Building A Test Garden

For more than 30 years I have used test gardens for the hobby of metal detecting. I have three currently. Two of them are 5 feet square and the third is only 3 feet square. Why use a test garden?

A test garden serves several purposes. Foremost for me is learning the sounds of different targets. My first and oldest garden has 20 different targets buried between about 2 to 8 inches deep. It has taught me to distinguish sounds of iron objects shallow and deeper, aluminum targets ranging from pencil erasers, gum wrappers and various pull tabs. I have learned how to distinguish old nickels, Indian Head cents, war nickels as well as the pesky zinc pennies. Practicing with all my detectors and various coil sizes has made me more proficient than just depending on detector target ID systems. As a result of really getting to know my test gardens, I can also wisely choose detector brands when a given target has a strong probability based on my research of a given hunt site. Another basic use is to determine signal strength and intensity for select targets.

My favorite dimes are the Mercury and Barber coins. In garden two I have them buried from about 4 to more than 8 inches deep. Each of my Fisher 1200 series and my CZ 20 can locate all of the dimes. My various White's, Garrett and Minelab machines will locate most of them but not with the strength of signal of the Fisher units. I choose to use Tesoro detectors for nickel finds as I can distinguish better between old nickels and aluminum pull tabs. For relic hunting, Garrett Master Hunters and White's 5900 and 6000 units are my choices based on distinguishing different signals as well as their depth on bullets and Revolutionary and Civil War items. These are workhorse machines, rugged and powerful units excellent for both coin and relic hunting. I use my smaller test garden for 3 to 5 inch coils and the coins and other targets are buried at no more than 6 inches deep. I do not believe in overlapping good and bad targets to see the "breakthrough" capabilities of a given detector or coil. This does not exist in my opinion. Turn your discrimination up to knock out pull tabs and almost all good targets in the same area will also be missed. Numerous times in working beaches, I have uncovered gold and coin items only after the pull tabs were removed.

In my 5 by 5 test gardens, I place targets at about 8 to 10 inches apart and 20 targets is my maximum number of buried items. I make a map of the garden designating each item and the depth buried. I have the same number of items in my 3 by 3 garden as I place the targets at about 5 to 7 inches apart.

To build a test garden use a good detector with all metal capabilities and remove all buried signals from the area. Keep it away from utility lines above or below the ground. I recommend using items that are common to your hunting area. Mine contains items dug from schools, beaches, parks and ball fields. This is where I do most of my hunting and these targets will be my probable finds. I bury very few large good targets like silver halves or dollars. They are less common finds and are nice surprises when dug. Of the 150,000 coins I have dug, these large coins are less than 1/2 percent of my totals. Quarters make-up about 15%, nickels about 5%, dimes about 30% and pennies about 50% of all coin finds.

A third important use of test gardens is practicing pinpointing targets. Various detector coils have different centers of detection. Practice, practice, practice! You can learn to maximize your pinpointing skills. Hand in hand with pinpointing is the testing of retrieval tools. Probes, knives, spades and other tools need to be mastered so items are retrieved with little to no damage. Damaged coins are no fun. I did damage a semi-key half dollar 22 years ago. A very expensive small scratch on the reverse dropped the value of this 1900's era gem about 100 dollars. That was my last damaged coin. I use my test garden to assure this will not happen again.

Build your test garden and watch the quality and number of your good finds increase as you master the use of your treasure finding equipment. Here's to "diggin it"! Larry.

Larry Smith is an avid Coin Collector and Metal Detectorist. With over 45 years experience, he's fast becoming a world renowned expert in the field. Larry has put together a free ebook sharing his advice, insight, and amazing stories. He also gives away a FREE dug coin on the 15th of every month. You can enter to win your own coin and get his free ebook right now by going to:

Metal Detecting And Coin Collecting Free Report