I started detecting in 2009 with a basic metal detector that was a Father’s Day gift from my sons. Over the next few years I had two other detectors and was finding items and coins, but one day while in Regtons, Birmingham I was talking to Nigel Ingram about my detecting and he showed me the Deus. I had a play around with it in the shop, it seemed a lot more advanced than the other detectors with its wireless technology, and the control box was so small.
A while later my good friend from North Yorkshire (who I had met on the MDF forum in 2012) John Leary told me he had just been to Regtons to buy one. Each year John and I visit each other’s permissions for a day out detecting together. That year while visiting me I had a go with his Deus in the field. I started watching online videos and at first it seemed a complex machine to use? Then I found the XP training videos by Gary, after watching them over a few times it did not seem so complex after all. In 2015 I returned to Regtons to buy mine. I went for the 11” coil and SW5 head phones. The 10 pre-set programs were easy to understand and once I had gone through the menus at home it seemed even easier to use.
All my sites are pasture so I decided to start with GMP (program 2. V3). On my second time out using this high tech detector I found my first roman brooch. The Deus has made me some very nice finds over the past 2 years. I returned to one permission I had called done, to see if I could find any more items using the Deus which was a in the grounds of an old hall from the medieval period. My last signal was near a tree that I know I had gone over before, my first thoughts on seeing a glint of the silver coin 7” down was it’s a 20p, but in fact it was a hammered Henry VII in perfect condition. This year I found a rare silver stock buckle, 1780s. Each year we go to Cornwall and stay next to a very popular beach which I have permission to detect on. I questioned myself, how would the Deus perform on the wet and dry sand as this beach which had an average of 5 detectorists a day on it while we were there? The answer was, No problem. By then I have discovered Gary’s Hot program and this proved to be a great choice for me. See the result for yourself
I go about my detecting a little bit differently than most. On my first farm permission the farmer suggested I write a book about the history and what I was finding. So I started writing and showing the finds I was making. After 6 years and over 39 permissions the final part of the book with some interesting finds and historical stories is finished. Anyone who is interested, it’s all free just drop me an e mail to: roamingrob@talktalk.net
And I will send a returning mail with the part attached as a PDF.
I ride a scooter so travelling to my sites was difficult with the old detector in a long bag on my back, I even tried to break it down to carry it but that was to time consuming. But with the Deus it’s just so simple with no wires to worry about and with its folding system it all goes under the seat, I made my own spade from two old spades I had which also fits under the seat , with my ruck sack in the back box I am ready to go.
This year I upgraded to V4. My standard set up is Gary’s Hot program in 12kh I use the XY screen as I feel this just gives you a little more information. I do have other programs stored each side of this program, it’s easy to switch between to check odd signals. The whole set up is so versatile, light, fast, rechargeable and easy to use. I would not to use any other brand now.
As for accessories the MI-6 pinpointer looks the perfect partner for the Deus, again with so much advanced technology built in. Something I shall be looking at acquiring in the near future to complete my detecting.
Here are some of my favourite finds using the XP Deus
A Silver Georgian buckle 1780s ( This was in the Searcher Oct 17) Found in the grounds behind a house that was built and lived in by a Mr Lynam 1825. His father was Samuel Lynam. The stamped initials on the buckle are S.L.
A Polden Hill Roman brooch 75-175-AD I found two one mile apart.
A ring made from an old half-crown. It has the farmer’s father’s initials on it.
One thought it could have been made by the Italian POW‘s as they worked on this farm during the war.
Bepler Regiment 1808-16 Georgian officer coat button. Local militia.
Coin weight for 20 shillings gold coin of Charles I 1624-33.
Several early children’s toys
Henry VII silver hammered groat 1493-5 Canterbury mint.
Inlet & exhaust valves for the Merlin engine, Dumped in the area post WWII
Three rings all beach finds, (centre rose Gold ) all reported not claimed.
Last weekend the Dutch Detecting Association (D.D.A.) celebrated their Silver Jubilee. Around 500 people attended the event which took place in the little Dutch town called Zeeland. The D.D.A. was founded in 1992, The main goal was (and still is) to improve the relationship between Archaeologist and Detectorists and getting more finds reported to the authorities and give our hobby a strong foundation.
