Not finding any nickels.....doing something wrong?

[beez0404]

Well, with the advice I've gotten from a few of you on this site I am no longer plagued with bottle caps. I have a program that I run that works well in my soil and has good depth and separation so I'm pleased with it. I created an identical program with the only exception being the frequency. The program I run is 12Khz, and the "bottle cap" spoiler program is at 4Khz. Works really well.

Now my next problem is with regard to nickels. Looking at the VDI chart a nickel, in 12Khz, will ring up a 55. I think since I started using the Deus about 90 days ago I've dug one nickel. I've been digging most targets between 54-57 and have found nothing but can slaw, pull tabs, and square tabs. Surely I have to have crossed paths with more then just 1 nickel in 90 days??? Recently I've been hunting houses near a mill built in 1900. I hunted 4 small yards pretty darn hard. Not a single nickel to be found.

Am I doing something wrong? Are there any tricks/tips you guys can provide to help with nickels?

 

[samandnoah]

In 12 kHz I've often gotten nickels, especially a little deeper, with readings of 52 -55. So check some of those slightly lower 50s readings. Also, I use my 4 kHz program to check those 12 kHz readings (hey, it's not just for bottle caps anymore! ). At 4 kHz I typically get btw 36 - 39, though usually right at 38-39. If it's 40 and above, I've usually found just the "tail" of a beavertail pull tab (and sometimes those hit at 38 or 39, just like a nickel). So if you start digging those tails, I can almost promise you'll hit a nickel soon enough.
Rich

 

[Southwind]

I used ID NORM = YES so that no matter what frequency I used the VDI numbers were the same. All nickles came in at a solid 53. I found plenty. In fact my last hunt I found more nickles than anything else.

 

[CZconnoisseur]

Recently dug a deep Buffalo that had jumpy VDI in 4 kHz from 40-60. 4 kHz usually pegs them at 36-38 about 90% of the time if they are shallower than 6". A couple weeks ago on a tot lot I hit a nickel at 8-9" which VDIed in the lower and mid 60s in 12 kHz. Nickels by far have the most unsteady VDIs compared to other coins, especially if deep and/or co-located with iron or other coins. By that merit alone this would make them a little more challenging to find - don't know how many times I've come across a coin spill and the copper and zinc pennies are masking nickels. Usually doesn't happen the other way around so far what I've seen with this machine.

Found out also that war nickels will ID anywhere from 33-60 in 4 kHz. This is quite a spread for a coin that was supposedly the same composition throughout the war, some Wheats and Indian cents also exhibit this same behavior but are easily picked out of sites by their higher conductivity vs nickels.

 

[rks1040]

I never use 12 kHz for coinshooting! I find the lower frequency's much better at TID separation than the higher one's plus you will dig a lot less trash in the 4-8 kHz range once you are used to them!

 

[beepsilver]

I never use 12 kHz for coinshooting! I find the lower frequency's much better at TID separation than the higher one's plus you will dig a lot less trash in the 4-8 kHz range once you are used to them!

I'm seeing this too. Today I was switching freqs on various targets. The trashy targets that 4K said phooey on, 12K seemed to like.

 

[beez0404]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have not been digging the 52s and 53s but it's worth a shot. I've been detecting homes built around 1900, a mill village, and have been hoping to cross a buffalo nickel and war nickel off my VERY LONG list of coins I'd like to find. IH pennies are also on that list so a chance for one of them there too. Thus far I've hunted 4 homes, all with very small yards and my best find was a 1950 Roosevelt dime. I did find some older wheat pennies and a WWI general service button. But I was told that the brother in law of one of the homeowners had detected all four of those yards. The yard I gridded out yesterday yielded me with 6 wheat pennies ranging from 1925-1956 and about 20 memorial pennies. Not a single dime, quarter, half, nickel either old or clad. So it would seem he did a good job there. I kept positive and hunted diligently and dug quite a number of iffy sounds hoping for a silver he had missed. No such luck.

 

[beepsilver]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I have not been digging the 52s and 53s but it's worth a shot. I've been detecting homes built around 1900, a mill village, and have been hoping to cross a buffalo nickel and war nickel off my VERY LONG list of coins I'd like to find. IH pennies are also on that list so a chance for one of them there too. Thus far I've hunted 4 homes, all with very small yards and my best find was a 1950 Roosevelt dime. I did find some older wheat pennies and a WWI general service button. But I was told that the brother in law of one of the homeowners had detected all four of those yards. The yard I gridded out yesterday yielded me with 6 wheat pennies ranging from 1925-1956 and about 20 memorial pennies. Not a single dime, quarter, half, nickel either old or clad. So it would seem he did a good job there. I kept positive and hunted diligently and dug quite a number of iffy sounds hoping for a silver he had missed. No such luck.

Either there's no more silver there (if that's what you're after), or there's one or two still hiding. If you're up for it, grid the yards in a different direction, bump up or down reactivity depending on if the coins are deep or collocated with trash...you may find a surprise. Otherwise it may be time to look for an area the brother-in-law hasn't hunted yet