Indian vs. Lincoln Cent

[DukeOBass]

Most lincoln cents I find read 07-27. Is the metal content of the Indian Head cent different giving a different read-out? My house is old enough that I should be finding them and maybe I'm passing them over.

 

[mattockman]

My XS gives the conduct # for Indians from 24-26....close to a twist cap location on display...newer pennys are higher on display and of course the conduct # is higher...usually 28 on XS......Indians I believe are 100% copper.....Newer has zinc mixed with copper.....

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[Bart]

The Lincoln cents from 1982 on, are a zinc base metal with a very thin copper wash. They usually read 06/07 -- 25/27. Depending on the degree of corrosion/soil/depth. The early Indian heads from 1859-1864 were 88% copper & 12% nickel. These will read somewhere around a nickel reading. I will get a 08-06 all the way up to a 15-07 on nickels. It also depends on corrosion/soil/depth. Starting about halfway through 1864 to 1909 the IH's were 95% copper and 5% tin+zinc. these are the IH's that will read like a modern zinc based penny. Here is what I do.....if I'm on an older property that has even a small chance of IH's on it, I will dig any penny type signal...especially the iffy ones. Of course this also applies to any coin type signals. Remember.....nearby trash, moisture, depth, mineralization, corrosion, coin position, and machine settings, can alter a good coin signal, into a very trashy sounding/iffy signal. It takes a lot of digging experience, to tell the difference. That's why the minelab veterans on this forum find so much good stuff, where others have failed. It's not that their machines are that superior....although the Explorer does have some advantages, it's that they know how to really interpret those trashy/iffy signals. I personally think that the Explorer users in general, are the most dedicated to learning their machines, and pushing the envelope to the max....They truly understand what their machines are telling them. Heck....anybody can cherry pick a site. But only the REAL coinshooters with Explorers can nearly clean it out. Oh yeah.....about those IH's sounding like the zinc pennies.....I know of several IH's that were less than an inch deep in the ground. So you can't always rely on judging a good target by the depth. My best IH was down less than 2 inches in with a V nickel. I got a iffy 05-20 on the target display but a very good audio, so I dug it. 1893 IH and a 1911 V nickel. Ya just never know where those good targets might turn up...

 

[DukeOBass]

I appreciate it! I have gotten 05-07 with 20-22s that I've ignored. Also, the 08-06 to 15-07s that I've dug that seems to be all junk. I've have to slow down and start digging it all. I'm guilty of cherry picking.

 

[Phil]

I've found that most wheat pennies and copper lincoln pennies hit around 28 conductive on my Explorer. IH pennies and later(after 1982) zinc lincoln pennies hit 26 conductive. The zinc pennies vary more as they get eaten up by the soil. I would suggest you try both copper and zinc pennies with your Explorer to see where they hit. If the zinc penny shows 27 then you are in the range of IH pennies too. If the IH pennies(or any coins) are deep the display may not give a consistent reading. I love digging those bouncing iffy signals.

 

[DukeOBass]

I just dug a 1959 Lincoln today that was a bouncy iffy signal that wouldn't go away. I believe it was 07/27. I had another signal going that was iffy and I lost it once I opened the turf. I removed about 5-6 inches of dirt and was then using the probe. I picked up a lot of trashy signals at that point. Originally, It read like it was at about 8" and bouncing around 06-23 to 03-26. It started to rain so I had to get the SE inside. It's been raining progressively harder ever since.

 

[Phil]

You can't tell by the small photo and the dirt but the coin dealer said this IH had VF detail.

I don't keep my eyes glues to the display, I listen for the tones. I hunt in ferrous tones and iron mask -16 probably not recommended for new users. My best advice is find an experienced Explorer user to hunt with. That will cut your learning curve faster than anything.

 

[mattockman]

n/t

 

[treasurefiend]

I came accros this a while ago. Hope this helps. Some coins have multi numbers though.

Here are the Explorer SE Digital Number.

Item Ferrous Conductivity
14 kt 1O/12 OO/O6
18 kt O8/11 O2/O9
3 cent nickle 11 O2
Foil 11 O2
3 Cent Nickel 11 O2
Gold one dollar O8 O4
Beaver Tails 10 O4
5 cent shield 10 O5

 

[digitrich]

I have noticed different sites, even different coils give different ID numbers. And those numbers can also change slightly with less or more moisture content in the ground. None of the digital numbers people quote on here are any good, other than as a starting reference to go by. Dig all signals in your yard that are close to all three type pennies and after a few, you should have some sort of pattern. If you are digging up wheats and an occasional bottle cap, then the reason you're not finding Indians might be because you are not getting deep enough. Turn down your gain to about 5, turn on deep and fast off and dig the softer, high pitched penny signals. Use a larger coil as well and try it in wet weather.

 

[mattockman]

No coin will always be a set # anyways, but were I come from they are usually 24-26 95% or better...of the time....I have dug zinc pennys looking like nickels before....very bad condition at beach....I have dug many many many shallow Indians, so don't let anyone tell you they are all deep....your site will tell you the depth of everything, and by you digging and finding the general depth of evertything, you will be informed...every site can be diff......so if it is your yard you should have a good idea of all target depths......if you are curious the diff. of all diff. coins then go buy some cheapies at a pawn shop or buy some off guys here and airtest them...now theres an idea!.....if the oldest copper coins in your dirt are corroded just think how bad the Indians will be...the crustier and green they are the more they will throw you off with sounding like junk.....I have found crusty wheats and they sounded like iron with good higher sounds, all mixed together...dig the scratchy and bouncing cursors that sound sometimes good and the cursor sometimes looks good to bad....bet you find a crusty copper.

 

[DukeOBass]

n/t

 

[SNOWY]

Real good post Bart ...