The past few years have been a busy time for the D.D.A. as they have been very closely involved in getting the PAN* system started.
*PAN is best to be described as the Dutch equivalent of the English PAS system.
The celebration
Being it the 25th anniversary, the club had a special detecting event organized for it’s members. People could go outside to detect for hidden tokens to get a chance of winning some great prizes, including an XP Deus. Besides having a great day out, the club also presented a new club detecting finds book to the 6 honourable members, who played important roles for the club over the years. The presentation was also the kick-off of sending every D.D.A. member the same book for free.
Trade stands
Besides detecting, there were a lot of things to see and do, dealers from The Netherlands had lots to display and had a chance to meet up with their customers, it was good to see Gary Blackwell from XP at the event offering Dutch Detectorists tips and tricks to get even more out of there XP Deus detectors.
It was good to see the advantages of the high frequency coils demonstrated in real time, along with a detailed explanation of the new version 4.1 ground sensitivity feature.
Finds and identification
There was a side room specially for identifying and recording finds, this was very popular with those who attended, it gave them a chance to bring in finds and have them recorded and professionally identified.
Overall the DDA metal detecting event was a great success, everybody enjoyed themselves, many took away some fantastic prizes.
Thanks to all those who made this event possible.
Sometimes metal detector users simply do not like change, and carry on with the mind-set of “if it works, leave it alone’’. I am exactly the same and have been battling on with the same probe for the last two and a half years.
I have mostly been using the Pro Pointer, maybe I was just unlucky, but for me the whole experience was not great, the unit was very pressure sensitive and the rubber switch started to deteriorate very quickly.
It was no big deal but in the back of my mind it was eating away at me.
XP MI-6 – The purchase
At first, I was sceptical, because I had assumed it was going to be a big step from using a very basic probe to a unit with several programs and options. But suddenly I remembered how ‘’concerned’’ I was before buying the Deus; I thought it was going to be an over complicated machine, fragile and ‘’not for me’’, I bought it despite all my fears and that decision paid off big time.
You can look at the MI-6 like a miniaturized Deus; After you become familiar with few basic options and settings, you will be able to configure it as you like. Once more, the XP products represent versatility and think of the customers requirments no matter hat skill level they are.
If you are already a Deus user, and want the best options available, the MI-6 is the missing link for a perfect setup. It can be used as a normal pinpointer, but it can also be paired with the Deus to make it into something very special.
The probe has 7 user settings, program 7 allows the user to hear the pointer’s signals through the Deus headphones, along with a dedicated display on your Deus RC showing easy to understand graphics indicating the distance from the target.
Research mode
Imagine you find something extraordinary, you start running with your Deus in one hand and the find in the other one, searching for some friend in order to show him what you have just found. After the field celebrations and the tons of mobile phone pictures, you realize that you’ve lost your MI-6; you’re in the forest, all the trees look the same and…it’s gone. With the new Deus menu – Options- Pinpointer– Research mode you have your chance.
By accessing the ‘’Research mode’’, you’ll be able to locate your MI-6, which will continue to transmit a signal for several weeks, even if the MI-6 was switched off when lost.
If you want to go even further in terms of options, you can access more MI-6 settings from the Deus remote, being able to change it’s tone pitch or sensitivity. I would like to say a few more words about the “Advanced” sensitivity options.
By accessing the MI-6 sensitivity setting from the Deus remote unit, you will be able to select several values, and test them live on some targets, even at home. When I reached a sensitivity value of 50, a nickle sized coin was clearly detected at about 8-9 cm, while the detection of small targets such as silver fragments, dramatically increased during my tests.
For the first time, I feel that a pinpointer LED light isn’t useless. The MI-6 light is truly bright and very practical.
If you do not own a Deus, the MI-6 is still a good choice as it has built in – 3 levels of sensitivity, vibrate, 2 pitch options and 6 available programs, this probe is a winner.
I would also like to mention that the MI-6 is submersible up to 6 meters, so it will appeal to the more serious underwater searchers.
There is no need to need to say how the design is beautiful, and the materials are top quality….Just say it’s from XP !
As with many other XP products, most of the MI-6 parts are replaceable, and the battery life is fantastic, it is charged exactly like the Deus, using the supplied USB cable.
