Goldpick
Chris Johnson
If you are using wiring that is copper, and have the electrodes the wrong way around, you be coating the coin with the copper. Just a thought anyway.
My beach finds
- Thread starter Paulmarr
- Start date
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Paulmarr
Paul
I was using copper wire to suspend the coin in the electrolyte and have also seen copper transfer to the targets. I switched to using a nickel wire and the issue went away.... 
Paulmarr
Paul
Was out on my own this evening - quiet peaceful night - even a bit warm! Here are the finds....
I found an old shilling - 3 x three pence - a brown bugger - and a $2 coin - I forgot what they looked like for a minute as I was trying to work out which silver denomination it was - target identification is difficult at night! I also found an earring, and two rings.
The thinner ring is definitely silver - while the elephant ring maybe silver or gold - it has a stamp that is too small to read but the patina is definitely copper colour. Bogan will tell me when he has a look but it looks to me like 375...
Enjoyed myself so much. Didn't know where the time went! And tomorrow is another day!
I found an old shilling - 3 x three pence - a brown bugger - and a $2 coin - I forgot what they looked like for a minute as I was trying to work out which silver denomination it was - target identification is difficult at night! I also found an earring, and two rings.
The thinner ring is definitely silver - while the elephant ring maybe silver or gold - it has a stamp that is too small to read but the patina is definitely copper colour. Bogan will tell me when he has a look but it looks to me like 375...
Enjoyed myself so much. Didn't know where the time went! And tomorrow is another day!
Paulmarr
Paul
On closer inspection it says 925 so the elephant ring is silver.... Better than a kick in the bum!
Great finds Paulmarr, I would be more than happy with them! It looks like they are flowing in so easily
Keep up the good work!
Keep up the good work!
Paulmarr
Paul
Thanks Pilsner!
This morning I was a lot less successful but still had some fun - here are the finds...
A half penny - 3 x brown buggers - and a three pence I damaged extracting the target
Plus a vintage silver brooch ...
Plenty of junk targets too!
This morning I was a lot less successful but still had some fun - here are the finds...
A half penny - 3 x brown buggers - and a three pence I damaged extracting the target
Plus a vintage silver brooch ...
Plenty of junk targets too!
Solomon 009
Paul
It looks similar to a Girl Guide/Brownie badge from the original membership in Australia does it have any numbers on the back, if so these are the original members numbers. If it is Brass which it looks like, I would say its probably 1933-1959 era and worth about $25.00 - $37.00. So yes a great find.
My aunty was a guide leader in the 60's-70's and she gave me the details, after I sent her a copy of the picture.
Cheers all........... Paul
My aunty was a guide leader in the 60's-70's and she gave me the details, after I sent her a copy of the picture.
Cheers all........... Paul
Paulmarr
Paul
Thanks Paul - it does look to be brass - I will have a look for some numbers - I appreciate the info!
Solomon 009
Paul
What would be a good metal detector to get for beach work, without spending life savings, I want something that is reliable and works well.
Cheers all ......Paul
Cheers all ......Paul
Paulmarr
Paul
Well Paul, I am a six month newbie to the hobby - but I can tell you my/our experience with the Sovereign GT and the Excaliber.
They are both the exact same detector but the Excaliber is in a waterproof housing. Unless you are going to fully submerge the detector in your hunts the Sovereign GT will be a great beach detector to get you started. They don't make them anymore so you can pick them up second hand (I did) or I think there is a place in the USA selling them brand new for $1k.
They are a tone only detector (no screen) but have different sounds for different metal types - which sounds not so good - but they handle dry sand/wet sand/ under water with ease and get excellent penetration in sand/grit/rocks. I can move from dry sand to wet to water without touching the settings and it doesn't miss a beat. Minelab still support them as they still make the Excal - and lots of accessories are available including a screen with target id and many coil configurations - and you can use any style of headphones you wish.
They are both the exact same detector but the Excaliber is in a waterproof housing. Unless you are going to fully submerge the detector in your hunts the Sovereign GT will be a great beach detector to get you started. They don't make them anymore so you can pick them up second hand (I did) or I think there is a place in the USA selling them brand new for $1k.
They are a tone only detector (no screen) but have different sounds for different metal types - which sounds not so good - but they handle dry sand/wet sand/ under water with ease and get excellent penetration in sand/grit/rocks. I can move from dry sand to wet to water without touching the settings and it doesn't miss a beat. Minelab still support them as they still make the Excal - and lots of accessories are available including a screen with target id and many coil configurations - and you can use any style of headphones you wish.
Well done fellas, hauling in the good stuff.
Goldpick
Chris Johnson
If you are interested Solomon 009, there is currently a near new Sovereign Elite on eBay at the moment. Would buy it myself if I wasn't so cash strapped. Paulmarr has proven it to be a great detector.
Paulmarr has proven it to be a great detector.
Paulmarr
Paul
Thanks Heatho!
Here is that old shilling from earlier - 1914
Went put for a couple of hours this evening ....
