Well I live in Saint Augustine, Fl and was wondering if metal detectoring(?) would have any cool coins show up here. I thought maybe with all of the explorers that landed here from many different countries. What do you guys think, would I find any coins? And what is a good brand. I think there is a brand called Garrett that sales metal detectors, are they any good? Freaky EDIT: And what is a fairly good model that isn't a million dollars where you don't have to swing it back and forth.
I too thought that the area I lived in would hold some neat coins, but all of the old civil war sights are restricted, old buildings also,and old churches you have to ask the paster who always says no. Last is the beach, hardly ever do I find things there, only place that I've found something at is an old field by an airport. Maybe you would have better luck; I have a Bounty Hunter Lone Star from BPS
I have a Bounty Hunter Tracker IV, and it works REALLY well. It's cheap, too!! You can easily find one on ebay for under $100. It has some features that can only be found on the more expensive ones, or so I've heard. I've found a few quarters and dimes in my backyard, and a good deal of things in a local park (make sure you get permission!), including a ring! happy hunting!
Good luck, you should do well detecting down there. For info on the area, check out FMDAC.org, and look for Wally Swartz. He is the area (Chapter President) and knows the area very well. He may be able to get some detecting buddies for you. As for a detector, I am prejudiced to Whites.
Always worth a try. In the Chicago area, a few years ago, in the downtown area a multi level street was completely reconstructed from the bottom up. One smart electrical contractor employee was constantly checking excavated areas with a Walmart cheapy metal detector. Naturally lots of people laughed at him due to the possibilities of all the old nails, rebar, I beams, etc in the ground. Then one day he showed me a bag of old coins he has been finding. Two of them were Gold. The original area was first started construction in the early 1920's and not touched since. Another construction worker had accumulated a massive amount of old bottles. Lots of odd, strange, not recorded items were also found. Even a mysterious wooded structure about the size of a small garage under the ground.
I've been using a Minelab X-Terra for the past year, but my next machine will be a Garrett. The Minelabs are good machines, but the higher end Garretts have this new imaging technology that will tell you the size of your target... a very handy feature. Also, Charles Garrett the man behind the company, field tests his own machines and writes a lot of books on the subject of metal detecting. You have to appreciate the experience behind his line of detectors.
this is a Ford vs Chevy debate LOL. With that said i can say i am the proud new owner of a Whites Prizm V. and i absolutley love it. i just got it yesterday. i went outside to try it out in my metal free yard (i have been out there with my other detetors so many times that i didnt think anything was left.) however on my trip around the yard i discovered some more coins, that i had walked right over many times before. so i am now a fan. BTW my previous detectors where a Bounty Hunter Discovery 1100 and a Bounty Hunter Lone Star both good machines. That being said go to your local detector shop try out some different machines and pic one that suites you. Because what works good for someone else in one area might not work for your area. Disclaimer: the above is strictly my opinion, as i am not a pro. for qualified opinions go to a multi make distributer of detectors. that is where you will get the best advice.
Jon makes a good point... make sure you do your homework before you buy. I bought my first detector about a year ago, a nice mid-range machine, but I'm hooked on the hobby now and I'm already wanting a bigger and badder machine. I'll definately have a new one by next season.
You don"t have to swing any of them back and forth to make them work. That's done simply to cover a greater area as you walk along. It's your choice, you can hold it steady in front of you and make 100 passes over a 100 foot wide area, or you can swing it back and forth and make 20 passes over the same area.
That's why I've thought about inventing metal detecting shoes... you could dance around in a field like a lunatic and have all kinds of profitable fun.
Oops I guess my dad thinks on some you HAVE to. Well that is probably what I will ask for, for Christmas. What is a really good, preferably Garrett, model that has a lot of features and will be good enough where I wont have to upgrade for a long time. I just like Garrett because thats my name. It would be like a custom labeled metal detector. So here are my funds for a metal detector, anything less than 300 would be great. Like $300 would be most likely doable. And $500 is really pushing it.
As with most things, when you buy a metal detector you get what you pay for... That said, your budget will only get you one of the basic models. But you're in luck! KellyCo, one of the best if not THE best, metal detector stores on the go, just happens to be having a sale on Garretts at the moment! Go to www.kellycodetectors.com and check them out! And a word to the wise... if you get hooked you'll want to upgrade almost immediately, so I recommend putting off purchasing a lot of extra gear (coils, probes, etc.) until you get a detector you'll be happy with.
