So, my 2nd and 3rd trips over to my neighbors yard were "fruitful" Last Friday I went over and found my first cache, a kiddie cache I guess I'll call it. 28 pennies all in one hole, with a big fat rusted screw in the middle of the hole. I almost didn't dig. The signal was huge, and bouncing from good to bad and back. I was using my 12X15 SEF coil, so I coul raise it off the ground about 2 feet and still get the signal. I was thinking big rusted piece of farm equipment. However, unlike most large pieces of metal where the signal "clears up" when you pull away (meaning it starts reading iron 31 31), this one was still reading 3-5 ferrous and 26-28 conductivity. It never did show as true iron. This was a nice learning experience and something I'll keep an eye out for when I get those large signals that read above the ground. So I carved out my plug, and spent the next 20 minutes digging pennies out. The first one I found was a Canadian penny, so my first glance I mistook the leaves as the headress of an Indian Head. Then I started seeing the 70's and early 80's pennies and took another look at my IH. 
ahh well, technically speaking this is my first cache, and I did enjoy re-scanning the plug and the hole finding penny after penny. Thank god for the X-1 probe. I also found a U-Haul lock, which was painting bright green on one side, and bright red/orange on the other side. Perhaps this is some sort of bowling shoe theory, no one would want to steal an ugly lock??? Well, it didn't stop someone from losing it!
Does anyone have any idea what that copper handle with a bowl might be? The handle part, which I don't think is a handle has two nails through it which makes me think this item was nailed to a piece of wood or something. The inside of the bowl is black, perhaps something was burning in there? Any thoughts or suggestions?
Yesterday I headed over there after work for 15 minutes. I started gridding near where I found the cache. I got a similar signal as I had my first hunt when I got 4 silver rosies. It was fairly deep and was hitting a steady 11-28. I dug the plug and the X-1 was now showing me 3-28/29. Another scoup or two and out popped a nice merc. As this is only my 2nd year of detecting, I'm pretty happy about these finds. I wouldn't call this an "iffy" signal, but something close to it. I'm just happy I'm using my detector better, and finding the deeper stuff. This one like the rosie's was around 9-10" down. Interestingly enough, where before I was using my 4.5X7 excellerator coil, I used my 12X15 SEF as was still able to lock onto it. I think it's a wash between getting the deeper signals a bit easier with the 12X15, but zoning in on a signal faster with the 4.5X7. I know if you are not patient with the 12X15 and not do that SE bounce over every signal, you'll pass over stuff. I've found the smaller coil doesn't stick to the iron as much. BTW, this merc and the wheatie were within 5' of the penny cache.
Well that's enough yapping, enjoy the pics.
ahh well, technically speaking this is my first cache, and I did enjoy re-scanning the plug and the hole finding penny after penny. Thank god for the X-1 probe. I also found a U-Haul lock, which was painting bright green on one side, and bright red/orange on the other side. Perhaps this is some sort of bowling shoe theory, no one would want to steal an ugly lock??? Well, it didn't stop someone from losing it! Does anyone have any idea what that copper handle with a bowl might be? The handle part, which I don't think is a handle has two nails through it which makes me think this item was nailed to a piece of wood or something. The inside of the bowl is black, perhaps something was burning in there? Any thoughts or suggestions?
Yesterday I headed over there after work for 15 minutes. I started gridding near where I found the cache. I got a similar signal as I had my first hunt when I got 4 silver rosies. It was fairly deep and was hitting a steady 11-28. I dug the plug and the X-1 was now showing me 3-28/29. Another scoup or two and out popped a nice merc. As this is only my 2nd year of detecting, I'm pretty happy about these finds. I wouldn't call this an "iffy" signal, but something close to it. I'm just happy I'm using my detector better, and finding the deeper stuff. This one like the rosie's was around 9-10" down. Interestingly enough, where before I was using my 4.5X7 excellerator coil, I used my 12X15 SEF as was still able to lock onto it. I think it's a wash between getting the deeper signals a bit easier with the 12X15, but zoning in on a signal faster with the 4.5X7. I know if you are not patient with the 12X15 and not do that SE bounce over every signal, you'll pass over stuff. I've found the smaller coil doesn't stick to the iron as much. BTW, this merc and the wheatie were within 5' of the penny cache.
Well that's enough yapping, enjoy the pics.
