Mister Mike, you stole it at $150!
As for advice, you didn't mention which coil you got with it, but if you hunt trashy spots, I'd recommend getting a 5.75" concentric to play with.
When you first take it to where you plan on hunting, try pushing in the pinpoint button and setting your threshold to a low and steady hum; don't try any supertune stuff...
With threshold set to low hum, hold the pinpoint in (now you're in threshold based all metal), and find youself a clean section of ground with no metal. Once you find the clean spot, hold the pinpoint in and pump the coil up and down over the ground, from a foot above, down to an inch above (as on an adjustable ground balance machine). Take note as to whether the threshold tone goes up, down, or stays about the same... Next, with the button still pushed in, switch the frequency to each position, and choose the one where the tone is either about the same, or gets quieter going toward the soil (still pumping machine and coil up and down, from a foot up, down to about an inch above ground). If tone stays the same when doing this, the balance in all-metal is said to be neutral, if tone gets louder going toward the soil, then it's positive, and if it gets quieter, it's negative. You want to choose the frequency switch position that's closest to neutral or (preferably) a little negative, for best target response. This frequency switch isn't intended to be used this way, but each position will change the ground balance slightly. What I just described is the only way to get a little closer to ground balancing a standard, unmodified Cibola, and may give a little (though very little) more depth. But, it should also help with target response. This will not make a big difference, but may help...
Next, using that same clean spot of ground, drop a quarter there, and pass your coil over that quarter, and make note of how it sounds. Adjust your sensitivity so that quarter sounds the clearest and loudest... Then turn it up a little higher. With some practice, I think you may see that maximum sensitivity may be too high to get the cleanest response on that quarter, unless soil mineralization is quite low. Run sensitivity as high as you can, while still getting a clean, solid response on the quarter. Of course, a quarter in the soil is a different critter, but make sure you don't run sensitivity too high, causing a quarter's response to fall off. With some practise, I think you'll know what I mean.
On the discrimination, run it as low as you can stand. In trashy spots that'll be tougher, as constantly digging junk will discourage you. In really trashy spots, I run just past tab, getting all cents (zinc and real ones..), dimes and quarters. If the area isn't too trashy, I try to run right between foil and nickel, hoping for nickels and all the other coins, and...those ever elusive gold goodies.
Remember, this is the internet and to take everything you read as being potential BS... Try it though, and make your own decesion. Seems to work for me.
^_^