The guys at XP have not reinvented the wheel, but simply made it better.
It is certainly more sensitive and responsive to small targets, I guess it needs to be having seen the sensitivity of the HF coils.
Another little, nice feature is the ”action” belt clip, which rotates 360 degrees.
The integration with the Deus and knowing future features are an option make the MI-6 the best pin pointer available on today’s market
About the RMA team
Our team specialize mostly in recovering militaria we are proud to work alongside local archaeologists and museums, our combined team have vast experience in all types of metal detecting so it was good to put the MI-6 through it’s paces.
We have been using the MI-6 for nearly 2 months now, and have tested it by allowing each different member of our team use it and give their honest opinions.
The feedback was good, all of the team were very impressed; some said the MI-6 was so nice it was a pity using it in the soil 🙂
We found that running the MI-6 at a higher sensitivity level offered a big advantage, it helped us to locate some big targets at depth, allowing us to carefully excavate them with a hand trowel hand trowel without risking damage from the spade.
By quickly pressing the on/off button repeatedly, allowed us to de-tune the probe for accurate target location.
So from team RMA the MI-6 gets a big thumbs up!
Go grab one, you won’t regret it.
Michele from the Romanian Military Archeology Team
I have always made a point to stay out of the metal detecting media, believing that the most important part for me is to practice the hobby in a conservative professional manner.
It always makes me proud to enrich my country’s patrimony. I love the feeling and excitement when I make a discovery, and enjoy working alongside our local museum. It’s good to see their delight when I hand over some fascinating items.
I have written this article because I would like to share with you two great discoveries that the XP Deus has recently found me.
My Silver coin hoard
The first one is an ancient coin cache, consisting of 42 Silver Tetradrachms, dating II-IIIBC. The coins were made by the Dacians, and are imitations of the Macedonian coins, depicting Filip II. They are indexed as ”Prundu-Jiblea” type, having a diameter of about 4,5/5cm and a weight of 11,5/12,3gr.
I remember very well the moment I discovered them, because it was one of the very first signals of the day: On the day of the discovery I took a left turn to pass a small ravine, I had been prospecting the forrest for weeks, eventually the Deus led me to this area due to the fantastic audio feedback. I could hear it was infested with old iron, so I started to work the iron signals in order to better understand that place’s background and it’s… ”rhythm”. I was convinced that somewhere in that area there had to be ancient activity, it was just a matter of being patient, and then the strategy paid off with an amazing discovery I located the coins in a spot between a few trees.The treasure was handed to the Romanian National Museum of History, and eventually used as a photo book cover for a volume of numismatics edited by the museum.
My unusual engraved ring
My second best find is a ring, an unusual one. The story of its discovery is pretty common, almost boring: I was scanning what I believed to be an old road leading into a forest, when I
I picked a nice clear signal, the Deus reported about 80-85 and that was the ring, located at a 10cm depth. The most interesting part is related to the ring’s detail, I was later informed by the museum’s specialists that the ring shows some interesting engraving stating ”Logofat Nicolae” meaning ”Chancellor Nicholas”, attributing the ring way back to medieval times. But the nice part is that the stone from the face of the ring revealed an ancient Roman cameo, so a very nice…hybrid!
For sure that ring was worn by an important figure from the past, not only because of the engravings, but also considering the workmanship on it and intrecate Gold detail.
I have five other brands of metal detectors, but all my important discoveries have been made with the Deus; It could be only a coincidence but it is also a clear fact.
Most of the time I am running a “Fast custom” program or a slightly modified “Goldfield”, for deeper scanning, thanks to XP for this incredible machine!
The XP Deus 9.5” x 5” elliptical HF coil is a long awaited addition to the range of coils available for the Deus. With a smaller footprint than the standard 9” coil and a higher frequency range up to 80khz this coil unlocks even more potential from the Deus to get in amongst the iron on busy sites and to detect deeper into mineralised soils.
I know exactly where to take the Deus with the HF elliptical coil
When I received my new coil, I knew exactly where to take it. One of the fields we have permission to detect was once the site of a Medieval manor house and a small area had recently been set with maize for bird cover. Sitting within a field of 3′ high wheat crop, this was a real detecting oasis at the end of summer. We had hit this patch hard over the previous month, with both the standard and HF 9” coils, and the soil is naturally mineralised and chock full of both large and small iron targets. It should be a perfect test for the elliptical coil.
