Learning a New Metal Detector, VDI Numbers for Various Rings and Collectible Coins – The Legend, Equinox, Apex & AT Pro

There are many metal detector VDI charts out there; however, I wanted to see a chart where common metal detector’s currently on the market VDI’s are listed beside each other and tested on the same exact object and same exact location. So I made one. 

I was particularly interested in rings, and various rings, from gold to costume jewelry.  While all the metal detectors were out and I had a “sort of” controlled environment, I also decided to do a few collectible coins, hoping our readers would enjoy seeing such charts.

VDI Numbers Change With Conditions and Circumstances; They Are Not an Exact

Now before we look at the charts and take anything seriously, we must take into consideration why VDI numbers are not always an accurate source and change due to various reasons, some of which I listed below.

• VDI’s will change with soil conditions, from the type of grain(sand, clay, soil) and minerals (for example iron infested ground) to moisture levels, wet or dry.
• If a ring or coin is on its side, the VDI numbers won’t be the same as if it was lying flat.
• Halo effect, basically the leaching of the metals into the soil, the longer the items are buried will make VDI numbers change. 

Therefore newbie detectorists, remember we can say a VDI can be in a range of what I published below but not exactly the same number; it all depends on conditions and circumstances. So basically, dig items if close. 

Why Bother Even Doing VDI Charts if They Are Not Accurate.

If we can’t rely on VDI’s because they change with conditions, you might wonder why I even did such charts, which is simple.

• For those who are graduating to new machines. For myself, I was using the Minelab Equinox for many years and now learning the Nokta Makro, The Legend, and retraining my brain for The Legend’s VDI’s.
• Those who are teaching friends how to use new metal detectors but might not own that specific detector, which they are helping their friends learn. For example, a friend of mine is getting into detecting and learning the Garrett ACE Apex, and while we are detecting, they will yell over what does a specific VDI mean. In truth, I don’t know the Apex detector inside and out, and now with such a chart can help them better.
• Pure learning to help others see what random rings and coins show up as to understand how VDI’s change depending on the ring, size, metal, and depth it is.
• For those detectorists who have hearing problems and have to rely on VDI numbers versus tones. 
• Going beyond Air Tests. They might be an OK way to look at the power of a metal detector, but a machine needs to be studied with objects on the ground and in the ground.

Also, Note

• Reading the charts is meant for a desktop computer. They will look terrible on a mobile phone.
• While doing my research, all metal detectors listed in this article were factory reset, in Park mode, and I used the stock coil.
• When it lists “Surface.” It means exactly that the items were placed on top of the grass.
• The plug where I buried the items was made in the grass, much like you would find at a park, and was 3 1/2 (3.5) inches / 8.89 centimeters deep. The items were dropped in the hole and covered back up with the plug.
• I added photos of each item tested to get an idea of how thick, think, or corroded it was.
• Some will notice I didn’t list any XP detectors; it is because I don’t own one, which I could use for these comparison VDI charts. It doesn’t mean I have any issues with XP detectors or those who swing them.

The Baseline of a Pull Tab

With every experiment, one must have a baseline, which I have made a pull tab. I chose a new pull tab with no oxidation. This also will  help newer detectorists see we need to dig it all when learning and stop asking on forums and social media groups, “how do you discriminate pull tabs” or ask for a program that only makes their detector chime on gold jewelry.”

COMMON TRASH	Nokta Makro The Legend Surface	Nokta Makro The Legend Buried	Minelab Equinox Surface	Minelab Equinox Buried	Garrett ACE Apex Surface	Garrett ACE Apex Buried	Garrett AT Pro Surface	Garrett AT Pro Buried
Newer Pull Tab	28-29	28-30	13-14	13-14	53	50	53	50

VDI Numbers for Various Rings

RINGS	Nokta Makro The Legend Surface	Nokta Makro The Legend Buried	Minelab Equinox Surface	Minelab Equinox Buried	Garrett ACE Apex Surface	Garrett ACE Apex Buried	Garrett AT Pro Surface	Garrett AT Pro Buried
White Gold 14K Diamonds Engagement Ring	15	17-18	4-7	5	40	34-36	43	37-43
Very Thin White Gold 14K Wedding Band	15	16-18	5-6	4-5	40	34-36	43	37-36
Thick White Gold 14K Band with Diamonds	22	22-23	10-11	10-11	45-48	45-46	22	22-23
Gold 10K Art Deco with Square Black Onyx Ring	22	22	11	11-12	47	45	48	41-50
Gold 10K Art Deco with Oval Black Onyx Ring	27	29	13-14	13	53-58	39-53	52	66
Pearl Gold Ring	23	22-24	11	11	45-52	45	50	41-53
Garnet Gold Ring	20	20-22	9	8	45-46	36-46	46	36-46
Gold Ring, Various Colors of Gold	23	23	11	10	46	46-48	49	38-46
Cancer Horoscope Plated Ring	29	28-29	13	13	50-53	45-51	53	53
Nordic Bronze Ring	31	31	15	14-15	55	49-54	56	45-53
Blue Stone, Silver Costume Ring	42-43	41-42	24	20-24	78	77	78	76
Budda Costume Ring	39	38	20-21	20-22	73-75	65-74	73	70

Hoop Earring VDI

EARRING	Nokta Makro The Legend Surface	Nokta Makro The Legend Buried	Minelab Equinox Surface	Minelab Equinox Buried	Garrett ACE Apex Surface	Garrett ACE Apex Buried	Garrett AT Pro Surface	Garrett AT Pro Buried
Gold Hoop Earring with Small Diamonds	17	Not Detected	6-9	Not Detected	52	Not Detected	40	Not Detected

When the hoop earring was 3 1/2 (3.5) inches / 8.89 centimeters deep, the metal detectors struggled to register it even was there.

Collectible Coin’s VDI

COINS	Nokta Makro The Legend Surface	Nokta Makro The Legend Buried	Minelab Equinox Surface	Minelab Equinox Buried	Garrett ACE Apex Surface	Garrett ACE Apex Buried	Garrett AT Pro Surface	Garrett AT Pro Buried
US 1928 Mercury Dime	46	42-43	25	23-27	82	80	81	79
US 1952 Sliver Quarter	51	50-51	28	28-31	89	89-92	51	50-51
US Buffalo Nickel	26	25	13	12-13	50-51	46-47	53	43-47
Canadian 1917 Silver Dime	45	45	24-25	24	81-82	74-78	80	75
Canadian 1967 Salmon Dime	44	42-43	23	22-23	79	74-78	78	76
Austrian 1906 Gold Coin	28	28-29	14	13	52-53	39-50	55	53

Conclusion

1. Newbie detectorist’s advice, If you want rings, especially gold rings, you must dig almost everything. 
2. For all levels of detectorists, from beginner to advanced, a reminder all metal detectors will be fooled at times when we pick and choose VDI numbers. That by time, we get set in our ways, rely on them too much to weed out the trash, and sometimes miss the good stuff. As they say, “Trash can be a treasure.” 
3. Recovery specialists have always cringed when someone calls them for diamond earring lost. They are hard to locate; this was proven so by seeing how four different detectors had a hard time finding a hoop earring with small little diamonds that was only 3 1/2 (3.5) inches / 8.89 centimeters down.