Success- Omega w/5" DD

[Eric (NH)]

I hunted for a few hours after work last night, knowing that a large snow storm is expected here tomorrow (April fools day Nor'easter). I decided to hunt a very trashy vacant lot that I have hunted many times, with a larger concentric coil. My hope...to find a few good targets amongst the trash with the little 5" DD.

The small coil has an advantage over the 11" DD in areas with high EMI. At this particular site, EMI is bothersome...not so with the 5" DD...I was able to hunt, max sensitivity. Ground balance was 68. I prefer D1 audio.

The results: Three Indian Head Cents, all ID'ed at 78/79, two were only 3 or 4 inches, the other at 6" (accurate ID at this depth). I found one Wheaty, a solid 6-7" deep 9 (ID'd at 80/81). In a more wooded area, I searched in some pine needles, and hit two very loud targets reading 83/84...both were covered by 3-4" of pine needles and leaves, and were another 4" deep in the turf...each target was Mercury Dime. I feel the 5" DD would have hit these targets at 8 or 9"...this leaves me pondering the potential of this small coil....nice depth and target separation combination!

Given the forecast, that may be it for awhile...looking forward to real spring!

HH, Eric

 

[Monte]

My 5" DD stays mounted on my G2, for now, as that combination gets the first call when things get ugly. I used it the entire month of September, plus a day or two either side, and used it exclusively on my Omega. Only 895 coins in September, but plenty of good silver and gold jewelry as well.

Two things to be alert to with any brand or model detector, but I especially noticed it with the Omega. One is that some TID/VDI readings can be 'off' a little bit compared with the stock 10" elliptical concentric coil. A second thing to note is that it sees less ground, and in many sites I worked it, comparing it with the 10" concentric and 11" Double-D, my Ground Phase read-out was different between the three coils with my Omega.

As for Target ID, I seldom use it. I rely mainly on the Audio response, and then I glance at the VDI reading which is a tighter, more specific reading. Target ID is simply divided into eight segments or zones and is just a rough guess by comparison.

Also, most makes and models sold today show a 'Penny' reading lower than a 'Dime' reading with their Target ID. Modern coin minting produces the Zinc Cent which has a lower level of conductivity than the higher-conductive clad Dime. Sharing a similar conductivity rate with the Clad Dime are the older Silver Dimes and many of the better Copper Pennies we call 'Wheat-backs.'

Not all Pennies will respond the same, however, and that is usually attributed to the type of material or purity of the marketed copper. The source of the copper might have been a lower-grade that was used? Maybe copper mined out of Montana was a lower grade? Maybe the foundry work to process the ore wasn't quite as good or as well refined in earlier years? What I do know is that only some of the Indian Head cents will give a Penny/Dime Target ID. Most of them will read lower on the VDI scale.

The very early circulated Flying Eagle Cents from 1857 & 1858 were made of 88% Copper and 12% Nickel and weighed 4.67 grams with a diameter of 19mm. The first Indian Head Cents from 1859 thru 1863, and some of 1864, were of the same size and alloy content. We also call these early Indian Head's a "fatty" due to their increased thickness compared with later pennies.

During 1864 they changed the alloy mix from the Copper-Nickel variety to the Bronze version. It was made of 95% Copper and 5% Tin & Zinc. and while it was still a 19mm diameter, the weight was reduced to 3.11 grams (thus a thinned penny). With the exception of the 'Steel' composition used in 1943, and those made from Shell-Case Copper from 1944 thru 1946, the Lincoln Cent remained unchanged through 1961.

In 1962 they were still a 95% Copper make-up, but allowed with 5% Zinc only. The Tin was removed. This continued through 1981. Then, in that wonderful year of 1982 we had BOTH the former 95% Copper w/5% Zinc pennies minted as well as the new annoyance for most of us, the blasted Zinc Cent. It is made up of 97% Zinc and only 3% copper.

So, we had the first release of Zinc Cents during 1982 and just before manufacturers brought out the Target ID models. Target ID detectors. initially, had a display that looked something like this:

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1​

 

[TerraDigger]

Very interesting VDI/metal analysis theory. Which makes perfect sense to me in regards to varying VDI's on same coin types.

 

[jmaryt]

i hear ya eric!..depending on where you are!..could up to a foot!
i'm in the southeast,so may catch a break and only see a few inches!
it won't last long and be gone quickly!..(hope springs eternal!)
great coil,and super finds!..terrific little "trash picker!"..just sayin!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[Ken in Georgia]

Monte Wow coin history, great post thanks for being here with us !!!