The search – Choosing a good set up
I started my search with my 2 tone HF program at 75khz but soon found I had to back off the sensitivity to 85 to enable the Deus to run smoothly. From the outset I was digging tiny pieces of lead that were giving great signals. It’s always a revelation when new technology shows you what you what you have been missing and I was reminded of when I first took a Deus on a site that we had ‘worked out’ with the Goldmaxx Power. I spent time checking signals with the lower frequencies and almost all the targets were invisible to 14khz and 30khz. Occasionally I would get an iffy response from 30khz, but switching back to 75khz turned them into definite ‘diggers’. High mineralisation levels on this site mean that the GB needs to be run quite low in order to achieve the best depth, making my 2 tone program quite unstable. I switched over to HOT, and what a difference the HF coils make to this program! At 75khz the target ID’s are boosted right up. Small, low conductive items now generate a higher tone, making them much easier to pick out from bad ground. Running with the discrimination at -6.4, the field was alive with the low tones from iron but the non-ferrous targets clearly shone through. In a little over 3 hours of searching I recovered 62 non-ferrous targets from this patch, all previously missed, including a tiny hammered silver halfpenny of Elizabeth I.
Next trip out I decided to test the elliptical in ‘normal’ conditions, a flat field where we have found a few nice items in the past but was not the site of any major activity. Using 75khz was a nightmare here, time after time I was digging down to find tiny pieces of shot from shotgun shells. I switched to my HF Deep program (2 tone, reactivity 2, 14khz) and soon started to cover more ground, digging larger and deeper items. The 9.5” length of the coil allows decent ground coverage and with a normal sweep speed it feels very light indeed. Depth at these settings is quite good and my deepest find of the day was a George II halfpenny at 9”. I reburied the coin at 10” and was still able to pick it up, though not with the same clarity. Although I would usually prefer a larger coil in these circumstances I had a very enjoyable day, finding an Anglo-Saxon pin, Anglo-Saxon strap-end and an Elizabeth I sixpence. Lisa, using the same set up, recovered two hammered coins and a fabulous Roman fantail brooch from 7” deep.
Summing up – My personal thoughts
Since then, we’ve both used the ellipticals on a variety of sites and they are proving very effective. Used as our primary choice for the most difficult Roman and Celtic sites or for mopping up the missed finds from productive areas, they have been responsible for some very nice finds. The pinpointing is so precise and it really locks on to even the tiniest target. The extreme sensitivity of this coil at 75khz can be a curse if used in the wrong circumstances but on the right site, when searching for small gold and silver, it’s deadly!
To discover a mould for an Bronze age axe head is a very rare find, in the same week we had 2 reports from Deus users, both from different parts of the country.
Bronze axe heads were made by casting, early examples appeared to be very similar to its stone predecessors but then evolved and developed a socket for the wooden handle to fit into, and a small loop or ring to make lashing the two together easier. Groups of unused axes are often found together, suggesting ritual deposits to some, though many archaeologists believe that elite groups collected bronze items, perhaps restricting their use among the wider population.
Our first find was from a good friend and member of our XP test team Gary Cook, here is his story.
I was out on a local permission of mine using my Deus with the 11″ coil and version 4, I was using a 2 tone program with a discrimination of 5.5. After about an hour I had a few Roman Grots in my bag when I get a clear loud signal reading about 95 on the Remote. Thinking it was a large piece of lead imagine my shock when only 2 ” below the surface I see what I think at first is an Axe Head. On Closer inspection I can not believe what I am looking at it’s a Mould for a Palstave Axe Head. Extremely Rare and in fantastic condition, Its dated from around 1800 to 2500 BC. I wonder how many Axe Heads it has made.
Another Great find for my Deus.
Our second story was sent in by George who is from Wales, incredibly he found both halves with his XP Deus here is his story
Both halves of a Bronze Age axe mould find
I have been having trouble getting new permissions in my area, but have been keeping my eye on a farm for a while. The farmer doesn’t live there and seldom visits, I noticed him one day in a top field tending to his sheep, so I decided to wait by the bottom gate and try my luck with him on his return. After about 40 minutes he finally headed back to the gate I was at and on his
After about 40 minutes he finally headed back to the gate, I opened the gate for him and asked for two minutes of his time. I t turned out he was very interested in what I had to say and very knowledgeable about the area in general and gave me permission to go on his land wishing me well before driving off.
