Crushed beer cans make me want to hit myself with my own shovel.

J

Jamie Rullestad

Jr. Member
Dec 3, 2020
57
145
Iowa
Detector(s) used
Minelab Vanquish 540, Nokta Makro Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
As some are already aware, I’m a newbie.

But this is driving me out of my mind. Using my 540 Vanquish, strong 24-26, shallow, should be good to go, and……….another Busch Light can. Lord Jesus, help me…………

Can any of you guys enlighten me about what I’m just not catching on to? I’m learning as fast as I can, and I have picked up on more than a few tricks over the last few months, but I get fooled time and time again on these things.

What am I missing here?
 

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Like others say it is a little frustrating but those signals you should dig as sooner or later it's something good. Though also depends on the machine some can give subtle clue if it's a can or not. For me I just dig those.
 

Luckily, those are not as prolific as the pulltabs, so do as others here have said...dig them and get rid of them. You will also encounter what is known as "can slaw" which comes from an aluminum can being shredded by a lawn mower.
Keep in mind to find Gold rings, you will have to dig Aluminum because they are close to each other on the "Electrical Conductance" scale.
As others have said, keep at it and you will be rewarded. One day I dug and removed over sixty pulltabs and the next signal was a Gold class ring.
 

A lot of times the "strong" signals are not what you are after, its the sharp subtle high tones. Those are sometimes old coins.

Try lifting your coil up a foot or so above these mid 20's signals, if it still sound good its probably a can. Not always though. Another way to tell is the pinpoint function on your detector. If the target is just a blip, it could be a coin or jewelry. If its a blob, its probably a can. Just takes time to learn.

My civil war eagle breastplate came in at an 18, and was only a few inches deep. I just knew I was digging another can or lid. You just never know.
 

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Some of those Crushed Beer can Signals do Turn out to be Walker & Barber Halfs.
One even turned out to be a Clad Ike Dollar.

I've also Dug Clad Quarters under Crushed Beer Cans

So don't be so Quick to let them There.
 

remember a crushed beer can near the surface can prevent you from getting a signal
from something else within 5" of it easy. it all melts together by Sound.

So the more Cans you Remove the More Virgin Ground you Create.
especially if it's loaded with Beer Cans

likely hot zone from 1 can
000aaa.jpg
 

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Discrimination is a great thing without a doubt, but the only foolproof target ID is when it's in your hand. I have never had a half dollar sound like a can (they don't sound as loud with the coil 8" high), but have found other relics with some value that sounded just like a can. I use the "lift coil" method often, if a big signal sounds the same with the coil 8-12" above the ground it is PROBABLY a can, but could be a CW belt plate. The final decision to dig will be your own. He who digs the most holes finds the most good stuff, discrimination on or not. There is far more junk in the ground than valuable objects and junk can mask good targets. If you detect get used to digging a lot to be successful and get used to LOTS of junk.
 

As mentioned, just dig them.....especially at the beach. I was at the end of a long hunt, it was getting dark, I was tired, and heading back to my truck, when I got another strong signal that I was "sure" was another aluminum can. I had already dug several, it sounded the same, and it was a bigger than your average coin/ring target, so, I almost passed it by. I almost gave up, but, at 16" down, I finally got it out of the wet sand. It was a wrist watch, but, not just any wristwatch, a Rolex, a genuine Rolex in perfect working condition! I don't pass up those targets for sure now.
 

Jamie Rullestad said:
As some are already aware, I’m a newbie.

But this is driving me out of my mind. Using my 540 Vanquish, strong 24-26, shallow, should be good to go, and……….another Busch Light can. Lord Jesus, help me…………

Can any of you guys enlighten me about what I’m just not catching on to? I’m learning as fast as I can, and I have picked up on more than a few tricks over the last few months, but I get fooled time and time again on these things.

What am I missing here?
Click to expand...
It's wildly infuriating however you just gotta dig them. For instance a few weeks ago I hit a great 24-26 on my nox that was super shallow. I thought for sure 100% it was a can. Idve even put money on it and lost. Turned out to be a gorgeous US marked horse bridle bit boss that was just under the surface. Sometimes you just never know.
 

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Today I figured out what’s more valuable than a good machine or an old map.

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