Treasure Hunter XJ9-3050

[UDIG?]

I found a Treasure Hunter XJ9-3050 for $150 and decided to make it my first detector. At the time I didn't know anything about detecting but I figured at that price the machine should easily recover my investment.
I've owned this detector for a little over a year and have gone on 30 or so hunts with it. It took a while to get used to it, as its performance is very dependent on the settings you choose for the environment.

It will definitely pay for itself soon if it hasn't already, but there's just one issue I'm having. All I have ever found so far of value is regular clad dating back only as old as the 1960's. That's it. I've gone to dozens of parks, historical areas near churches and old schools, and open fields. I dig coins sometimes as deep as 8 inches. Not one is older than 1960. I often find multiple targets layered and overlapping each other with this machine. The surface blanker works wonders in trashy parks. I'm thinking it's doing a wonderful job but because it's all I know it's hard to judge.

Now, I have to wonder. Is this because the detector is failing to detect older coins as coins in DISC mode? Is it because the older coins are deeper and beyond the range of this machine? Is it because the older coins are simply already cleared out by other detectorists everywhere I'm going? Should I be operating in ALL Metal mode and digging every target instead of relying on the discriminator? Machine, Me, or locations Or maybe a combo of all? I don't know. I'm having fun but still, I'm getting a little frustrated. Right now I'd like to try a new machine but I'm unemployed and I can't afford one. I guess the only way to know for sure is to have someone with a high end machine hunting beside me and seeing if I'm missing out on much.

Any suggestions? I'm in central PA, and the soil here is challenging from what I've been told.
I have to ask members to please not recycle the tired argument that this machine is "Chinese junk" and I should purchase a Whites or another high end "American" model. I got news for those guys. Your American detector is no more American than any other electronic item you buy today. Loaded up with parts from Asia and maybe (if you're lucky) assembled or boxed in America with the premium brand. This thing is definitely worth the $150 I paid. It finds plenty. I know I wasn't duped on that deal, but what's up with finding only the modern coinage?

 

[goldentruth]

Hello friend: Well I see a lot of people with the fantastic finds including very old coins & artifacts and military buttons, medals and depending where you are, civil war stuff.
The location is very important, many have done research and many have stumbled upon a old barn or foundations of a home from days past.
For myself, I dig alot of targets unless in a junk/trash place where I've seen peoples trash/burn piles.
I do dig everything in hope I do not pass up a great find! I run my VLF MD in "All Metal" and I put the setting on "Nickle Mode", So it can pick up gold rings or nuggets. Don't let people fool you, a cheep $100 MD will pick up a good size nugget "If you are right on top of it!!!!! You never know! This could be your lucky day!
I want to share, when I dig a target, I get excited. Like in the song: Sometimes It's not just the prize it is the thrill of the hunt! Like when I go to a place, like a untraveled dry stream which is up a hill at a pitch where there are narural shelves where the soil is stopped and rests. There may be a gold vein that breaks off and gold is covered with fine rocks and under the gold is at the bed rock! That's the prospecting I am doing. I can be spending many half days after setting up and reaching a spot but the way I look at it, I find a fair nugget makes months seem it is all worth it. I keep trying, I can out last the hunt with out losing faith in myself.
A Consulation: Many have had the best MD with experience but if the great find is not there it wont be found and yet we may be lucky. Good luck and keep trying is all I can say.

 

[mlayers]

Hi and welcome to Tnet. For your question ob old coins. If you are not in a area where old coins was lost you will not find old coins. I have a couple high end detectors and I hunt parks, school yards, and church yard also. I have never found a old coin in these area either. Just like you mainly coins from around the 50's and up. I have found most of my older coins where the one room school houses once was. Do some rescreach and find out where the old one room school once stood. Where the old churches once stood. Look for homes that was built in the early 1800's. Then these are the places that you need to get permission from to hunt.

Then when you are in these places and you are not finding trash then turn your detector to all metal mode and dig it all. So good luck and keep us posted on your finds......Matt

 

[George (MN)]

8" on coins is pretty respectable depth. If new coins are that deep, either the soil is very soft, or the area has been renovated with new sold & fill dirt. Many places have old coins within 8" of surface, just keep trying more places & you'l find some oldies. Best regards, George (MN)

 

[Jason in Enid]

I have to ask members to please not recycle the tired argument that this machine is "Chinese junk" and I should purchase a Whites or another high end "American" model. I got news for those guys. Your American detector is no more American than any other electronic item you buy today. Loaded up with parts from Asia and maybe (if you're lucky) assembled or boxed in America with the premium brand. This thing is definitely worth the $150 I paid. It finds plenty. I know I wasn't duped on that deal, but what's up with finding only the modern coinage?