Having my Deus and all my gear in the boot I set off across the first field, at less than an hour into searching I received a cracking signal, registering in the early nineties on my machine. I carefully started digging down and after 10 inches down the soil layer turned into clay and sand. At around 16 to 18 inches I was about to give up, but with my next spade full of earth I unearthed 2 large pieces of metal side by side, I could clearly see bronze on one of them. I removed them carefully having no idea what they were, they were very heavy and caked in clay.
After a further 45 minutes with these heavy weights dragging my bag down I decided to head home and see what I had. After carefully washing the mud and clay away I sent a picture to my son who recognized them immediately for what they were, both halves of a Bronze Age Palstave Axe head mould.
One week later they are now in the hands of an excited FLO (Finds Liaison Officer) and I am busy searching for more but without much luck.What a fascinating hobby metal detecting is as you never ever know what that signal is going to be when you detect something. And who knows what will appear next.
XP Deus top tip
Program number 10 on the Deus is called Goldfield is one of your deepest programs, it uses less filtering than the discriminating programs such as GMP and Deus fast.
Disc IAR is an iron rejection and at a maximum setting of 5 it will reject most Iron.
Using Goldfield for hoard hunting takes a little practice but is well worth the effort.
Make sure you get an exact ground balance by pumping and pressing the pin point button.
Here is a video explaining Goldfield in more detail.
Categories: XP Deus Blog Comments Off on Andy finds a rare Medieval Gold Brooch
Early in 2016 I was metal detecting in Kirby Muxloe, where I had been given exclusive rights, when my XP Deus gave a strange jumpy signal. My VDI readings were jumping between 40 and 70. It was wet and cold so I decided to make this one my last signal of the evening. I went down 4-5 inches and noticed a small Gold object in the side of the hole. I remember thinking, Wow how lucky was that, as the spade only missed this item by a few millimeters.
Seeing is believing
As I carefully picked it from the soil, I could see it was an item of beauty, I shouted to my mate ‘Gold!’ He came running over and we both admired it. Our thoughts were it was Georgian or Victorian as it looked in excellent condition with superb craftmanship. It had script on one side and white enamel with Gold motifs on the reverse. Amazingly the pin was sill intact and also made of Gold.
Later that evening my friend contacted me with and confirmed it was treasure as he had checked on my behalf with our local Finds liaison Officer (FLO). He also said he was convinced it was from the Medieval period and it was my legal duty to hand it in within 14 days to the local coroner or FLO.
At that point the nerves kicked in, I couldn’t sleep that night. I was extremely excited as this was my first treasure find. I contacted the farmer the following morning to share the good news with him. He was equally excited, he went on to say the family had farmed the land for a hundred years and were not aware of any treasure being found previously.
The brooch ended up with the British Museum who confirmed it was made between 1400 and 1490, they were very interested in the French script which translates to ‘Honour and Joy’.
The brooch was with the Museum for around ten months before they decided to ‘disclaim’ the brooch and return it to me.
The next step
After discussions with the farmer, who generously said it was my call as to next steps, I decided to put it up for auction. Sotheby’s were extremely interested but I had, in the meantime, spoken to Adam and Lisa who are both keen metal detectorists and who run the artefacts department called Historica for Hansons Auctioneers and Valuers in Derbyshire. Adam and Lisa were very helpful and knowledgeable. They were excited by this find too. They offered extremely favourable terms for the auction and, along with Charles Hanson himself, promised a lot of local, national and international publicity leading up to the auction date.
Here is a little information about my find:
It is a 15th century “Honour and Joy Gold Heart” brooch.
This was a Medieval gift of love born from the bloody war of the roses.
This fine piece is inlaid with enamel and engraved with the French inscription “honor et ioie” (Honour and Joy)
I discovered it using my XP Deus just outside the moat of Kirby Muxloe Castle.
The castle was built by William Hastings the first Baron Hastings and it is believed this very item once belonged to his wife Katherine Neville.
