Being 'wrong' is the only way I learn...never say NEVER

[ziphius]

Got out to a new site with my buddy Bill yesterday, part of an old military base, now woods. First target was a 50 cal shell, biggest I've dug yet, and we knew we were in the right area. The area gets a little bit of modern use as a running trail and party spot, so clad coins were popping up here and there. Targets were few and far between, very little trash, which made it an enjoyable "quiet hunt". But, I did manage a '29-S wheat and '42-S and '43 mercury dimes, in addition to several clad coins and numerous firearm brass casings. The '43 merc is where I learned my lesson. On the F75, silver dimes for me have ALWAYS read in the ID range of 75-77, while clad dimes are reliable for a 72-73. So, as you probably have already guessed, I got a very shallow 73-73 signal, no ID bouncing, and expected to dig another clad dime, flipped over the leaf litter, and a shiny new '43 merc revealed itself. Only the side that had been in contact with the ground was slightly browned, but the heads side was shiny new. Never dug one in this condition. Got me thinking about how most of my mercs are deep targets dug in turf environments, where oxidation may play a part in changing the numeric signal that the F75 reads. I dug this particular dime using 2F tones, so I couldn't say if it sounded appreciably different from a clad dime, which is the case when I use Delta Pitch tones. I pass up a lot of mid-depth & deep 72-73 signals in the turf, because my experience has told me they are NEVER silver dimes. I'm guessing I'm wrong. Or maybe my 'rule' only applies to silver dimes in the turf that have undergone oxidation.

Happy hunting gang.

Jim

 

[jim tn]

Nice silvers, Jim. I had the same thing happen a few days ago. Usually silver dimes in average moisture soil read for me 74-76 and clad around 71-72. Got a lock on 72 at about 2" and it turned out to be a 44 merc. I was pretty surprised, although I do dig those numbers. There are so many things that can effect readings that tone, tone, tone, is the deciding dig factor for me, regardless of depth. HH jim tn

 

[ziphius]

Nice silvers, Jim. I had the same thing happen a few days ago. Usually silver dimes in average moisture soil read for me 74-76 and clad around 71-72. Got a lock on 72 at about 2" and it turned out to be a 44 merc. I was pretty surprised, although I do dig those numbers. There are so many things that can effect readings that tone, tone, tone, is the deciding dig factor for me, regardless of depth. HH jim tn

Jim,

Since I was running 2F tones, I was deaf to the sweet sound of silver under my coil. I wonder if the clad dime vs silver dime difference I usually pick up on would have held true if I had been running Delta Pitch. Keep digging friend.

Jim

 

[dahut]

Got out to a new site with my buddy Bill yesterday, part of an old military base, now woods. First target was a 50 cal shell, biggest I've dug yet, and we knew we were in the right area. The area gets a little bit of modern use as a running trail and party spot, so clad coins were popping up here and there. Targets were few and far between, very little trash, which made it an enjoyable "quiet hunt". But, I did manage a '29-S wheat and '42-S and '43 mercury dimes, in addition to several clad coins and numerous firearm brass casings. The '43 merc is where I learned my lesson. On the F75, silver dimes for me have ALWAYS read in the ID range of 75-77, while clad dimes are reliable for a 72-73. So, as you probably have already guessed, I got a very shallow 73-73 signal, no ID bouncing, and expected to dig another clad dime, flipped over the leaf litter, and a shiny new '43 merc revealed itself. Only the side that had been in contact with the ground was slightly browned, but the heads side was shiny new. Never dug one in this condition. Got me thinking about how most of my mercs are deep targets dug in turf environments, where oxidation may play a part in changing the numeric signal that the F75 reads. I dug this particular dime using 2F tones, so I couldn't say if it sounded appreciably different from a clad dime, which is the case when I use Delta Pitch tones. I pass up a lot of mid-depth & deep 72-73 signals in the turf, because my experience has told me they are NEVER silver dimes. I'm guessing I'm wrong. Or maybe my 'rule' only applies to silver dimes in the turf that have undergone oxidation.

Happy hunting gang. Jim

No "rules" exist in the field, bud. Only probabilities. Anything that hits clean foil is a dig target. TOnes and TID are nice, but not to be relied upon.
I fug a full set of dental gold (18K) front teeth a few seasons back. Todays gold value will have them worth the many hundreds of dollars.
If I was judging by my meter and going by "the Rules," I would have written it off as a screw cap and kept on moving.

 

[jmaryt]

i hear ya,however ya just can NOT count on THAT id being a clad coin ALL the time,REGARDLESS of depth!..many variables when a coin is buried in the soil matrix!..gotta dig 'em!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[Elton]

I would go back and dig some of those deeper lower numbers.

Borrowing Diggers "Randy" a prominent member on this forums saying..............

[size=large]"You never know for sure unless you dig it"[/size]

 

[woodwizard]

if it beebs then ya dig -I dig every thing and never have to ask what if or say I should of---dig all targets-regardless of id meter ya do know gold rings in as pull tabs and nickles-ya could be passing up alot of good stuff going by that meter