Finding Canadian Coins with the Garrett Vortex VX9 (Because They Don't Want to Be Found)

So, you just picked up a Garrett Vortex, and you’re ready to hit the ground running—literally. You’re pumped, visions of lost treasures (or at least a handful of loonies and toonies) dancing in your head. But after an hour? Nothing but bottle caps, old nails, and a weird piece of metal that might be from an alien spacecraft… or just a rusty bolt.

Canadian coins are weird. If you’ve ever tried detecting them, you already know they’re basically the ninjas of the metal detecting world—sneaky, hard to find, and way too good at hiding in plain sight. That’s because, unlike American coins that behave nicely for metal detectors, post-2000 Canadian coins are mostly nickel-plated steel, which makes them way harder to pick up.

Why is the Vortex VX9 Struggling to Find Your Loonies?

Blame the nickel. Nickel is terrible. It has low conductivity, which means your detector has to work extra hard just to notice it. Add in the steel core that a lot of Canadian coins have, and suddenly, your Vortex VX9 is second-guessing whether it’s looking at a coin or just another piece of trash. The signals get jumpy, erratic, and totally unreliable. One second, your detector says “Hey! This might be something good!” and the next, it’s like, “Never mind, I lied.”

And to make things worse? A lot of Canadian coins fall into the same Target ID range as actual garbage. Dimes, for example, can show up in the same range as a rusty nail, so if you’re not paying attention, you could be walking right past free money.

So Where Do Canadian Coins Actually Show Up on the VX9?

If you’ve got your Vortex VX9 in front of you, start remembering these numbers:

Nickels → 45-50
Dimes → 42-46
Quarters → 82-84
Loonies → 85-88
Toonies → 87-91

Yep, those little guys are hiding in plain sight. But if your discrimination settings are too aggressive, you’re probably ignoring half of them without even realizing it.

How to Outsmart Tricky Canadian Coins

The first thing you need to do is stop telling your Vortex VX9 to ignore iron. Since Canadian coins have a steel core, they sometimes get misread as iron. If you’ve got your iron discrimination turned up, you’re basically telling your machine, “No thanks, I don’t want any of that sweet, sweet Canadian currency.” So, lower it—or turn it off entirely—if you’re willing to dig a little more junk to get to the good stuff.

Also, switch over to single 40 kHz mode. The VX9’s multi-frequency feature is cool and all, but if you want to pick up weak signals from low-conductivity coins, 40 kHz is your best bet. You’ll have a much easier time finding those dimes and nickels that keep slipping through the cracks.

And for the love of all things metal detecting, slow down. If you’re swinging your detector around like you’re in a sword fight, you’re gonna miss coins. The VX9 needs time to process signals, especially the weaker ones, so take it easy and let the machine do its thing.

Final Thoughts (AKA: Don’t Sell Your Vortex Just Yet)

Finding Canadian coins is frustrating, but totally possible. The Garrett Vortex VX9 is a powerful machine—it just needs a little tweaking to work with our annoying, nickel-plated money. Adjust your settings, be patient, and start listening for those sneaky little signals hiding in the trash.

And hey, even if you don’t find a pocket full of toonies, at least you spent the day outside, digging holes like a very determined raccoon.

Happy hunting!

Windy Digger

(And if you need more tips or gear, check out @okjohnmetaldetectors—we’ve got the Vortex VX9 in stock and ready to go!)

Update! April 18th/2025

Heads up, folks!
Don’t forget to download the latest firmware update for your Vortex—it improves stability, adds depth, and takes care of a few pesky bugs.

👉 Click here to update your machine

Trust me, it’s worth it!

Update! April 24th/2025

I’ve been using these settings shared by Lee Guerrero over on Facebook, and they’ve been working wonders for me:

Mode: Standard
Frequency: Multi
Iron Filter: 4
Tones: 5-tone
Sensitivity: One notch below maximum
Recovery Speed: 2

If you’re having trouble dialing things in, definitely give these a shot—they’ve made a noticeable difference!

Robin Paul Paré

Rob is a passionate metal detecting enthusiast with a deep love for uncovering lost history. But for Rob, it’s not just about the finds — it’s about the people. He thrives on connecting with fellow detectorists, sharing knowledge, and building a strong, supportive detecting community. Whether he’s out hunting solo, organizing group events, or helping someone new get started, Rob is always ready to dig in and make a difference — one signal at a time.

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