Rises Above the Competition
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Minelab MANTICORE sniffs out treasure like no other.
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Chicago, IL (November 30, 2023) – I received my first metal detector at the age of 12. My mother purchased an old Sears Robuck detector from a local yard sale. She thought it would be an excellent gift because of my love for collecting old U.S. coins. She was right!
Since then, I’ve upgraded several times. I now own several Minelab metal detectors. People ask me if I prefer using Minelab metal detectors over other brands. My answer is always a quick “YES,” because they produce more finds for me, even in so-called worked-out areas. When asked which Minelab metal detector is my favorite, I point to the MANTICORE in my hand. I love that I can either treat this as a turn-on-and-go machine or, if I prefer, dive deep into the software and tune it to my personal preferences.
Even though I started with that now obsolete detector, I still had a lot of fun with it. The mystery and thrill of what is lying beneath the ground is just as enthralling today as it was back in the late 1970s. I dug a lot of targets, mainly iron, because we lived on the remnants of an old farm in southern Ohio, and detectors weren’t sophisticated back then. To this day, I remember my first significant target. It was an automobile license plate dating to the early 40s. I’ve been hooked on metal detecting ever since.
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Found near first base at an old school.
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My vintage coin finds have more than quadrupled since operating Minelab machines. Their new detector, the MANTICORE, sniffs out silver like no other detector. For example, I retrieved a Standing Liberty half dollar behind first base at an abandoned 1930s schoolyard. Even though the old school had seen many metal detectors, the MANTICORE treated it like fresh terrain.
The MANTICORE features a Recovery Speed setting that can be adjusted from 0 to 8. Changing the speed of the coil helps better separate trash from treasure. Using a lower Recovery Speed helps penetrate the ground much deeper and hinders unwanted electromagnetic interference (EMI), too. When there is a minimal amount of trash, I turn my Recovery Speed setting to three, and this helps get those older and deeper coins that other metal detectors can’t find.
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Conversely, I can increase the Recovery Speed in trashy areas. The MANTICORE’s microprocessor detects signals quickly, plucking treasures in trash-infested areas. By listening to what’s in the ground, one can easily change the setting with the quick press of a button.
I have had other hobbyists tell me not to waste time searching specific locations because too many people have hunted them. I especially hear that about city parks and old schools. To me, that is a challenge, because I know from first-hand experience, Minelab detectors can and will answer the call.
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Barber dime pulled from a trashy curb strip.
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I recently hunted between a sidewalk and a street near where an old house used to stand. While approaching the area, I couldn’t help but notice the rubbish cans lining the street. Additionally, the small band of grass was directly below some power lines. This would be an excellent test for the MANTICORE. Curb strips are usually trashy, so I turned up the Recovery Speed to seven out of eight to speed up the processing.
Within 15 minutes, I pulled a century-old dime about seven inches deep surrounded by trash. My heart pumps a little faster when I uncover targets like these.
MANTICORE’s MULTI IQ+® High Power Simultaneous Multi-Frequency technology aids overall detecting performance, too. This area would have been undetectable by others in the past due to the vast amount of trash littering the ground. The EMI from the power lines wasn’t an issue either because of its MULTI IQ+® High Power Simultaneous Multi-Frequency technology programmed into the software.
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No such thing as a “worked out” area with the MANTICORE.
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West Virginia and Ohio are neighboring states, letting me detect both sides of the Ohio River. I planned a day trip, crossed over, and happened upon an old town and its city park. I talked to the groundskeeper about hunting the park, and his response was, “It’s a free country, right?” After finding a few Wheaties and some clad, the MANTICORE beckoned me with a high-pitched tone that summoned me to dig. After careful recovery, I retrieved an old 1941 West Virginia fishing license – the highlight of my trip.
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The MANTICORE unearths another Mercury dime.
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Anyone who metal detects and has found an old coin knows the look of silver protruding from the bottom of a hole. MANTICORE’s ability to accurately locate a target in Pinpoint Mode ensures that I never damage a target. One only knows the value of an unearthed treasure until further research has been done. Even though old coins and other items are easily found when using the MANTICORE, tokens of all sorts can be found too.
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The front side of a vintage Sunoco token.
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Marmon Six automobile on reverse side.
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Finding tokens is a lot of fun. Likewise, researching them is just as gratifying. I once found a Marmon Six automobile token, circa 1913. Sunoco gave these one-inch aluminum tokens to patrons in 1969 after filling up their gas tanks. Although not a valuable collectible, unearthing treasures like these adds to the enchantment of metal detecting.
If you are looking for pure accuracy, then MANTICORE’s Two-Dimensional ID Map System with Target Trace is a key feature. The 2D ID Map is highly sophisticated and helps recognize certain types of targets before extracting them from the ground. When Target Trace displays a distinct round dot near the centerline, it’s time to dig. The more perfect the dot, the higher the possibility that the target under the coil will be shaped like a coin. The ID Map and Target Trace are a coin shooter’s best friend, because they help decipher what’s in the ground before kneeling and retrieving the target.
Additionally, the ID Map helps determine whether the item is either a ferrous or non-ferrous target. This provides valuable information in deciding whether to dig or not. In the case of the token, I’m glad I dug it.
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1941 West Virginia fishing license.
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Even though the joy of finding old tokens never goes away, I am still partial to retrieving old U.S. silver coins. Minelab’s embedded software lets me easily switch Search Modes, whether I am swinging the coil on the ground, in the water, or even prospecting for gold. None of these conditions are an issue for the MANTICORE. In Search Mode, you can choose from the following programs: All-Terrain, Beach, or Goldfield. Each setting has further characteristics to choose from. For example, since I enjoy finding silver coins, I use the All-Terrain High Conductors search mode. It helps me find silver coins on nearly every outing.
The MANTICORE can be used straight out of the box by anyone. And, if you consider yourself an advanced detectorist, the MANTICORE can be fine-tuned to suit all types of detecting as well as soil conditions. Not only can the MANTICORE’s recovery speed be manipulated, as mentioned earlier, you can quickly change the sensitivity level. When ground conditions are favorable, increasing sensitivity can help find those deeper targets that others couldn’t hear in the past.
Even though metal detectors are far more advanced than during my youth, the excitement of the hunt remains the same. If you are looking for an exciting hobby that gets you outdoors, then metal detecting is for you. Finding treasures like coins, jewelry, and old relics, is very rewarding. Also, if searching for gold nuggets excites you, the MANTICORE won’t disappoint either.
Whether you are a beginner, novice, or advanced detectorist, you will be satisfied with the MANTICORE. Who knows, you may hit the motherlode, as some have in the past.
Happy hunting.
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The author working his Minelab MANTICORE.
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ABOUT MINELAB:
Minelab is an Australian, multi-award-winning business that has successfully scaled world markets to command global leadership in its key areas of operation. Based in Mawson Lakes, South Australia, with regional offices in Cork, Ireland; Dubai, UAE; Monterrey, Mexico; Itajai, Brazil; and Chicago, U.S.A., the company specializes in advanced electronic technologies. Since its origins in 1985, Minelab has been the world leader in providing metal-detecting technologies for gold prospecting, treasure hunting and landmine clearance. Through devotion to research and development and innovative design, Minelab is today the major world manufacturer of handheld metal detector products. Over the past 30 years, Minelab has introduced more innovative and practical technology than any of its competitors and has taken the metal detecting industry to new levels of excellence. Minelab is a Codan Limited company (ASX: “CDA”). To learn more about Minelab, visit minelab.com.
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