Whether detecting in England or the U.S.A. the choice of equipment is always an important matter. I used the White's Spectrum XLT in England.

The XLT rewarded me with many nice finds which may have eluded other detectors. Roman bronze coins are often the size of our pennies but during the last of the Roman occupation in Britain, tiny bronze coins called "minums" were often smaller and as thin as the nail on your little finger. The XLT sniffed out several of these tiny coins last year. It also detected many of the ancient hammered silver coins which are so coveted by British detectorists (and tourists as well.) These tiny coins were often cut in halves or quarters. This was done on purpose at the mints in order to make smaller change. Smaller indeed!

With the excellent detecting ability of the XLT, the next hardest work in recovering these tiny treasures starts after you dig the hole! At that time the signal is often lost when the soil is disturbed. What to do? Use a Tinytec (TM) Pinpointing Probe!

Tinytec is the greatest tool I have discovered since I started detecting. It may be the TH'ing world's best-kept secret ...until recently. Here is how it works.

I use Tinytec at home when detecting salt water beaches*, parks, schoolyards and private homes. At home and in England, my Tinytec saves me time and energy - enough to dig more holes and come home with more goodies.

"Tiny" senses ALL metals such as coins, silver and gold jewelry, pulltabs, rings - even small pieces of foil and BB pellets. It weighs only 6 ounces, uses a 9-volt battery and includes a battery-saver circuit that shuts the probe off when pointed upward, then turns it on when pointing down as when you're probing a hole. The battery in my original Tinytec Deluxe lasted two years! I now use the new Ultra model that just became available recently. It's a professional version of the original Deluxe model, but with more features.

After you have dug a hole, how do you determine if the target is still in the hole or is in the removed dirt? I see most folks picking up a handful of dirt and waving it in front of the coil ...one handful at a time! With my bad tendinitis, I would be limited on how many times I could go through that procedure. With my new Tinytec Ultra, I use its 8.5 inch probe to stir the removed dirt or wipe the walls and bottom of the hole. Depending on which target alert I select with the "Hear it / Feel it" switch, Tiny either sounds off or vibrates, along with the visual red LED, when I find the exact target location. Actually, Tiny signals prior to touching the target, therefore accidental probe scratches are easy to avoid. BTW, the new light is as bright as a penlight, making night hunting possible.

* Although I have never had a problem working the salt water sites, Fred at Hunter's Haven Enterprises says that he has received one or two reports of Tinytec giving false signals in the salty environment.

That's about it as a testimonial. I wouldn't leave home without it! However, there are many other features of the Tinytec that I have not used.

WARNING! Beware of imitations! One tell-tale sign of a Tinytec imitation is the absence of the probe's small, pointed tip.