Minelab Vanquish 440 & 540 Target ID Guide

The Minelab Vanquish 440 and 540 use target identification numbers from -9 to 40 to help you identify what's buried before you dig. Understanding these target ID numbers and discrimination features can dramatically improve your success rate in the field.

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Understanding Target ID Numbers

Target identification works by assigning numerical values to different metal types based on their conductivity. Ferrous targets (iron) register from -9 to 0, while non-ferrous targets like coins and jewelry show positive numbers up to 40.

A US quarter consistently shows a Target ID of 29 on both the Vanquish 440 and 540. When you see this number, there's a good chance you've found a quarter - though depth, orientation, and nearby trash can affect these readings.

The Target ID remains on screen for five seconds after detection or until another target is found. When no targets are detected or when the detector rejects a target, you'll see two large dashes on the display.

Discrimination Segments and Patterns

The discrimination segments run across the top of the LCD display, grouping similar Target IDs into zones. Each segment flashes when a target in that ID range is detected.

You can turn these segments on (accept) or off (reject) to create custom discrimination patterns. This lets you ignore common trash items while keeping good targets audible.

Rejecting Unwanted Targets

When you find a target you don't want to hear again, you can reject it while the Target ID is still displayed:

1. Detect the target and note the Target ID number
2. While the number shows on screen, press the Accept/Reject button
3. That Target ID range will now be silenced

Creating Custom Discrimination Patterns

For more precise control, you can edit discrimination patterns manually:

1. Press Accept/Reject when no target is detected
2. 'Ed' appears on the Target ID display
3. Use the left/right arrows to select segments
4. Press Accept/Reject to toggle segments on or off
5. The edit screen times out after 3 seconds of inactivity

Saving Your Settings to Custom Mode

Changes to Coin, Relic, and Jewelry modes reset when you power off. To keep your discrimination pattern, save it to Custom mode:

1. Set up your preferred search mode and discrimination pattern
2. Long-press the Search Mode button for 5 seconds
3. 'St' appears on screen with a confirmation tone
4. Your settings are now saved to Custom mode

All-Metal Mode

All-Metal mode turns on every discrimination segment, so you'll hear all metal targets including iron. This guarantees you won't miss anything, but you'll also dig more trash.

Press the All-Metal button to enable this mode. Press it again to return to your previous discrimination pattern. You can't edit discrimination segments while All-Metal is active.

Using All-Metal to Check Targets

All-Metal mode is useful for checking questionable targets. If a good-sounding target suddenly shows iron signals when you enable All-Metal, it might be a bottle cap or large iron object masquerading as something valuable.

If the target maintains a clean non-ferrous signal in All-Metal mode, it's likely a genuine good find worth digging.

Target Tone Differences Between Models

The Vanquish 440 uses three target tones - Low, Mid, and High - while the Vanquish 540 provides five target tones labeled T1 through T5. More tones give you better audio discrimination between target types.

Tone break positions vary slightly between search modes, but generally low tones indicate iron or foil, mid tones suggest pull-tabs or small gold, and high tones point to silver coins or large jewelry.

Building Your Target ID Reference

Different countries use different coin alloys, so Target IDs vary by location. Test your local coins by waving them over the coil at various heights and record their ID numbers.

Enable All-Metal mode during testing to ensure your coins aren't being discriminated out. Some countries use ferrous coins that might register in the iron range, which standard discrimination patterns would reject.

Keep a written list of your local coin Target IDs. You can then create custom discrimination patterns that specifically accept these numbers while rejecting common trash items.

Tips for Better Target Identification

Target depth affects ID accuracy - shallow targets give more consistent numbers than deep ones. Multiple targets close together can also cause ID numbers to jump around or average out.

Ground mineralization influences Target ID stability. In heavily mineralized soil, you might see wider ID number ranges for the same target type.

Always check targets from multiple angles. A bottle cap might give a good signal from one direction but show its true iron nature when approached from another angle.