Need help with finding nickels!

[Route66]

Normally I hunt in Park 2 mode because I'm usually working "permissions" in someone's yard. I've had my Equinox for 1-1/2 months now and I've found a nice amount of silver coins already but I NEVER find nickels! I was in a yard, yesterday, and found 5 silvers (one was a Barber dime) and about a dozen Wheaties but NO nickels. I've been in yards where I knew that there had to be Buffalo nickels there but I found none. Could I possibly just be concentrating on the high tones too much? I know that a Buffalo should ring up at around 12-13 VDI on the Nox.

Is Park 2 mode setup to find nickels properly?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

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[CoinHunterAZ]

Patience....if you want nickels, yes you will have to dig all the 12-13 signals. In doing so, you're gonna dig some broken pulltabs and some trash. A lot of people pass these numbers by, but on a good old yard permission I certainly wouldn't. A public park might be a different story.

 

[eman1000]

I actually just commented on this yesterday in the Whites Forum with the V3i I can easily pickup the nickels which is something I struggled with on the Nox. (I think it takes a little more time and patience then I had) You will need to really focus on the #13 signals

At an old site I would dig everything but at the park it was pretty frustrating because I would get lots of signals from 12-15 that were repeatable and most were junk seems like I rarely found the perfect 13 vdi's unless they were on the surface.

For me at least if the V3i hits 19 its a nickel but if its 22/23 then its a pull tab. (polar plot is an additional advantage)

With any machine if you don't dig it all you will miss gold though.

5 silvers sounds like a pretty sweet day to me though! I'll take silver over a V nickel anytime.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

I’m interested in hearing replies on this thread as my cellar hole season is ending and starting to hit parks. What does the dig target signal look/sound like when you are pretty sure you can call “nickel” to your buddy. I can call a wheat penny 90% of the time, 23-25 VDI, 4” or deeper, small round tone disappears quickly when lifting 2-6” above grass and most importantly the sound/tone is mellow on pinpointing, no high peaky - scream.

 

[CarsonChris]

My deepest nickel at around 7” was at 11-13. My only Buffalo nickel was solid 13 and it was on edge.

 

[sprailroad]

I do not see anything you might be doing wrong, the fact of finding about a dozen Wheaties and FIVE silvers in one yard? well.. you couldn't slap the smile off my face. As far as nickels, there simply may not have been any there. I have found more nickels using Park or Field 2 then with other machines, it's just that it would seem that not as many were lost. Example is, for some reason, after I retired, I started saving and counting all the coins I've found just for the heck of it, makes for a interesting display for show & tell in my "fort", each in their separate Tupperware tubs, and people are drawn to them like a magnate. I started to do this in January 2015, and thus far, 13,410 pennies, 3,259 dimes, 2,136 quarters, but only 1,927 nickels. On the EQ 12-13 is right, and have been at 11 as well, jumping around 12-13 have been nickels, but then so has lead, and some pull tabs, and of course always hope for small gold. I think your doing just fine, even better than fine, it's a numbers game, and you will be hitting on a nickel sooner or later, it just has to be there for your coil to go over.

 

[Raider19962]

I always dig nickel signals, even questionable ones, because that's where I find gold, in the same range.

 

[Route66]

I do not see anything you might be doing wrong, the fact of finding about a dozen Wheaties and FIVE silvers in one yard? well.. you couldn't slap the smile off my face. As far as nickels, there simply may not have been any there. I have found more nickels using Park or Field 2 then with other machines, it's just that it would seem that not as many were lost. Example is, for some reason, after I retired, I started saving and counting all the coins I've found just for the heck of it, makes for a interesting display for show & tell in my "fort", each in their separate Tupperware tubs, and people are drawn to them like a magnate. I started to do this in January 2015, and thus far, 13,410 pennies, 3,259 dimes, 2,136 quarters, but only 1,927 nickels. On the EQ 12-13 is right, and have been at 11 as well, jumping around 12-13 have been nickels, but then so has lead, and some pull tabs, and of course always hope for small gold. I think your doing just fine, even better than fine, it's a numbers game, and you will be hitting on a nickel sooner or later, it just has to be there for your coil to go over.

Thanks for the reply. OMG you've been busy!! I'm retired too and I love this hobby.