Back in medieval times jewellery of this quality was only reserved for royalty and the highest ranks of nobility.
The guide price was £6-8,000. The brooch actually sold at auction for £20,800.
Firstly we would like to thank everyone for supporting XP metal detectors at the UK rally.
Alain, Cedric,Julien and myself had a fantastic time we really enjoyed meeting and talking to all the fantastic people who came over to the XP stand.
We hope you enjoyed the high frequency search coil demonstrations and took away some valuable information with you. These new coils have certainly opened up some new Deus options, keep a look out for the new Deus version 4.1 update, it has a new option called “tracking sensitivity” and will be available to download free of charge very soon.
There was an unbelievable amount of fantastic Deus finds made over the weekend, it was good to meet up with some of our overseas distributors who do a great job promoting our products and supporting customers.
The Viking made a guest appearance along with many other visitors from all over the world.
As always the French stole the show, not only the percentage of XP metal detectors out there in the field but the amount of finds that were responsibly recorded with the on-site FLO team.
Once again thanks to everyone for supporting XP and see you all next year.
XP Deus feedback from the USA has always been very good, perhaps it is because this metal detector suits to so many different search scenario’s from yards to ancient battlefields.
Here is the latest news from some of our XP USA team members.
Sonya Harshman
I get asked almost daily if I am happy with my XP Deus, and what it is that makes it different from other detectors.
This question immediately puts a smile on my face because I love to tell people about this machine.
I have only been detecting for 2 years, and only 1 year with the Deus. My finds have EASILY tripled with the XP Deus from the very beginning. Why, you may ask? It’s because no other detectors let you tweak your settings to the extent that the XP Deus does to have the best possible outcome at each site that you hit.
Got EMI interference?
Turn down your sensitivity and change frequencies. Still hear it? Adjust your inner frequencies and your problem is solved.
Is your site loaded with iron?
Turn up your reactivity and slow your swing speed to pick those sweet tones out in between the grunts.
Nice, clean yard?
Lower your reactivity and turn up your sensitivity to go deep and get those long, hidden coins.
And you want to make sure that you don’t miss those quiet tones from the deep targets right?
Then turn your audio response up to 4 or 5. You’ll never miss those deep targets again because it was too quiet of a tone to hear. The XP Deus can literally be set up to give you the best possible results at any location.
With my first detector, I found a few large cents and around 15 Indian Heads in a year. So far since January with my Deus, I have found 72 Indian Heads, 12 large cents, 5 flying eagles, 2 trimes, 1 reale, 2 half dimes, 4 2-cent coins, and a $1 1857 Gold coin. Not to mention shield and V nickels, seated quarter and dimes, and others. Plus, too many relics to list.
If anyone is on the fence about this detector, please, get a hold of me. I will gladly help you make the best decision about your metal detecting career. I promise you, you will never want another machine after you’ve used the XP Deus.
Sonya Harshman
Ed Huffman, owner of treasure Mountain Detectors
Gary’s interview with Ed Huffman talking about the new HF coils
I got a chance to talk with Ed Huffman from Treasure Mountain Metal Detectors over in the US.
Gary: Ed what is your honest opinion about the HF coils? Ed: I would like to start off by saying there’s not a lot of optional coils that have amazed him over the years. Not just for the XP Deus, but all metal detectors. Yes, there have been some optional coils which enhance performance and make a difference in-depth, separation, and coverage for diverse types of hunting situations. However, what I’m talking about here is an ‘optional coil’ that has truly amazed me with instant results. Gary: I know from our earlier conversations, the detecting scene in the US can be very specific, from coin shooting in yards to relic hunting old battlefields. How would you rate the HF coils as an all-rounder? Ed: I have personally had tremendous success with both, the XP Deus 9” Inch HF round and 9.5” Inch elliptical coils. What has amazed me, as well as other Detectorists, is these coils are being used in trashy / iron infested areas that myself and others have spent hours upon hours detecting with other metal detectors. Within a few hours of detecting these areas, it is truly amazing what the other metal detectors missed due to the trash and iron infestation! These new HF coils are the answer to making your old detecting sites new again and are a true game changer….For me and my team they have taken the Deus to a new dimension for specific sites.!
