Hi everybody ! This story took place in 1997,but wanted to share : Fade in: A cool sunny May morning in Colorado,my phone rings waking me up.My friend who runs an excavating business is on the other end, "You might want to get over here,we started digging the foundation this morning,and there are bottles everywhere !". Now let me back up just a touch,It is a fantastic privellage to know an excavator in an old mining town,He always calls me when a new job is started,and wont let anyone in but us just cant ask for too much more ! Ok back to the dig. Well it took all of about 10 mins to wake up my brother get dressed shove some food down,throw the shovels in the truck & we were gone,by the way did I mention that as I ran out the door,I grabbed the old bounty hunter detector,this would prove to be one of those second hand actions that makes the difference between boom and bust . We Arrive at the job site,the Frontend loader and Trackhoe are a flury of activity,a Large hole had already been dug. I get out of the truck and there is a pile of bottles that my friend had put there for me & there were some nice ones After talking with the guys,gathering some info from them ,we head to the other side of the job,and walk into old bottle heaven ,they were lying on the ground,on top of piles of dirt,sticking out of the bank,needless to say we had boxes on top of boxes,on top of boxes of bottles at the end of the day. I decided to take a break from the bottle diggin ,& get out the detector,started hunting a strip that my friend had come over & dragged with the frontend loader for me,& almost immediatly found a couple of round white disc's the size of coins (later determined these to be lead cheater slugs for the old slot machines from the late 1890s or early 1900s.) I detected along the length of the strip,at the very end ,right up against the bank,I recieved a good signal,and dug up this clump of green metal,partially wrapped in cloth,then found 2 more smaller clumps.Well sitting there trying to figure out what these clumps were,I started breaking off the lose dirt,then realized they were some sort of coins stuck together ,first thought I'd found a clump of pennies,upon closer examination,I see the name of a Colorado town then realized I had a clump of turn of the century Merchant Trade tokens ,I stand up,look at the bank,& right at eye level is another clump of tokens sitting in a coffee can that had been broken open by the frontend loader,this can had been thrown in a trash pit and was 6' from the surface. After a long day,we had found 100's of bottles & almost 200 Trade Tokens from Denver,Leadville,Cripple Creek,Victor,Goldfield etc,etc,,,Chicago,& even one fron San Luis Obisbo Calif.Also In the can were a large caliber bullet,& a key. I think it was obvious that someone wanted to destroy these tokens,Thankfully They didnt destroy them completely,a few were unreadable,but most cleaned up quite nice. Enjoy the pic's sorry there is not more.It was many years before I had a digital camera,my apologies for the scans. PPC
Great story and killer finds. Curious, do you still have the tokens? Or at least a list of what was dug? Or the bottles, for that matter?
Plan sometime this week to try a little trash-pit hunting myself, at a place where two tokens were detected.
Seriously doubt that we'll find anything remotely close to what you dug, but there's always the hope.
Carl
18th c. Engraved Silver Friendship Pendant
1722 Colonies Francoises French 9 Deniers Copper
"Le Bon Temps" Pocketwatch Winder
1774 Two Reales
1797 One Real
1831 Mexican Republic One Real
Four dateless Half Reales
1740, 1799, 1807, and 1811 Half Reales
1840-O Seated Half Dollar with MS details
1847-O Seated Quarter with AU-50 details
1838 Seated Dime
1840-O and 1853-O Seated Half Dimes
1824 Matron Head LC
Dateless Matron Head LC
Regiment of Artillery button (1811-1813)
1812 era Artillery button
One piece Eagle General Militia button(GI56)
1700s Navy Cuff Button
pre-CW Navy Cuff Button
GS Eagle Button
.31 cal. Brass Bullet Mold
1873, 186?, and 18?? Shield Nickels
1884 and 1905 V Nickels
1908-D Barber Dime
Trade Beads, Musketballs, Minieballs, etc.
Any relics, coins, or other items appearing in my finds signatures were found on PRIVATE PROPERTY with total consent and permission from the owners of said property.
