Coin popping - I think I have it down now!

[Goldburn]

I've been reading a post here and there about popping coins straight out of the ground without digging holes and didn't see much of an explaination, so today I procured myself an 8" small flathead screwdriver and headed to the park with my trusty Ace250 to try it out.

[attachment 99221 stanley.jpg]
( The one on the far right )

Using the ground balancing technique to get deadly accurate with the pinpointing, I eyeball the sweet spot and slowly probe the area with the screwdriver until I feel a solid hit. I can usually hit it within 1-5 pokes into the soil, sometimes a few more. I then back off and poke just off to one side a bit deeper and pry it out with only a few crumbs of dirt on the surface. This is a much faster target recovery method, but is only good for targets up to about 4-5". I had my doubts about being able to get smaller coins such as dimes and pennies, but before long I was plucking them out of the ground like there was no tomorrow! It also helps to have a pinpointer handy to probe into the hole if the coin doesn't become visible right away.

I know someone posted that they wanted to see a video of this method, so weather permitting, I'll shoot one and upload to youtube tomorrow.

 

[awhitster]

Sounds like you got it. The only problem if it is a silver coin it can get scratched.

 

[Uncle Willy]

Yeah coin popping is the only way to go. I very rarely ever dig for a coin. I use a big screwdriver so I can pop them at six or seven inches. I use the handle of my probe as a fulcrum under the shaft of the big screwdriver. Slicker than snot.

Bill

 

[Uncle Willy]

If you're hunting where known silver is use a brass or nylon probe.

Bill

 

[lazyaussie]

i use a probe on sports grounds when i"m hunting $1-$2 coins i find the target with the detector then use the pinpointer to narow the area down then use the probe to pop the coin out this is verry quick on shallow coins 2-3 inch.
hows probing for rings work ???? all the rings i"v found in the grass i"v had to cut plugs for. i find getting pulltabs out of the ground hard to do to.

 

[Mick in Dubbo]

I use an 8in Philips head screw driver almost exclusively. Just as thin as what you are using as it makes it easy to push into hard ground. I mostly pinpoint off the tip of the inner coil for the best accuracy and detune and use the centre of the coil if I have any trouble locating a target. It depends on what sort of coins you go after as to whether to use a screw driver or not. If I think that I have an older coin (our pre decimals are all in the bell tone area I'd use a coin trowel and electronic pinpointer. Most modern coins below that). A couple of tips to help you. A rock will tend to feel rough when you hit it and you can push the screw driver through a screw cap. a coin has a distinct solid feel to it. Also, only push the screw driver in slowly as this will greatly reduce the chance of damaging a coin. I'd only recommend doing this with modern currency.
Lazyaussie. I've pulled up a few rings out of the lawn with the screw driver and in every case, I find that when I probe the ground, and spear through the middle of the ring, it always flips in the hole and locks itself onto the shaft of the screw driver. I don't know it's a ring till I pull it out of the whole and see the ring attached to the screw driver. I haven't damaged a ring at all yet.
Mick Evans.

 

[slingshot]

Yeah-the only thing slicker than that is WD-40!

 

[Kipper]

My probing coin popper of choice is old carbon steel ice picks. Been using them for years and am very good with them. They are skinnier than screw drivers and very strong(if you have an old one, the new ones bend). I get them at yard sales mostly, when I see them for 50 cents or less I pick them up, trouble is many are advertising items and people want much more for them. I buy them cheap and keep spares around.

 

[Bernie]

Have you posted your video yet?? I have been looking for it on youtube. B