Towards the end of my northern California detecting season last fall, I borrowed my friend’s 10×5” GOLDHAWK coil. He had only used it once and found a few pieces with it. Since he wasn’t coming back to the High Sierra mountains for a few weeks, he said give it a whirl. So I took him up on the offer.

I haven’t swung a Coiltek since I sold my GPX 5000 with the Joey (loved that coil). So with limited detecting time left in my season, I headed out as much as possible with the GOLDHAWK. Here in Plumas County it is very rugged ground – steep, lots of brush, downed trees, and we have very mineralized hot ground. The first spot I took the coil to was a high altitude ancient river with hot ground. The GOLDHAWK ran very quiet. I took advantage of the elliptical to poke in every tight spot and managed to get three pieces for 1.3 grams.

The next week, my detecting trip led me across the county. This spot has always produced well. It was burned a year ago by wildfire. I knew the 10×5” would be perfect poking in all the nooks and crannies. It didn’t disappoint. I detected 18 pieces for 2.2 grams. I was super impressed how the coil ran so quiet on the steep slopes. Loved it. 

So my friend called, said he would be up in two weeks. I was like, I don’t want to give this coil back to him. So I decided to order him a new coil to replace the one I was going to keep. And while I was at it, I ordered the 14×9” GOLDHAWK. I had a week before my friend arrived again, so I hit a patch that has produced some bigger pieces over the years. The tough 10×5” came through again in a worked area. I got three pieces for 1.8 grams.

My friend came up the next weekend. I gave him the new replacement coil and told him in good conscience I couldn’t give him back a scratched up coil. He laughed! I wasn’t about to give back that lucky coil. So we hit another patch together, both armed with 10×5” GOLDHAWKS. I got 14 pieces for another 1.8 grams. He got 2.6 grams on five pieces. I can’t wait for the snow to melt so I can get back out to my detecting spots.

Scott Keogh