A $1 coin - a 20 cent piece - a brown bugger - and 2 x three pence
No gold - no jewellery - and only two of the smallest silvers ... But I had fun of course!
Here is that old shilling from earlier - 1914
Went put for a couple of hours this evening ....
A $1 coin - a 20 cent piece - a brown bugger - and 2 x three pence
No gold - no jewellery - and only two of the smallest silvers ... But I had fun of course!
Paulmarr
Paul
Thanks silver - I think about the numbers of pre decimal coins we find and then think I have only been detecting since Oct 2013 and beaches since January - I can't wait to see what we can find when I get "good" at detecting! I know I still have a lot to learn!
Here is my latest lesson - Dig every bottle cap and pull tab signal you hear. I play a little guessing game with myself when I dig each target - based on the sound it makes and the location/area I am detecting. The Sovereign makes a specific sound when a bottle cap or pull tab is detected - sometimes more pronounced than other times depending on depth - but when you unearth the target and run your detector over the top of it - it gives a really distorted sound that after hearing it and digging a bottle cap a couple of hundred times your brain associates it with "that's crap". Well, one of my detecting sessions things were pretty slow - not finding much of anything - getting bored - and decided to dig the "crap" signal anyway ... nothing much to do... "it's a crappy bottle cap no doubt" and kicked it out of the spoils pile - out pops a gold ring! Infact - I have predicted a bottle cap on almost every ring I have found thus far. Except the last one I called "a pull tab" - and it was the silver elephant ring.
I read folks wishing they could discriminate bottle caps/ pull tabs out - and go for the $1/2 coins - but now I know why you don't want to! Since I have turned off discrimination on my detector I have been more successful finding the goodies. Lesson learned.
Here is my latest lesson - Dig every bottle cap and pull tab signal you hear. I play a little guessing game with myself when I dig each target - based on the sound it makes and the location/area I am detecting. The Sovereign makes a specific sound when a bottle cap or pull tab is detected - sometimes more pronounced than other times depending on depth - but when you unearth the target and run your detector over the top of it - it gives a really distorted sound that after hearing it and digging a bottle cap a couple of hundred times your brain associates it with "that's crap". Well, one of my detecting sessions things were pretty slow - not finding much of anything - getting bored - and decided to dig the "crap" signal anyway ... nothing much to do... "it's a crappy bottle cap no doubt" and kicked it out of the spoils pile - out pops a gold ring! Infact - I have predicted a bottle cap on almost every ring I have found thus far. Except the last one I called "a pull tab" - and it was the silver elephant ring.
I read folks wishing they could discriminate bottle caps/ pull tabs out - and go for the $1/2 coins - but now I know why you don't want to! Since I have turned off discrimination on my detector I have been more successful finding the goodies. Lesson learned.
Paulmarr
Paul
Tonight was a beautiful night in Adelaide - full moon - the Occultation of Saturn by the Moon tonight at 8pm - very cool - you could see the rings of Saturn with a amateur telescope. 18 degrees even as I write this which is unheard of in May here in South Australia!
I wish I was as lucky with the treasures - found a couple of things - and not to show up Dave at Tuena (nice find by the way Dave) but...
Also an interesting vintage toy in good shape...
Probably a sand farmer
I wish I was as lucky with the treasures - found a couple of things - and not to show up Dave at Tuena (nice find by the way Dave) but...
Also an interesting vintage toy in good shape...
Probably a sand farmer
Goldpick
Chris Johnson
Love the tractor, looks pretty old too, and in good nick! It was a beautiful night at the beach, but the tide turned awfully quick, and I lost my patience after gaining a bag full of bottle caps, sinkers and a 5c piece with the Infinium.
With both of my detectors, I dig pretty much everything bar low range iron targets, more specifically on the Ace. I've had threepences come up at around pulltabs, and some gold and decimal currency come up as mid range bottle cap targets. They really can fall anywhere depending on composition, sizing and depth of the target, so bottom line is to dig everything if after gold. Gold will also fall into the iron range if on or close to surface, but change to a mid-range target if at depth.
With both of my detectors, I dig pretty much everything bar low range iron targets, more specifically on the Ace. I've had threepences come up at around pulltabs, and some gold and decimal currency come up as mid range bottle cap targets. They really can fall anywhere depending on composition, sizing and depth of the target, so bottom line is to dig everything if after gold. Gold will also fall into the iron range if on or close to surface, but change to a mid-range target if at depth.
Goldtarget
(AKA OldGT)
Very interesting observation. I recently took to a park with little success, which surprised me, it was an old park that should have some good finds. Two hours later i had a 1c piece that was on the surface and not much else. Scratching my head i went back the following day, turned the discrimination down and no notching with the sens way up as high as i could get it (not easy in modern environment with emi) I dug maybe 250 targets, figuring id clean it out. I similarly found that there's only one way to be sure.....dig everything. I had a fair few upscaled targets and got hung up on a large piece of angular steel running vertically with the point pointed toward the surface But I had the best mixed bag haul for a while inc one ring and a couple of predecs. My shooting is now like my alluvial hunting, make sure its all dug so you know you have the lot.