 

[HighVDI]

If anything park 2 should technically hit harder on nickels than park 1.....in theory.

If you have an 800 maybe set your audio to high tone on the 11-13 zone. Won't miss them after that.

 

[sgoss66]

I agree with HighVDI. If you do not hunt multi-tone (50 tones), then setting one of your tone bins, in the 11-13 zone, as high tone, it will clue you in better (set that tone bin the same as the tone you use for your other coins, is an option). I don't use 5 tones, never have on this unit -- but I know this is a strategy that some use, when they don't want to miss nickels.

Few things. If you dig 11/12 signals, you will dig beaver tails. A beaver tail hitting 11/12, will sound similar to a deep Buff or V-nickel, because being a smaller target, it sounds deeper, and thus will fool you into thinking "deep nickel." But that's just part of the game. I rarely hit nickels that bounce to 14; maybe a very rare 14 bounce, but any consistent 13-14 bouncing will be a rectangular tab, or can slaw, or lead, or whatever (OR, a gold ring, LOL). A war nickel is also a possibility in that range just above 13. However, a shallow nickel is often a solid 13, similar to an air test. The deeper they get, and the older they get, you will see more 12s in the mix (or even 11s). I have occasionally dug a Jefferson nickel that is a solid 12, even in an air test, but usually they are 13. Bottom line though is, if you are targeting nickels, you WILL dig a good number of beaver tails (11-12), small rectangular tabs (13-14), .22 shells (11-12), can slaw, lead chunks, etc. As you know, that's just "the name of the game" when digging nickels.

Last thing -- my whole post is focused on VDI, and obviously, if you are "VDI-focused," you are "not completely doing it right," IMO. SOUND is the name of the game, with Minelab machines. Those numbers, PLUS a good, mellow "round" sound, is also a good part of the mix, when trying to identify nickels. If I hit a target that is a solid 13 from one angle, and I turn 90 degrees and its a pretty consistent 12, or 14, that suggests NOT a round target (and you hear that same hint in the tones, if you are running 50 tones). The machine is seeing the "short axis" and "long axis" of the target, if it is, say, a rectangular tab, and that's the reason turning 90 degrees will give you a slightly different VDI and tone.

These subtleties are what will eventually, through experience, allow you to dig more nickels, and less junk. It is NOT foolproof, and orientation of target in the dirt, and any nearby targets, will affect this, of course. But using your ears will get you a lot better in terms of the "trash to treasure" ratio.

Steve

 

[Hawks88]

Having the equinox for only a month and a half I would dig everything for awhile. You’ll eventually see where the nickels fall in terms Vdi and sound. I agree with everyone here. Vdi is not always a positive ID. Good luck.

 

[goldiger]

I find more nickels in field 2

 

[PennDirtDigger]

Many have said about the equinox but it always bears repeating ( especially to myself) Dig everything. I pulled a 16 gram gold class ring just two weeks ago on a clad penny 21 and today’s hunt pulled a small piece of 925 sterling on an 18. Dig it all and you’ll never miss those nickels

 

[ATPRoDon]

I would say a Nickel should really be a solid 13, as soon as it waivers up to a 14 or a 12 it’s been a pull tab for me.

 

[IDXMonster]

I agree with HighVDI. If you do not hunt multi-tone (50 tones), then setting one of your tone bins, in the 11-13 zone, as high tone, it will clue you in better (set that tone bin the same as the tone you use for your other coins, is an option). I don't use 5 tones, never have on this unit -- but I know this is a strategy that some use, when they don't want to miss nickels.

Few things. If you dig 11/12 signals, you will dig beaver tails. A beaver tail hitting 11/12, will sound similar to a deep Buff or V-nickel, because being a smaller target, it sounds deeper, and thus will fool you into thinking "deep nickel." But that's just part of the game. I rarely hit nickels that bounce to 14; maybe a very rare 14 bounce, but any consistent 13-14 bouncing will be a rectangular tab, or can slaw, or lead, or whatever (OR, a gold ring, LOL). A war nickel is also a possibility in that range just above 13. However, a shallow nickel is often a solid 13, similar to an air test. The deeper they get, and the older they get, you will see more 12s in the mix (or even 11s). I have occasionally dug a Jefferson nickel that is a solid 12, even in an air test, but usually they are 13. Bottom line though is, if you are targeting nickels, you WILL dig a good number of beaver tails (11-12), small rectangular tabs (13-14), .22 shells (11-12), can slaw, lead chunks, etc. As you know, that's just "the name of the game" when digging nickels.

