectors . On my White's MXT , I find Indian Heads between 45 and 60 or so ( on a 100 scale ) I'm sure the Flying Eagles and "fatties " would read way lower 35 to 40 because of the nickel content . Please educate me on the 1864 to 1909 Indian Head cent discrepancy !

I feel your pain. On my Simplex, almost every ID ends up being rusty ferrous metal: 20, 32, 64, 79, 85, it seldom matters.

 

[xr7ator]

Dig even trashier signals and you should find some wheaties that are in poorer shape.

 

[Loco-Digger]

FYI

Metal Composition: 88% Copper - 12% Nickel	Indian
Metal Composition: 95% Copper - 5% Tin and Zinc	copper cent
Metal Composition: 97.5% Zinc - 2.5% Copper after 1982	zincoln

 

[xr7ator]

Only indians from 1859 to mid 1864 are 88% copper and 12% nickel.
Indians from mid 1864 through 1909 are the exact same as copper cent.

 

[jeff of pa]

Only indians from 1859 to mid 1864 are 88% copper and 12% nickel.
Indians from mid 1864 through 1909 are the exact same as copper cent.

Yep the Early ones can be mistaken for trash

 

[xr7ator]

Getting a little off topic so back to the Q of why the IHP's hit lower than wheaties and my best assumption is that they have been in the ground longer and therefore have more corrosion and it effects the signal. That was my point on really corroded wheaties. I have dug some super bad signals and found wheats that are almost gone. Check out all the old large coppers found back east. They have a broad spectrum of where they hit based on condition, I'm sure.
HH ALL

 

[jeff of pa]

Early wheats hit different then 40's & 50's wheats also.
My guess though Not time in the ground because Late Indians
and Late Wheats are Different then Early indians and Early wheats.
Seems to me a substitution in metals was in play for some reason

 

[Tedyoh]

Early wheats hit different then 40's & 50's wheats also.
My guess though Not time in the ground because Late Indians
and Late Wheats are Different then Early indians and Early wheats.
Seems to me a substitution in metals was in play for some reason

Right...and who knows what the purity tolerances were back then....my guess in the 1860's the testing methods were something like..."yeah that looks good / looks like pretty pure copper...."