Since you are so happy with your detector, why are you asking questions about it not meeting your expectations? Either it's a good detector or it isn't.

 

[UDIG?]

Since you are so happy with your detector, why are you asking questions about it not meeting your expectations? Either it's a good detector or it isn't.

The point I was trying to make is that for my mere $150 I believe it's a good detector. It finds plenty of clad. BUT....since I haven't found older coins or any historic pieces despite going to historic locations I need to know if there's a chance this detector lacks the ability to find such items. It's a no-brainer to me that the more I invest in my machine the better detector I will be getting. I just wanted to know if I should give up on the hope of finding old stuff with this particular machine and wait until I can upgrade, or keep using it and change the technique I use. I wanted to get some real perspective instead of the usual "your machine sucks cuz it's from china" arguments.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Your machine is Chinese junk. Sorry you don't like to be told the truths you already know. Why can't you find older coins? There's a reason. Why can't you find any historic pieces? There's a reason.

Don't take it as an insult. Many, many long-time detectorist started with cheap chinese junk, I did. Did you have fun finding clad with it? Great! Did it get the fire started so you want to better at the hobby? Great!

Now, do some research on a good detector in your price range, because there are some really good ones at the "beginner" price level.

 

[Lakemonster]

Loaded up with parts from Asia and maybe (if you're lucky) assembled or boxed in America with the premium brand.

Be careful with that notion. Some do. Some dont.

You obviously havent seen the inside of some of these machines to learn that some US Detector manufacturers use US made components as much as possible. They make their own coils in house. They print their own PCB's. etc.

As for your lack of silver.... I'd say location is probably an issue.

 

[Sandman]

You have to have confidence in your detectors ability to find what your looking for. If you have a cheap detector it doesn't mean it can't find the old coins unless they are deeper than yours can go. The use of a larger coil will help if the coins are deeper. Silver is very conductive and about any detector can beep on them. If your where many are hunting they might have located the old silver. I'd say study the newer models for when you do have the means to get another better MD and have fun with what you have in the mean time. Most of us started with things we wouldn't use today. Like your first car........Mine didn't have doors and ran on a quart of oil every tank of gas.

 

[dneyedli@res1.mts.net]

Ya the "Chinese junk" reply is tiring.

Remember, this is a $150 machine. I started out with a $300 and a $400 Whites (late 80's) and those detectors wouldn't go beyond 6 inches and sucked for finding anything other than pennies near the surface. It would have been a different story had they been a 2900 to 6000 series which IMO were the best Whites ever made. Drop $400 on a used 6000 and you're laughing!

I'll admit that there's a slight snicker on my face with the Chinese detector but there's all out laughter when I see someone who dropped $1500 on the latest wonder machine that is nothing but hype.

The good news is that you only spent $150 and can achieve a depth up 8 inches. Forget the stagnant parks and head out onto a plowed field that has some history. Set it to accept all non-ferrous and dig away! It's not uncommon to find a 200 year old coin near the surface at cultivated fields.

If you ever want to up-grade, get a mid-ranged Fisher or Tesoro. There are many older models on e-bay that would give you more bang for your buck.
3 or 400 bucks and you could get a 1266X which will blow away most detectors made today.

I better stop now before there's an angry mob of E-twacker's and V-tree's ready for a-lynching!

 

[goldentruth]

Muddyhands: Well Put... Much truth... you said it man!
(Like Barnum Balley said"About Suckers",) ... There is one born every minute.
(I know one person who carries a TDL and a VLF just to not miss stuff passed over!)
I have a original old "Vintage", first on the line Tesoro Golden Sabre II with silent search VLF MD with Notch & Discriminate & Metals accept or reject. (Which the top models have).
In 1980 it was selling for about $500+ it ran with the big dog of the day "Whites", Now "Used" it has been selling for about $250 to $300, the funny thing is I saw a video on youtube about the White's TDL (Used @$900+), the signal and finds were the same depth & stuff my Tesoro finds. Humm, The Tesoro tech said it is a wounderful coin machine and if large enough it will hit a nugget or two if in the right spot... I think now I will hold on to it and if I add/upgrade, might get a "Used" Tesoro Lobo Super Traq. I had the treasure hunter and a famous Trails (Chinnese), before and both picked up rellics just fine and some good coins too. You just got to be in the right spot. (If the spot has no targets....NO Metal detector will find a "keeper" no matter how expensive the MD is.) Peace out!