Question for fellow AT Pro/Max users

EC.Mason

Hero Member
Feb 6, 2009
664
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West Liberty Kentucky
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Garrett AT Max
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Hey, hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday. This is a curiosity question. I have used an AT Pro for about 5 years now. Love it as it is a coin and relic hound. However, I have found no gold. I know gold is more rare, however I had an Ace 250 before the pro and found two gold rings in a short span of time. Again may have been luck ha ha. However, I believe that maybe I am not as good on my pro as I thought. I updated to the AT Max which is also a great machine. My question is for you AT Pro/Max users out there; what types of signals are you getting when you find gold? I feel that maybe I am not digging targets that could potentially be gold and possibly mistaking them for foil. Also if anyone has found a gold coin in particular with the pro, I would love to hear how your machine acted and her reading. Thanks !!
 

Larwar

Jr. Member
Jul 23, 2014
99
77
New Richmond WI
Detector(s) used
A T Pro. Equinox 600
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All Treasure Hunting
I have never found a gold ring or coin with my AT pro either. However I think you have to dig a lot of foil to find one. My advice take some of your wife’s gold jewelry and play with it in your yard. Just don’t tell her
 

JasonJ

Newbie
Jan 14, 2019
4
3
Bay City, MI
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV
Garrett ACE 400
Pro-Pointer II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Not a Pro/Max user here, ACE400, but I can say that when I air tested various gold rings and bits at home to see how the detector sees that, and then compare that to what happens afield... those 50-51 VDI's that would indicate gold on my 400 have usually been things like keys, bronze or brass hardware, or good size bits of aluminum.

The point is, many things ring up just like gold in terms of conductivity. If you pass those up thinking it's trash, you'll miss the gold too. Every signal I get that is repeatable and in those VDI ranges, I have to dig it. They key is that the stuff that is junk often has a scratchy or more variable target ID than something more solid, like gold jewelry. I did dig up a brass key in the park yesterday in fact. It rang in as a SOLID 50/51 which is the identical to my own gold wedding ring! I got excited hitting that tone! But alas, it was just the key. But it was very clear and obvious to be a solid target worth digging.

One of these days, it'll be actual gold rings or a coin. It's those target ID's in the 70s for me that could be small silver or old copper that nearly always end up being bits of foil or pull tabs.
 

BLK HOLE

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Aug 3, 2017
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I have both the PRO and the MAX (Haven't found a gold ring with it...yet) I have found only 3 gold rings, the big old class ring was a solid 64 the other two were iffy 50-60s and I was really surprised they were rings and not trash. I have dug a lot of foil and can slaw and keep my fingers crossed!
 

SanMan

Bronze Member
Apr 9, 2012
1,514
5,004
West Coast
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Hey, hope everyone is having a wonderful Friday. My question is for you AT Pro/Max users out there; what types of signals are you getting when you find gold? Thanks !!

50's

And repeats, holds it's numbers.

"Unless", it's been whacked by a lawnmower,............

The more "out of round" it is,..... or if it's broken, it won't hold it's numbers.
But the tone, and signal will be solid,......

Unless it's broke into two pieces,..... sometimes you have to go with your gut.
 

xcopperstax

Silver Member
Sep 3, 2018
2,508
4,870
Massachusetts
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I have the AT Max. I have dug 1 gold ring. I don't remember the exact signal but it was low like a pull tab I had no idea that it could be a ring I was in a dig it all kind of mood and it paid off. I'd say the AT Max is great at finding gold it's the user deciding what to dig or not to dig... that is what really matters.
 

xr7ator

Gold Member
Sep 2, 2011
5,164
7,137
Denver, Colorado
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Garrett AT Pro, AT Gold, ATX, MH7 (oldie!) Minelab Explorer SE Pro, EQ800
I have had much success finding gold with the AT Pro, AT Gold and haven't used the AT Max enough. It's like any other machine, imo. Gold can be found in soooo many different forms and pureness' that it is impossible to tell you all the possibilities. I have found larger gold rings, 10k and 14k, that hit solid 60's, some smaller ones that hit solid low 50's. I found a 22k to 24k ring that hit like a quarter, 88. I have a 10k mans signet type ring that hit low 70's. I have a pure gold pendant that I thought for sure was going to be a copper penny, hitting 81/82. On the flip, I have a broken man's gold ring with diamonds that I thought for sure was going to be a pull tab. I have another ring that is smaller and 10K that again I thought for sure was a pull tab.
I have been pleasantly surprised digging 53, 54, 55's that I was hoping for a nickel and got gold ring many times.
As far as small gold like odd shaped earrings and such will hit just like the foil you speak of.
 