Not so long ago the question asked was “What machine do I take” for a specific hunt
Now it’s just a case of “What coil do I take”
Gary: Tell me more about your teams experiences with the new coils? Ed: Heath Jones, Scott Duncan and Josh Nickerson are highly experienced XP Deus users and Members of the XP Deus Team USA. They had their maiden voyage with the HF Coils this past week and within an hour of detecting in a spot that both and others had detected over the years, Heath sent me a photo of a gold ring! A few moments later, Scott sent me a pic of another ring! After a couple more hours, Heath and Scott had racked up 4 Rings, an antique compact case, numerous coins and a Civil War .58 caliber three ringer! Check out Heath and Scott on the podcast History Seekers where they will be talking more in-depth about this experience! Same amazing results for Josh Nickerson too! Josh has found a handful of coins including an 1854 Half Cent, 1876 Seated Dime and 1855 Large Cent in the same areas he and others have hunted many times throughout the years!
Gary:What about customer feedback ? Ed: The feedback for the HF Coils has really been excellent! With the short time that these coils have been on the market we have sold a lot and now that everyone is seeing the results the sales are increasing weekly! I have had numerous customers call and send me pics in amazement of what they are finding in the areas that they have frequently detected through the years. The main comment I hear from the customers is this.
“Ed, I can’t believe that I found this because I know for a fact that I went over this exact area before!”
Gary: So how would you compare the HF coils against the black coils, do you think running at a higher frequency sacrifices depth? What about the big Silver coins you guys hunt for? Ed: Personally, I feel that the black coils have their place as well as the HF Coils. The black coils along with the HF coils are all important to utilize to be successful! To get the absolute most out of an area that you currently detect or will detect in the future, you want to be as prepared as possible. This can truly be the difference of finding that rare amazing artefact or coin that is inches away from being detected by the HF coils because of the depth range or needing that superior separation to squeeze out that rare artefact from an extremely iron infested area that you only do with the HF Coils!.
Now… that is just two examples of why it’s important to have the black coils along with the HF coils. Once you start to factor in the different frequencies and ability to handle mineralized soil and saltwater, I could probably talk another hour or more on why it’s important to have all the optional coils for the XP Deus!
Gary: Are you planning to make some Deus videos for the XP Deus team USA website? Ed: I’m happy you asked that question Gary! Videos are very important and an excellent way to demonstrate and show the superior performance capabilities of the XP Deus Metal Detector. All the time I have people asking me about the XP Deus and how I think it would perform in certain situations. You know to be honest I can talk about the XP Deus all day, but to show someone how it performs or to demonstrate the settings on video goes a long way because to a lot of people, seeing is believing! Heath Jones and myself are currently putting some videos together that will show the XP Deus performing numerous tests with different settings and different coils and how it affects one another. We also have a lot of real world detecting videos where we’re making some awesome finds with the XP Deus to share too! Check us out on YouTube at TreasureMtnDetectors and HistorySeekers.
Gary: How do you see the future for XP in the USA? Ed: Like I have said before Gary … XP Metal Detectors is the future of metal detecting! I have personally been using the XP Deus Metal Detector ever since it was released in the USA back in 2012 with version 2.0! Back then, as with any new detector brand that Americans are not familiar with, they can be hesitant on getting one until it proves itself. I can tell you that the XP Deus proved itself extremely fast here in the US with Relic Hunters because of its ability to work the iron infested areas! Now jump to 5 years later, the XP Deus is not only a popular Relic Hunting detector but extremely popular with Coin & Jewellery Hunters and Gold Prospectors!
Here at Treasure Mountain Detectors we were selling around 30-40 XP Deus Metal Detectors a year back in 2012 and now were selling over 200 of them a year! I personally feel that the XP Deus is the ultimate all-round metal detector for Relic Hunting, Coin & Jewellery Hunting, Gold Prospecting and Beach Detecting! I would also like to mention that if anyone has any questions or just wants to talk about the XP Deus please feel free to contact me anytime. Once again Gary, it’s always a pleasure to talk to you my friend! Happy Hunting!
2017 has been an exciting detecting season for me. Six months ago I made the decision to make the XP Deus my go to detector and have never looked back.
Professionally made videos from XP made the learning curve an enjoyable experience. I was able to understand The XP Deus in a shorter period of time because the information was plentiful and insightful.
