2015 WRAP UP! Colonial Gold, Silver, and Military Pewters

[Patriot Relics]

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delay, however this year has certainly been one to remember. My first Loyalist banner dig, Spanish cobs, and nautical gold stand out as finds of a lifetime for me. Met some great people along the way and spent more time in knee deep pluff mud with Gheenoe78 than I ever imagined . Long hours staring at old maps and lots of scouting on the yaks has produce quite an array of early military buttons- most of them pewters. Thanks for all the feedback and expertise offered by the TNet community- hopefully many more years to come saving history in the lowcountry!

The best of 2015- British Ship Merchant Captain Cufflink dating between 1757 and 1774. It would likely have belonged to a ultra wealthy merchant captain. Gold adornment fashioned with the Tudor Rose was exclusively used by rich ship captains to project wealth and power.



Pre 1800s & Rev War Military



Post 1800 military



Military displays:



18th and 19th century civilian recoveries



Best Coins- 1794 Liberty Cab, 17th Century Spanish Silver Cobs



Surface finds



Thanks for looking!

 

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[DocBeav]

Great finds! I've been nailing some pewter buttons lately too though none that are in as good a shape as some of yours! How do you clean yours?

 

[JackalopeZL1]

Nice!

 

[payload77]

Holy Toledo! The Mother lode!

 

[Gridwalker306]

That's a serious amount of great finds, I'm blown away by your buttons! Awesome cobs, and that merchant gold is just ridiculous. What a fantastic year you had!

I can't imagine digging stuff that old...I guess I have to wait until we all get to England.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Great finds! I've been nailing some pewter buttons lately too though none that are in as good a shape as some of yours! How do you clean yours?

Hey Doc, cleaning old pewter is a delicate process. If found inland, they are typically white to dull brown and degrade rapidly unless stabilized with a 50/50 Elmer glue and water combo. For those found well preserved in pluff mud, I coat the surface in mineral oil and lightly brush with a soft brass bristle brush. Using light pressure to remove layers of corosion. If the button is less stable, I just brush with soap and water. In all cases, I allow the button to dry then coat with a layer of bree wax, then buff to a dull shine. Practice with flat buttons before messing with the good stuff

 

[ironhorse]

That's a serious amount of digging and finds!
An excellent spread of eras from very early to modernish, and all good things in between!
Congratulations on a successful year!

 

[Patriot Relics]

That's a serious amount of digging and finds!
An excellent spread of eras from very early to modernish, and all good things in between!
Congratulations on a successful year!

Thanks iron horse, those displays represent more time than I'd like to admit but certainly can't beat this hobby...or obsession I don't display anything newer than 1909, just personal interest

 

[Ahab8]

Seeing all of your early military is amazing. You see the individual posts but that is something else. Great job buddy. I am hoping to concentrate on some early military sites this year. I love the buttons and relics

 

[Palmetto]

Great stuff-Tudor rose cufflink and of course that loyalist button are creams of the crop.
Also noticed the "dreaded" PN button in your group shots. No good evidence of what it exactly is and many thoughts on it begin of Spanish origin but who knows.
All of mine have no shank like yours but I have seen them in both coat and cuff size as well.
Great finds and good luck in 2016.

Russ

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

You had an outstanding year for sure, and that may be the best display of early pewter military buttons I've ever seen posted. Hope you can continue that success in 2016.

 

[screwynewy]

Thanks iron horse, those displays represent more time than I'd like to admit but certainly can't beat this hobby...or obsession I don't display anything newer than 1909, just personal interest

Awesome collection of coins and relics. Your finds are exactly the type of hunting I enjoy doing myself. I can relate to the time spent detecting and sometimes ask myself if it is even worth the time invested between the research and actual hunting but I always find myself coming back. It is truly an obsession but a healthy and historically educating one. I look forward to seeing what you recover in 2016.

 

[hogge]

Love the pics. Hogge

 

[Isaac]

Amazing array of early military buttons. The gold cuff is a dream find, huge congrats on finding it! You've had an excellent year!!! Congrats!

 

[DownNDirty]

Great stuff-definitely had a helluva year! I hope to be joining you soon.

 

[Darby]

Awesome display of finds! You killed it in 2015 and hope your streak continues this year. Congrats on x digging all that history. And you're correct, obsession is a better description than hobby! Maybe even addiction!

 

[pepperj]

Great year of finds you amassed, liking the fine looking assortment of displays, all the best for the 2016 season.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Great stuff-Tudor rose cufflink and of course that loyalist button are creams of the crop.
Also noticed the "dreaded" PN button in your group shots. No good evidence of what it exactly is and many thoughts on it begin of Spanish origin but who knows.
All of mine have no shank like yours but I have seen them in both coat and cuff size as well.
Great finds and good luck in 2016.

Russ

Yes I've dug both the coat and cuff variant but still think there is no way they are Spanish. The shanks are more likely American scissor cast in my opinion, crazy how these are still a mystery.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Awesome collection of coins and relics. Your finds are exactly the type of hunting I enjoy doing myself. I can relate to the time spent detecting and sometimes ask myself if it is even worth the time invested between the research and actual hunting but I always find myself coming back. It is truly an obsession but a healthy and historically educating one. I look forward to seeing what you recover in 2016.

Thanks Navy, hope the Carolina soil is good to you in 2016 as well

 

[gheenoe78]

That's a crazy amount of time put into each one of those buttons and relics man. For each one of those "keepers" I know how many pull tabs and beer bottle caps were dug, plus the amount of time and energy it took to get to each of those sites, especially the kayak sites! Great finds man. That's some serious history right there. Great year for sure.