Beautiful finds. Can you put up pics of the other side of the tokens and some of the bottles? You're lucky to have a buddy in the construction business, may want to buy him and his crew a case or two of beer or maybe BBQ some steaks for them.
Did you find any Tokens referencing Sam Lang? He had bars in Cripple Creek and Denver 1895 to 1903 or so. I am looking for any reference to his 5 cent cigar tokens. Anything similar in that incredibly historical batch?
Great story and killer finds. Curious, do you still have the tokens? Or at least a list of what was dug? Or the bottles, for that matter?
Plan sometime this week to try a little trash-pit hunting myself, at a place where two tokens were detected.
Seriously doubt that we'll find anything remotely close to what you dug, but there's always the hope.
Carl
Carl,I only have a couple of the tokens left,but have a list and rubbings,couple of pic's,& the memories.
Did you find any Tokens referencing Sam Lang? He had bars in Cripple Creek and Denver 1895 to 1903 or so. I am looking for any reference to his 5 cent cigar tokens. Anything similar in that incredibly historical batch?
I'm pretty sure,the one in the picture is the only varient of the Sam lang token I found ,there were a few in the clumps. As you probably already know, Sam Lang owned the " Rocky Mountain Liquor Co." at 226 & 228 Bennett Ave in Cripple Creek. 1897 -1899. The only items I've seen are this token,a couple of whiskey jugs stenciled "Rocky Mountain Liquor Co" . Also a jug stenciled " S Lang Cripple Creek Colo " That I dug in 1987 or 88. PPC
Thanks PPC. You have added to my information on the piece. It is copper, stamped on only one side and says Sam Lang, Good For One Free Cigar, and has a 5 in the center. I found it in the early 80's. I used to love rooting around that old town, but it is ruined now so I stick to the outskirts. Thanks for the help. C
Thanks PPC. You have added to my information on the piece. It is copper, stamped on only one side and says Sam Lang, Good For One Free Cigar, and has a 5 in the center. I found it in the early 80's. I used to love rooting around that old town, but it is ruined now so I stick to the outskirts. Thanks for the help. C
Hi C, I've been "rooting around" since the early 80s as well. I have found , literaly 100s of tokens up there,but not the one you have,Good find from ole "Sammy" P.S. The outskirts are getting ruined too !
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just cant ask for too much more ! Ok back to the dig. Well it took all of about 10 mins to wake up my brother get dressed shove some food down,throw the shovels in the truck & we were gone,by the way did I mention that as I ran out the door,I grabbed the old bounty hunter detector,this would prove to be one of those second hand actions that makes the difference between boom and bust 
. We Arrive at the job site,the Frontend loader and Trackhoe are a flury of activity,a Large hole had already been dug. I get out of the truck and there is a pile of bottles that my friend had put there for me & there were some nice ones 
After talking with the guys,gathering some info from them ,we head to the other side of the job,and walk into old bottle heaven 
,they were lying on the ground,on top of piles of dirt,sticking out of the bank,needless to say we had boxes on top of boxes,on top of boxes of bottles at the end of the day. I decided to take a break from the bottle diggin ,& get out the detector,started hunting a strip that my friend had come over & dragged with the frontend loader for me,& almost immediatly found a couple of round white disc's the size of coins 
(later determined these to be lead cheater slugs for the old slot machines from the late 1890s or early 1900s.) I detected along the length of the strip,at the very end ,right up against the bank,I recieved a good signal,and dug up this clump of green metal,partially wrapped in cloth,then found 2 more smaller clumps.Well sitting there trying to figure out what these clumps were,I started breaking off the lose dirt,then realized they were some sort of coins stuck together 
,first thought I'd found a clump of pennies,upon closer examination,I see the name of a Colorado town then realized I had a clump of turn of the century Merchant Trade tokens 
,I stand up,look at the bank,& right at eye level is another clump of tokens sitting in a coffee can 
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Originally Posted by CurbdiggerCarl57
One third jewelry of the World are under sand so far
