This might seem like a dumb question, but Ill ask anyways.........

[Paul in WA]

This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

Actually a few questions........#1. Why do nickles come out of the ground so crusty and kind of pink /purple looking? #2. Why do silver coins look as new as the day they were made? Why are nickles found less often than other coins? why do canadian silver coins not show up the same as US silver coins?

Just wondering..
Paul

 

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[spotz]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

I found a Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollar last week. Look back for the post " Nice Day For a Walk (er)." There are pix with it. It was not "as new" out of the ground. Nickels & rings read almost the same as pull tabs. Everyone gets tired of digging pull tabs & so when they skip the signal, they may be missing the nickels & rings. I assume that the different mineral content of the ground reacts differently with the nickle in the nickel coins & results in odd colors.
Spotz

 

[kermit]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

I think it has to do with the type of dirt you have in your hunting area. ?One place may be easy on coins and other dirt a mile down the road may eat them up. ?Different types of soil makes the coins turn different colors also.

Nickels are found less because they are so low on the scale. ?In sort most people pass them over as trash. ?If you don't dig pulltabs you want find many nickels or jewelry for that matter. ?A coin garden will help you learn what your detector is telling you.

Plant coins at different depths and commen trash targets also. ?Don't forget to stand a few coins on edge, makes it harder for the detector to tone out.

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

#1 .
? ? ? ? ? ? CONTENT. Nickel Dosn't Resist Tarnish

#2.? ? ?Silver Resists Tarnish Better. Especially in Dry Ground.
? ? ? ? ? ? IF you find a Silver Coin that Has Been in MUD for years It will Look Like a Piece of Clad, that was Buried for a Couple Years.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ALWAYS check your Clad For Dates, JUST in Case.

? ?#3.? Nickels are Received In Change Less Often Also, But Actually Should Be More Of them Out There Due to Alot of Detectorists, Ignoring Can Tabs.
? ?SO>>>> I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

? ?#4.? Canadian "SILVER" Coins ? I never Noticed a Difference between U.S. & Canadian "SILVER COINS"? ?If there is, It's Due to Content .

 

[lonewolfe]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

Nickels & rings read almost the same as pull tabs. Everyone gets tired of digging pull tabs & so when they skip the signal, they may be missing the nickels & rings.

while the above statement is mostly true,

an experienced detectorist with a good machine can usually tell the difference 95% of the time between pull-tabs & foil and good targets (nickels - rings - gold - etc.)..

I can usually tell if I'm hearing foil or a pull-tab by the way it sounds

they will sound "hollow" "weak" & "broken" while good targets such as (nickels - rings - gold - etc.) will sound strong, solid & repeatable..

It takes yrs of practice and having dug 1000s of tabs to reach this point but, once you do, there's no turning back, and you'll notice that you dig less, and less tabs & foil (but also) the targets you think are tabs & foil when digging just to be sure,,, almost 100% of the time,,, "are"!

 

[JakePhelps]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

Some silver looks a little bit goldish/rainbow if it hasnt been there too long.

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

I have to Agree With Lonewolfe.

When I swing over a Nickel 99% of the time I "KNOW" it's a Nickel Before I dig.

99% of the Time I "THINK" it Might Be a Nickle It's Not.

There are Exceptions, weather it's due to CONTENT, Ground Conditions, or POSITION , I'm not shure.

 

[slow sweeper]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

I have to Agree With Lonewolfe.

When I swing over a Nickel 99% of the time I "KNOW" it's a Nickel Before I dig.

99% of the Time I "THINK" it Might Be a Nickle It's Not.

There are Exceptions, weather it's due to CONTENT, Ground Conditions, or POSITION , I'm not shure.

I believe that all three of the exceptions Jeff mentions come into play now and then. And a fourth being another metal target close to a nickel. This can confuse a detector as well. If that target is iron or some other trash you may decide not to dig.
I thought it was funny once while detecting and got a dime signal. Dug up two nickels sandwiched together instead. Wasn't a dime like the detector said but it was still ten cents.

 

[bk]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

Canadian silver coins are sterling silver. (0.975) versus US silver coins (0.900). I doubt that a metal detector can tell the difference.
The newer Canadian dimes and quarters are pure nickel. They are also magnetic where the U.S. nickels have some copper in them.
My guess is that there are still a lot of nickels to be found, especially in trashy areas, because people tend to discriminate them out.

 

[SomeGuy]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

So...It doesn't seem like a dumb question after all...

 

[Paul in WA]

Re: This might seem like a dumb question, but I'll ask anyways.........

Thanks, I really appreciate everyone's input!

Paul