Valley Ranger
Silver Member
- Mar 24, 2011
- 2,515
- 1,368
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Equinox 800, Garrett AT Pro (2), Makro Racer 2, Garrett AT Pinpointer (2)
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
So some of you may have been following the post where I was trying to decide between the Nokta Relic or the Makro Racer 2 for my next machine. (See here.) The decision was made for me. I had someone offer me an even trade: their brand new Nokta Relic, still in the box (he had 2 of them) even for my used T2SE. I couldn't pass that up, so I got the Nokta. So here's the story of my first outing with the Nokta Relic . . .
There is a site that I've been relic hunting on here in the Shenandoah Valley for several years now. The site has an interesting, but little known history. As a matter of fact, I would venture to say that I'm likely the only person alive who knows the location's complete (well, mostly complete) history.
I stumbled on the site quite by accident. I have a business relationship with the farmer who owns the land and he was kind enough to give me unlimited access to explore the property. My initial interest came about because there was a large Confederate winter camp across the road from this location. I do not (yet) have permission to access that property. However, there is a very bold spring located on the property I do have permission to be on so I surmised that this was possibly a source of water for the camp or, at a minimum, a picket post where horses and soldiers would water.
Also on this site was, for certain, one colonial home. The current owner razed it a number of years ago. However, due to the relics I've found there, I believe there was likely one other home that pre-dated the one razed.
This site is very tough to hunt for 2 reasons: 1.) the areas where the relics are also contain lots of iron. 2.) The EMI is extreme due to electric livestock fence surrounding the areas I hunt and the fact the fences are very close to where I hunt. Before using the Nokta, I've pounded the site with an AT Pro (the best performer before the Nokta), a T2SE and an XP Deus. My initial exploration of the spring area yielded nothing. I was both surprised and disappointed. Next, I explored the old home site which was closer to the road and above the spring. The only thing of interest I found there was a colonial era brass key used to lock ale and wine kegs. But I began to consider a piece of high ground behind the spring that included a grove of locust trees. High ground + water source typically equals human activity for those interested in relic hunting and/or archeology.
My assumptions were correct. From that high ground I've dug a number of Tombac buttons, a few colonial coins and some colonial era broken buckle frames. Nothing of any real monetary value, but a treasure trove to someone who's interested in history.
In the 1800's, this piece of property came to be owned by a Confederate veteran who had been a Captain in a Virginia unit. After the war, he started a small manufacturing facility there, as well as continuing to farm the property. This information came from an old map of the area, as well as some online research.
The location of the manufacturing facility was on another piece of high ground a few hundred yards from the well. At that location, I've recovered a Civil War era coin, part of an iron bell, iron tools and several pieces of 19th century, costume jewelry, pottery etc. It was this area that I recently returned to so I could try the Nokta Relic.
I dug a piece of harmonica reed right off, but then the finds went dry, except for some iron pieces. As I was about to give up and call it a day, I decided to try an area closer to the electric fence. I've been over this area with the machines already mentioned. I immediately recovered a small, Tombac button, mixed tone with a jumpy VDI of 44. Then, within a couple of minutes and just two feet away, I found the Eagle I button also shown in the first image above. The signal was similar to the Tombac, though the tone was a little higher. That find is interesting for several reasons. First, as already mentioned, this property was owned by a Confederate officer at the time that button was most likely lost. One would think a CSA button would be more likely to turn up. But Federal uniform buttons are not uncommon to find on Confederate related sites either. There are a couple of reasons for that. First of all, Confederate soldiers often used Union buttons when necessary, given the realities of supply issues in the Southern army.
Was the button a souvenir or, perhaps, an improvisation used during the WBTS and later lost by the Confederate Captain? Perhaps it was it lost by a former Union soldier who was a customer of the business or, maybe an employee?
Of course, it is impossible to know for sure, but the discovery does make for interesting contemplation. So I'd say my first impression of the Nokta Relic as a good one. Any day you can go to a site you've hunted heavily with some of the best machines available and pull out a Civil War button is a good one.
Settings were Di2, Imask zero, sensitivity 50, tone break 20, ID mask 2 and tracking for ground balance. I was using the 5"coil.
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