Why cant i pass an integer to the filter search criteria???????????

Im using this code:

Sub SortTable()

    Dim Filter As Variant
    Dim ColHead As String
    Dim rColumn As Range
    Dim loITEM As ListObject

    ActiveSheet.AutoFilterMode = False
    
    ColHead = ActiveSheet.Range("B3").Value
    If ColHead = "" Then
        MsgBox ("please select a column header")
        Exit Sub
    End If

    Set loITEM = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Items").ListObjects("Items")
    Filter = ActiveSheet.Range("B1")
    
    If Not IsNumeric(Filter) Then
       Filter = "*" & Filter & "*"
   End If
        
   

    'Get the column reference
    Set rColumn = loITEM.ListColumns(ColHead).DataBodyRange
    loITEM.Range.AutoFilter Field:=rColumn.column - 1, Criteria1:=Filter, Operator:=xlFilterValues

End Sub

the seach criteria is either a string or a number. i want to beable to search for the criteria any where within the cells. The string works fine, but when i use a number it wont work???

Ive tried so many variations and even set it as just a straight number and it still wont work!!!!

help appreciated!