I re-started this hobby in May 2011, after almost two decades. Since I was mentioning the Ace250 yesterday, I grew nostalgic about the first few months of this adventure. I began with the Ace250 and quickly and by sheer luck I began to find gold. I couldn’t find the pictures of my finds with the Ace in my computer (I changed computers a couple of times since 2011) so I went to the forums to retrieve some.
Ace250 loot
This particular Ace250, gave off a penny signal every time I hit gold. I expected a pull tab signal or some other mid tone but the Ace would give off that bell tone and faithfully indicate that there was a one cent coin in the ground. I didn’t know at the time how unusual this was. Alas! I used the Ace only for three months, after it paid for my ATPro. Eventually I sold it to finance the purchase of a new coil. I know the person I sold it to turned around and sold it again and I wonder who’s finding gold with it now.
It is hard to go back to digital bell tones once you try variable sound but if I was sure that it was my old Ace, I would buy it back in a second.
I have found gold since with my other detectors but now I have to dig mid tones if I want gold. Also, as a side note, I quit posting gold finds. I, like just about every other metal detectorist out there, will make a big effort to locate the owner of lost rings I find. None of the rings I found with the Ace had any identifying information on them and some were so deep that I doubt the original owner was even around. But I have grown more careful with time and I decided some time ago that gold finds will remain a secret (not that I’ve found that much gold lately!). I think that I have just now equaled the gold finds of the Ace with all my other detectors since, including the Deus. Like they say, one never knows a good thing until it’s gone.
Anyway, thank you for stopping by.
The Dirt Is Good To Me 
Good post and good idea. I remember when what you found was only between you and a few close friends. Today tekkies want to shout it from the nearest hill, and while I can understand the elation, discretion is very often the better part of valor.
And please, this is not to be confused with secrecy or illicit finds and expeditions. Merely common sense and “personal” integrity….