Question....What is the definition of a "Coin Shooter" metal detector?

[Mike Hillis]

What are the necessary parameters for a metal detector to be called a "coin shooter"?

HH
Mike

 

[jim tn]

This ought to be good. Interesting question, Mike. I consider my Omega to be a great "coin shooter." For the various coin denominations, it has a nice tight numbers id window. It id's a coin as a coin and most trash items as trash. A "coin shooter" locks on coins good and at respectful depths. A "coin shooter" not only enables one to make accurate determinations of what the coin is, but if there is a good chance it will be silver, as well. These are most of the things I consider to be a "coin shooter." HH jim tn

 

[zeekeys]

I really like the way Jim thinks. I also think a coin shooter should be compact. When in close quarters it can be easily moved around to fit into and underneath obstacles. It should also be light so when you need to extend you arm to it fullest while your detector is why out there under things. Your arm isn't going to fall off after a few hours of close quarters detecting. It should be simple. It should be flexible because most coins shooters are off to a number of sites in one day. All over the county and in many different conditions. It should be fast and it should pin point with very good accuracy. I don't want to spend lots of time trying to find a coin that is a few inches from pin pointed. There should be different coils. I like a 11", 8 or 9" and a 5.5 or 6" coils. Do not care for the 4". I like open coils. Prefer concentric over the DD in some cases. Batteries should last a long time. It should be easy to change batteries, coils and plug in different headphones quickly. Face plate should be simple, uncluttered with just enough information to scoop in there and pick up the coin and be off to pick up the next one. I can probably think of a few other things but I know someone will come along and get those that I have missed. Thanks for reading and nice post Mike.......Z

 

[mudpuppy]

I'll throw in my two and add to Z's ...It would be nice to have it water resistant enough to hunt in a pouring rain, and it would be great if cordless headphones were standard.
( just got back from on the road since thursday catching up on the posts)

 

[BuckeyeBrad]

Actually a surprisingly complex question considering that "coinshooting" is such a fundamental aspect of metal detecting. As for all the variables? Got it, been there with almost all the detectors, blah blah. Besides the ergonomic aspects, (weight, balance, feel, size of important display characters, etc), and varied and good coil selection, I think one of the main things required to make a good coinshooter is resolution in all the normal coins of a particular nationality. In other words, a coinshooter detector should more often than not afford the operator a high degree of confidence that a target is a copper penny instead of a clad dime, a typical wheat instead of a copper memorial, a nickle instead of a rolled beaver tail or old ring tab, any silver coin denomination over it's clad counterpart, etc. Depth can be a factor in making those same "calls" in the field, but anyone that has much experience knows that relative target depth is not necessarily ultimately defining. Historically, there is usually one of those segment areas that is more guess than by golly. Next would be relative ease of operation vs max capability, IE, how much do you have to know in order to wring out "the best" of the ability of a certain detector?. Next would be relative ease of stable operation and its relativity to max performance. IE, if running stable at location "x", are you loosing any or much depth and or separation ability? Last but not least, hopefully it should be able to, more often than not, "SEEM" to find more when used behind other detectors. Yeah, I know that is tough to quantify but (experienced) user confidence/warm and fuzziness is pretty darn important to achieve huge sales figures. A detector that can not necessarily excel in all (still waiting for one of those) but at least be competently effective in all would surely be a formidable coin shooter in my mind.

 

[Steve O]

A good coin machine should tell me the date on the coin, if it cant read it because it's worn, I still know it's old. I know,,,,, get serious you cornball.

 

[TerraDigger]

You may have a point there about FTP developing their own 'distinct' single frequency technology.

 

[Mr.Bill]

Just incase anyone is running around looking for their post.

 

[Mike Hillis]

Did I miss anything?
HH
Mike

 

[Mike Hillis]

I wanted to see what others thought before I named my basic parameters for a "Coin Shooter".

A coin shooter hunts deeper coins.

A coin shooter should have "stable" power. By that I mean that it is not very susceptible to EMI interference and what does affect it can be easily and effectively mitigated without much loss in performance.

A coin shooter should have a robust audio response to the limits of its effective depth. A deep, high conductive coin such as a 8+" deep dime should stop you in your tracks. You should be able to hear it plainly.

A coin shooter should only use a modulated audio at fringe depth.

A coin shooter should correct identify high conductors as high conductors at the limits of it's effective depth. Beyond that it should clearly identify ferrous/non ferrous.

A coin shooter should have some form of tone id. The tones should work to the limits of the detector's effective depth. Beyond that it should identify ferrous/non-ferrous.

A coin shooter should have the ability to be worked slowly through both modern alum trash as well as iron, but worked more quickly through less trashy areas.

A coin shooter should have a VCO pinpoint with a adjustable threshold for pinpointing.

Finally, A coin shooter should have a ground cancelling system that allows it to work in any site conditions.

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Unfortunately, I don't currently own a coin shooter.
HH
Mike