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You want to find the best metal detector for coins, rings, jewelry, relics…
To cut things short, you want universal metal detector that detects and identifies certain types of metal.
Then you should certainly pick the Garrett ACE 300.
Table of Contents
Garrett ace 300
No tools are needed to assemble the Garrett ace 300 metal detector. But if you want to adjust the position of the arm cuff, you need a screwdriver.
The Garrett ace 300 has many features, I find it easy to use, and it is my favourite so far.
It is a great mid-level metal detector. But at this price tag, it won’t be as accurate as the most sophisticated devices on the market.
The screen of the Garrett ace 300
The screen gives many useful indications. On the right side of the screen, you find the depth indicator. It will tell whether the coin is 2, 4, 6 or 8 inches deep.
You need to place the search coil 1 inch away from the ground to make the readings more accurate.
The coin depth indicator does not only indicate the depth of coins, it can give an estimation of the depth of other metal objects.
But, the reading won’t be as accurate as with coins. If the object is smaller than a coin, the indicator will think that it is deeper than it really is, and vice versa.
Next, you find the battery gauge, which indicates the current state of the battery.
You will also find the sensitivity scale. The greater the sensitivity the better the performance.
However, if you start hearing some noise, you have to lower the sensitivity.
Right above it, there are two scales on top of each other. The lower scale indicates which type of objects will be detected and which will be ignored.
It changes when we switch between the different detection modes. If the cursor is available under a symbol of a metal then the Garrett ace 300 will produce a beep when this metal is detected. Otherwise, no signal will be emitted.
Above the screen is located the scale legend. It a printed legend where you find symbols of common items that you may find buried underground. If an object is detected the cursor of the upper scale will be illuminated under it.
Audio signals
There are 3 different tones that the detector will emit depending on the type of the metal (more precisely its conductivity).
This tones will help identify the type of the detected item in addition to the indication you will get from the screen.
Spend some time to get used to these 3 beeps by passing many types of metal objects in front of the search coil. The headphone jack is on the back of the control unit.
For most US coins which have high conductivity, you hear a bell tone signal. For items with medium conductivity like jewellery, the beep will be lower. And for items with conductivity like iron, the pitch will be even lower.
On the left side, you find the current mode highlighted. There five different modes available: all metal, jewellery, custom, relics, and coins. All of them are preset modes of discrimination except the custom mode.
Discrimination modes
Zero disc: all the cursors on the lower scale will be highlighted. This means that the metal detector will emit a beep if it detects any metal without any discrimination.
Jewellery mode: The detector will ignore trash items and will only detect jewellery like rings and necklaces. Notice that some of the cursors on the lower scale are absent in this mode (and in the following modes too).
The metal detector may confuse the pull-tabs with rings.
Coin detection mode: it will emit a sound when a coin is detected and eliminate trash items. The discrimination isn’t perfect, you may end up finding trash thinking you’ve found a valuable object.
Custom mode: all the previous models are preset discrimination mode. However, in this one, you choose a custom mode that fits your needs. When switching to this mode for the first time you will find that the highlighted notches are the same as the coin mode.
You can illuminate or delete notches the way you want by using the DISCRIM and ELIM buttons or by swinging the item in front of the search coil.
The DISCRIM (discrimination) buttons allow you to move the cursor in the upper scale. And the ELIM (elimination) pushbutton allows you to eliminate or activate the cursor in the lower scale just underneath the upper one.
The chosen settings will be saved even if the metal detector is turned off for the custom mode. But they will return to factory settings if the detector is turned off for the other modes.
Relics mode: It will detect items with lower conductivity like brass and lead and ignore trash.
You can mess with settings and play with the controls as you wish to learn how things work. There is no problem because when you press and hold the power button until you hear a beep the Garrett ace 300 will return the default settings.
Tips to collect coins
Coins can have a great historical value. You can keep them for yourself and them to your collection if you are a coin collector.
Or sell them online or in a local coin shop to make some money out of them.
You can use coins (if they are still new) to buy some stuff. But metal detecting is a hobby not a job. So you won’t be able to make a lot of money out of it.
If you want to learn more about coins, you can join club. There you get to know more experienced collectors who will help you avoid common mistakes and give you useful tips.
Books, magazines and websites are a great source of information too.
Tips for hunting relics with your metal detector
The intrinsic value of relics is not always high. It doesn’t have to be gold. It can be just an old rusty knife from the civil war.
So if you want to find them all, use the relics’ mode r the zero discrimination mode.