SultansOfSwing

Hero Member
Dec 28, 2016
502
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NH
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Only got one gold ring with my AT MAX, 10k 1919 class ring. Bouncy low 70s. I think 72 out of the hole. Wasnt expecting a ring. Waa thinking Indian. It'll happen when you least expect it.

I think you did better with the ace 250 is because its a beep and dig machine and you didnt visually discriminate like you do with the AT machines. If you want to hear tone differences take a pull tab and a gold ring that has similar vid. Put them both down and swing over both. The gold should have a different tone. Usually stronger tone overall. The tab will sound more "junky". Same goes for foil vs gold. Same vdi but different sounds.

When all else fails, discriminate everything under 40 and above 75. And just dig every target in between for a few hours. See what you get. I see most people find a ring every 100 pull tabs. Training your ear may better those odda but you really dont know what you have unless you dig it up.
 

Oct 5, 2014
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In using the AT Pro, I've found Gold from VDI numbers from 38 - 69. Of course there is a problem, this is where most of the junk lives. :BangHead:

In playgrounds and "clean" parks I dig everything and have found much gold over the years. :icon_thumleft: Now, with this philosophy you will dig a ton of trash. During beach hunting, I dig everything; again a lot of trash, but sweet gold periodically finds my scoop. :occasion14: My point is you need to think site specific on your number of targets you are willing to dig before you go crazy.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting
 

ToddsPoint

Gold Member
Mar 2, 2018
5,204
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Todds Point, IL
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I've been on this forum for a couple of years and I'm surprised at how few gold coins are found. Difficult to detect and not many of them. I thought there would be lots more. Gary
 

caretaker

Sr. Member
Jan 20, 2008
307
1,128
Maine
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I agree with the Professor, been swinging an AT Pro since they came out, I dig everything 31 and up, I'm also near the ocean, dug over 20 gold rings with the machine, and lots of silver
 

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EC.Mason

EC.Mason

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Feb 6, 2009
664
1,030
West Liberty Kentucky
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Lol love that idea man! Yeah the foil is brutal . I skip a lot of it but guess I better start digging it.
I have never found a gold ring or coin with my AT pro either. However I think you have to dig a lot of foil to find one. My advice take some of your wife’s gold jewelry and play with it in your yard. Just don’t tell her
 

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OP
EC.Mason

EC.Mason

Hero Member
Feb 6, 2009
664
1,030
West Liberty Kentucky
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Garrett AT Max
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Thanks man. That’s great advice.
Not a Pro/Max user here, ACE400, but I can say that when I air tested various gold rings and bits at home to see how the detector sees that, and then compare that to what happens afield... those 50-51 VDI's that would indicate gold on my 400 have usually been things like keys, bronze or brass hardware, or good size bits of aluminum.

The point is, many things ring up just like gold in terms of conductivity. If you pass those up thinking it's trash, you'll miss the gold too. Every signal I get that is repeatable and in those VDI ranges, I have to dig it. They key is that the stuff that is junk often has a scratchy or more variable target ID than something more solid, like gold jewelry. I did dig up a brass key in the park yesterday in fact. It rang in as a SOLID 50/51 which is the identical to my own gold wedding ring! I got excited hitting that tone! But alas, it was just the key. But it was very clear and obvious to be a solid target worth digging.

One of these days, it'll be actual gold rings or a coin. It's those target ID's in the 70s for me that could be small silver or old copper that nearly always end up being bits of foil or pull tabs.
 

OP
OP
EC.Mason

EC.Mason

Hero Member
Feb 6, 2009
664
1,030
West Liberty Kentucky
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Max
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey really appreciate all the replies. I read them all and you guys gave me some wonderful advice and tips. Gonna experiment a little more with my machine and dig those plugs I sometimes ignore.
 

stewielouie

Hero Member
May 14, 2012
708
393
Virginia
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MXT, AT Pro
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All Treasure Hunting
From 40 to 68, but the majority of the rings seem to be close to the pull tab range 53. All depends on the rings size.
 

smallfoot

Bronze Member
May 29, 2019
1,969
4,140
Flawda
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Garrett AT Pro, Bounty Hunter Tracker IV
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AT pro here also. Others mentioned my process above. I set discrimination at 30 and dig everything above it....it'll find it only if you get a coil across it.
 

Georgivs

Hero Member
May 16, 2018
992
2,285
Athens Georgia
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Garret AT pro
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The gold ring I found rang up in the pulltab/nickel range (50-60) on the Pro. Of course the golds gotta be there for you to find.
 

Rookster

Gold Member
Nov 24, 2013
29,382
111,597
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The 2 gold rings I’ve found rang up 67 and 66. Both came from a college volleyball pit. I believe it depends on size and soil mineralization. My White M6 is the ring finder.
 

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