Why I started

[TexMex]

I live in North Texas is a small town called Denison. It is the town which is right next to the Texoma dam that makes LakeTexoma.

Because the Red River has been eroding the river bed for so many years, it has uncovered many fossils, particularly Giant Sea Snails. (Some as big as an 18 wheelers wheel). Petrified wood is also very common here.

So for the last 2 years I have taken my 5 year old son fossil hunting and he really likes it, as do I. We have a huge fossil collection now but it’s starting to get boring finding the same types of fossils over and over again.

Now, every year when I mow our back yard I have to mow around this brown warn rock, which is common in the soil around the lake here, and this year noticed something interesting. It’s a outer foundation……..

Well Denison was founded in 1873 and my house was built in the 1930’s so I knew whatever was there had to be old.

Well whilst at the bank here, the oldest bank in Texas by the way, I saw an old hand drawn map of Denison from 1891. It was like one of those you get a 6 flags or something that had each house drawn, trees, trolley car rails, etc. I saw that there was a very nice house standing right at the corner at which my house is standing.

Well this just fascinates me. So I borrowed my moms $20 Radio Shack special and started to do some metal detecting in my back yard.

I immediately found a quarter 4 inches deep. But it was 2003! Ive lived there since 1999 and don’t remember dropping any quarter let alone how did it get 4 inches deep into the ground in a yard covers with grass…….

Well that’s all it took. I immediately went to the local parks, one dating from 1905 and started to find hordes of modern change. I always thought finding rings was just a myth, I mean how does someone lose a silver ring? Then I found 2 myself. All this in the 1st 2 times out.

Ok, I decided to get serious and found this forum, read a few articles and immediately bought a 250. Should be here Thursday….. ( as I’m pasting the tracking # into UPS every 4 hours) :P

Ok, so anyways, I went to the library here and started to research the town. Man this place has some history behind it. The old condemned high school which is 1 block away from me was built in 1873, etc.

I think the most curious and intriguing thing I read about was a lost settlement that no one has ever found called Red RiverCity. This was built just years before Denison was built right after the Civil War and served as a stopping point after people ferried across the Red River. The library gave a general location within a few hundred yards of its location but its considered a mystery.

Now what kind of bragging rights would one get if they could say they found this place with a metal detector detecting old horse shoes, forks, spoons, things of that sort. The library would have to update its books and put your name in it I think :)

Anyways, I’ve rambled on enough. My main interest now is coin shooting. I’ll be posting some pics soon as I’m a digital cam maniac.

[PAPPY]

GREAT STORY...Sure am looking forward to seeing your finds...BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR SEARCHES...PAPPY

[TXKajun]

Awesome starting out point! Please be sure to keep us posted. You're gonna LOVE that Ace 250. Did you get the large coil, also? If not, definitely put it on your "to do" list, along with a nice pinpointer.

HH, ya'll!

[Gregory]

Enjoyed reading your story and good luck with your new detector

[TexMex]

Originally Posted by TXKajun

Awesome starting out point! Please be sure to keep us posted. You're gonna LOVE that Ace 250. Did you get the large coil, also? If not, definitely put it on your "to do" list, along with a nice pinpointer.

HH, ya'll!

This is what it says: Powered by the 6.5x9 Inch PROformance Searchcoil

I'm really new to the art of metal detecting. Would a larger coil increase my odds of detecting coins? And I suppose the colis on these Garrett models can interchange easily?

I spent all last night reading up on these pin pointers and Im going to get one of these next. I assume once you get a detection with your detector, you then use the pin pointer to localize the object?

I also have a silly question to ask. If you are detecting and while looking at the ground find a coin, does that count as a find? Im not sure to put this dime I found today in my finds jar or in my loose change jar.

[Toadie]

All Garrett coils are not interchangeable without slight modification. I have a GTA 350 and a Treasure Ace 300. Both coils look identical but the connections are different on the metal detectors. One is a Crossfire Coil and the other a Crossfire II. I am not sure whether one could modify one for the other or not without risking damage to the unit.

As far as a pin pointer.. I have been detecting most of my life and never used one. Thought about getting one sometime but instead decided on trying out an open face coil. I have yet to order one because I hate waiting for things to arrive in the mail or UPS. The thought of having to sit at home and wait is what gets me. Guess I could always have the wife wait for it.. She hardly ever goes anywhere anymore. One of us has to stay home at all times if possible.

James

[TXKajun]

TexMex, the larger coil for the Ace 250 is a 9" X 12" coil, made specifically for the Ace 250. I find the main advantages are that it allows me to cover more ground quicker and that is detects a bit deeper. Combine those 2 advantages and that should = more finds, no?

The pinpointing on the Ace 250 is not too bad. I generally dug maybe saucer-sized holes to come up with my finds. With the pinpointer, the size of holes has gone down to teacup or smaller. Less digging = more time swinging and finding.

Finally, as far as what "counts", well I figure anything found counts....coins on surface while detecting, coins dug, heck I even count pennies I find on the street or in parking lots or in the grocery stores! LOL