My confidence level increased after each hunt and the proof was in the finds that I was pulling from the ground. I returned to all the sites I have dug in the past and was amazed on how much was still there, missed by my prior high-end detector.
I was able to get noticeably deeper with the innovated programs. The coins and relics I was recovering were increasing and becoming much older.
The recovery speed and the ability to hear good targets amongst the iron makes this machine second to none. Distinct tones, pitch and volume of targets is utterly consistent. In many situations I’m able call it before I dig it, I just love hearing those high tones in the HOT program.
Just when I think the XP Deus has peaked, it goes to another level. High frequency coils, updates to the controller and the most amazing pin pointer on the market today, The MI 6.
Plain and simple, The XP Deus is a true performer and I’m a proud user of The XP Deus.
Why not check out Dave’s video’s XPress metal detecting with Deus Dave YouTube channel
Calabash Digger
Instructional video’s, hints, tips and extreme XP Deus testing
Scott has a really good series of video’s online, if you have a Deus technical question that needs answering, there is a very good chance Calabash Digger has made a video on the subject.
Many people in the USA including myself regard him as one of the top Deus users in the US as he has a very comprehensive understanding of the machine and a great ambassador for the hobby.
Check out the You Tube channel here Calabash Diggers XP Deus tests.
Thanks to everyone who have contributed to this article
Written by Gary Blackwell
XP want to hear from you.
Be a member of the XP world-wide team – If you have a story with good quality pictures or a nice XP find please send it in we would like to hear from you.
Please send your correspondence to: gary@xpmetaldetectors.com
I don’t know what your expectations are when you grab your metal detector and head out for a day’s detecting. Some of us go out hoping to find coins, others dream of finding interesting militaria and relics, the list could continue up to modern items (for example, I have a friend who loves to find modern toys).
As detectorists, our one desire it to unearth something unique.
Out of all the most desirable metal detecting discoveries, ancient artefacts and Gold has to be top of most people’s list, but what if a seemingly ordinary day would in the end give you both !
Just another day metal detecting in the forest
It was a warm day at the beginning of May, and indeed just another day detecting. I was searching an area which in the past had previously given up some small items, such as Roman Fibula fragments, a few Roman minims and half of a Silver Denarius. Nothing incredible but the forest was beautiful and I just love being there, every time I visit this area it always gives me the ”There must be something else here” feeling.
Crazy as it may sound this is how it really happened.
I was on my way back to the car with pockets full of modern coins and mixed garbage for disposal, I told myself, the next signal is going to be my last dig, and that was the moment when my Deus reported a high and very stable tone. I remember saying to myself “I hope this is something good” I can only assume the gods were looking down on me at that point.
The recovery
I started digging and noticed that scattered around the first target were also other positive signals, my hopes were raising.
I managed to recover few Roman bronze coins together with two tiny bronze buckles and other fragments which looked like parts from ornaments, I knew I was ”In the zone”. After a short while I had recovered multiple artefacts.
Another signal this time in the foil range
I stood in disbelief and played out the events that had just happened in my mind. How could a routine day very quickly turn into something very special, and on my last dig.
As I turned to leave the “hot spot”, convinced that every target had been recovered, I received a strange mixed signal from my Deus: somewhere in the foil range, a cracking 37/42 signal.
Long story/short: The strange signal wasn’t related to foil or any other garbage…But from a Roman Gold coin! No need to describe what can’t be described, but I can tell you for sure that I was in a state of trance, unable to believe what just happened in front of me…to me!
Recovered at a depth of about 10cm, the coin is a Roman Gold Solidus Honorius (393-423) issued at Sirmium between 393-395, having 4,33g.
Later my joy was even bigger when the staff from the Romanian National Museum of History decided to feature the Solidus on the front cover of their volume dedicated to ancient numismatics.
XP Deus tip : Low target numbers. Low numbers may be Gold
If you see a low target number and think it may be foil – Think again as it could be a Gold coin !
When in the ground, Gold can be easily consumed by the ground itself, this in turn will lower the target ID.
XP want to hear from you.
Be a member of the XP world-wide team – If you have a story with good quality pictures or a nice XP find please send it in we would like to hear from you.
Please send your correspondence to: gary@xpmetaldetectors.com
