Gamma with 11" DD in heavy iron-Score!

[Darkflight]

I hunt a lot of sites that have heavy iron. I have typically used my T brand & they do very well in that area. I have been digging up some fairly deep/hidden targets with my Gamma so I decided to take it to a very old park here in Oregon. I have hunted this place since I first picked up a detector. I have done OK-but like I said it has lots of iron & junk. A very good spot to learn - the hard way!.

I had the typical run of bottlecaps/tabs. In this park I dig it all . I also found 2 "railroad" coins that kids had put on the track. I'm afraid they smeared what was probably a nice old coin. Too large for a penny but appears copper. Maybe had stars at the radius & a readed edge-whatever it's a pancake now.


Then I locked on a small but strong signal-in a patch of iron. 94-97 VDI but I had to hover on it get it to ring solid. And lookie lookie...A 1894 S Morgan 1/2 dollar!-with a scratch!.

I didn't feel it hit my digger. Also the target was in loose dirt & was fairly shallow. I believe it was dug up recently by park employees laying a pipe. I was told by the ranger to check that area a while back as they had done some digging there. However it got there I'm happy.Under a magnifier it is an older scratch with embedded dirt.

Frankly I'm impressed with it's performance in the iron. I have worked that park hard with my other units & rarely bring home anything more than some bullet shells nowadays. The Gamma has helped bring a lot more targets within reach. So many so that I can't wait to get out there again...
Edit to add: I was at my daughters school yesterday(in the rain & bored stiff)-this school is nearly a century old. But whoever hunted it out had done a very thorough job(Monte?). I have rarely found anything old there. On the front lawn under one of the many trees-also in iron- I managed to pull a 36 wheatback in fair condition. Nice & deep- from my 2nd scoop-so I'd guess 7" or better. Once again-going to spend more time at it since the Gamma seems capable of opening new ground at these tough spots..



Cheers!

 

[onbrake]

The Gamma is a very good detector hits hard and deep on coins just like the O8 does.Keep us posted on your finds.

 

[Ken in Georgia]

n/t

 

[TerraDigger]

Nice find..........and yes..........its a bummer when ya find old silver....damaged........and not by your hand. I would clean that awesome half up......get a sterling pendant coin holder. Here's a link........and no.......I am not associated with the seller.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Coin-Holder-sterling-silver-US-half-dollar-plain-w-bail-/260694614495?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb29c21df

And proudly wear that bad boy

Congrat's

 

[Monte]

I hunt a lot of sites that have heavy iron. I have typically used my T brand & they do very well in that area. I have been digging up some fairly deep/hidden targets with my Gamma so I decided to take it to a very old park here in Oregon. I have hunted this place since I first picked up a detector. I have done OK-but like I said it has lots of iron & junk. A very good spot to learn - the hard way!

Hunting in iron trash is one of my favorite ways to find what others have missed. heck, we ALL miss some good targets from time to time, and can re-hunt an area that we worked, but from a different direction or different coil or different detector, and still pull goodies.

Those at the locally held Detector Owners Rendezvous on Saturday had some explanation in the meeting, then some 'reality check' education at the school site we went to. I had my prepared test 'Nail Board' (exact duplications that I have had produced at a sign shop for weather protection and come complete, as a kit, with the nails and zip ties to set them up), my 'Homestead Rock', two smaller rocks used to demonstrate the difficulty of hunting in a rocky or uneven ground environment,(even though you can see the coin), and 50 Test Samples with trash, gold jewelry, coins date back to 1856, and plenty of answers for folks.

The 'answers' were actually explanations why I prefer to use certain makes/models and search coils, as well as the Audio Tone ID I prefer to use (usually 1 or 2 tone), and of course the caution to NOT get too carried away putting full faith in the visual Target ID. You have to determine the site challenges and then pick the approach you need for success. That's what it take s to hunt in dense iron trash.

I had the typical run of bottlecaps/tabs. In this park I dig it all. I also found 2 "railroad" coins that kids had put on the track. I'm afraid they smeared what was probably a nice old coin. Too large for a penny but appears copper. Maybe had stars at the radius & a readed edge-whatever it's a pancake now.

Then I locked on a small but strong signal-in a patch of iron. 94-97 VDI but I had to hover on it get it to ring solid. And lookie lookie...A 1894 S Morgan 1/2 dollar!-with a scratch!.

Congrats on the 1894 Barber Half! Let's hope your good fortune continues as you have been making some good finds so far this year. It looks like it ought to clean up reasonably well. There are three "very old parks" in the Portland, Oregon metro area that are on my favorites list. Mt. Tabor, Washington, and Council Crest, in that order. Was one of those the park you hunted?

Frankly I'm impressed with it's performance in the iron. I have worked that park hard with my other units & rarely bring home anything more than some bullet shells nowadays. The Gamma has helped bring a lot more targets within reach. So many so that I can't wait to get out there again...

I hope when you do get out there again your good luck follows.

Edit to add: I was at my daughters school yesterday(in the rain & bored stiff)-this school is nearly a century old. But whoever hunted it out had done a very thorough job (Monte?). I have rarely found anything old there. On the front lawn under one of the many trees-also in iron- I managed to pull a 36 wheat-back in fair condition. Nice & deep- from my 2nd scoop-so I'd guess 7" or better. Once again-going to spend more time at it since the Gamma seems capable of opening new ground at these tough spots.

Without a hint I wouldn't know which old school in the area you're referring to. I do know, however, that the bulk of them have been well hunted through the years and finding any wheat-backs or silver is quite the challenge.

Keep that Gamma working as the good weather is here ..... at least for a while.

Monte

 

[Darkflight]

Same park as the Morgan & I'll keep that to e-mail. Also with the Gamma but using the 8" stocker & running in cheat mode as I was tired & about to call it quits. Full disc & notched in nickles & tabs. I alsom was using the 3 tone mode to help hover on suspect target w/out having to size it .Hurry mode I guess you'd call it. After the token I slowed down & went back to zero disc 2 tone.No emi issues there & The metal band I doubt is gold but it was at least plated.Very ornate & was wadded in a few directions.The rest of the "finds" were harmonica reed piece,a circular 3 reed piece I've never seen the likes of & a portion of a toy pistol. Oh yeah $.58!!...I tossed the zincs.

Good day & I'm beat to da bone...
Gimme a holler & we'll hit that school or the parks.
Carl.