Last thing -- my whole post is focused on VDI, and obviously, if you are "VDI-focused," you are "not completely doing it right," IMO. SOUND is the name of the game, with Minelab machines. Those numbers, PLUS a good, mellow "round" sound, is also a good part of the mix, when trying to identify nickels. If I hit a target that is a solid 13 from one angle, and I turn 90 degrees and its a pretty consistent 12, or 14, that suggests NOT a round target (and you hear that same hint in the tones, if you are running 50 tones). The machine is seeing the "short axis" and "long axis" of the target, if it is, say, a rectangular tab, and that's the reason turning 90 degrees will give you a slightly different VDI and tone.

These subtleties are what will eventually, through experience, allow you to dig more nickels, and less junk. It is NOT foolproof, and orientation of target in the dirt, and any nearby targets, will affect this, of course. But using your ears will get you a lot better in terms of the "trash to treasure" ratio.

Steve

Awesome again Steve,very well laid out explanation and observations. Time with a Minelab machine will tell a person that indeed...audio and the quality/characteristics of the SIGNAL ITSELF start to be recognized. It simply CANNOT be taught. You can be guided toward it,but the actual recognition and “a-ha” moment are learned alone.

 

[Happa54]

12-13 is the magic number for niks. You need to dig more. You will find many niks at the parks. I use a range of 11,12,13,14.
12/13 is the key combo and many times the VDI will show a 14 or sometimes 11, but hardly 11's. You just gotta dig.
The last couple of years I ignored nik signals and did well on silver, wheats, jewelry and relics, but that's all I had. For the last 12 months since using the Nox 600, I've honed in on niks and have approx 400 give or take. The nik signals have yielded me several V niks, buffalo's, gold jewelry, old spoons and relics. Always dig those nik signals. It will pay off.
I've used both park & field modes but I tend to use Park 1 most of time.
Settings: Park 1, multi, 50 tones, 22-23 gain, 2-3 recovery, zero IB, zero disc.

Tip: Go to NETRonline and USGS Historical Topographic Explorer and check out all of your parks for home sites that existed there. If you have a park that is surrounded by older homes, then at one time there were homes at that site. I've done amazingly well in these previous home site locations.

 

[Route66]

12-13 is the magic number for niks. You need to dig more. You will find many niks at the parks. I use a range of 11,12,13,14.
12/13 is the key combo and many times the VDI will show a 14 or sometimes 11, but hardly 11's. You just gotta dig.
The last couple of years I ignored nik signals and did well on silver, wheats, jewelry and relics, but that's all I had. For the last 12 months since using the Nox 600, I've honed in on niks and have approx 400 give or take. The nik signals have yielded me several V niks, buffalo's, gold jewelry, old spoons and relics. Always dig those nik signals. It will pay off.
I've used both park & field modes but I tend to use Park 1 most of time.
Settings: Park 1, multi, 50 tones, 22-23 gain, 2-3 recovery, zero IB, zero disc.

Tip: Go to NETRonline and USGS Historical Topographic Explorer and check out all of your parks for home sites that existed there. If you have a park that is surrounded by older homes, then at one time there were homes at that site. I've done amazingly well in these previous home site locations.

Thanks for the research tips!

 

[Iron Buzz]

I would say a Nickel should really be a solid 13, as soon as it waivers up to a 14 or a 12 it’s been a pull tab for me.

This is exactly what I was going to say. Nickels, for me, are one of the most consistant VDIs of any. Not saying that there is never any bounce with them, but not much, and 13 is the magic number.

 

[Route66]

This is exactly what I was going to say. Nickels, for me, are one of the most consistant VDIs of any. Not saying that there is never any bounce with them, but not much, and 13 is the magic number.

What mode do you mainly hunt in? (Park 2, etc..)
Thanks!

 

[secondstar]

In my soil nickels will primarily have a consistent TID of 11 and sometimes 12 if the nickel is close to the surface. Dig all 11’s because a lot of guys have found 1$ gold coins with that particular TID.