Help with a bead

AugustMoose87

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Sep 10, 2014
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So I was prospecting today and found a small yellow bead. Figuring it was most likely modern, but not wanting to miss out, I brought it home. My first thought was if it was modern, it would likely be plastic, so I took out my lighter to see if it would melt. The good/bad is it didn't melt - but that doesn't tell me if it is modern or not, just that it is glass or ceramic.

Any tips on how to proceed from here??
 

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old digger

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:hello: Welcome to TNET!

A photo of the bead will greatly help in identifying it.
 

larson1951

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So I was prospecting today and found a small yellow bead. Figuring it was most likely modern, but not wanting to miss out, I brought it home. My first thought was if it was modern, it would likely be plastic, so I took out my lighter to see if it would melt. The good/bad is it didn't melt - but that doesn't tell me if it is modern or not, just that it is glass or ceramic.

Any tips on how to proceed from here??

:hello: Welcome to TNET!

A photo of the bead will greatly help in identifying it.

Need pictures.



yup you gotta post a picture..........then we can help you

welcome to the tnet
 

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AugustMoose87

AugustMoose87

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Sep 10, 2014
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Longmont, CO
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Gold Pan, Sluice, Hand Dredge, X-Terra 30, X-Terra 705, Sand Shark
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I'll see what I can do, but due to it's small size and my lack of good photography equiptment, I'm not sure the picture will provide anything. But I should have know better and posted a picture - threads are always better with pictures !! :laughing7:
 

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AugustMoose87

AugustMoose87

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Sep 10, 2014
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Longmont, CO
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Bead.jpg
 

unclemac

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Oct 12, 2011
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looks like a seed bead....lots and lots of them tiny little buggers...

native-american-arapaho--17961-423d.jpg
 

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AugustMoose87

AugustMoose87

Sr. Member
Sep 10, 2014
443
264
Longmont, CO
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Gold Pan, Sluice, Hand Dredge, X-Terra 30, X-Terra 705, Sand Shark
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Yep, I knew that's what it was, just didn't know the name. I don't have my micrometer handy, but some rough measurements from my photo and a bit of math put it around 1.6mm, or a 13° (1.5-1.7mm) or 14° (1.4-1.5mm). But no closer to figuring out if it's modern or not
 

unclemac

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Oct 12, 2011
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all seed beads are modern in a sense....they replaced quill work in the what?...1850's, 1860's? something like that anyway. But I know what you mean.
 

monsterrack

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It's real hard to say if old or new because you can still get glass beads today. Look at the hole real close a modern bead will have a perfect round hole through it and an old style bead will be a little off of being perfect.:dontknow:
 

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AugustMoose87

AugustMoose87

Sr. Member
Sep 10, 2014
443
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Longmont, CO
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Gold Pan, Sluice, Hand Dredge, X-Terra 30, X-Terra 705, Sand Shark
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So then you are telling me that I can go around telling people i have a bead from the 1860's, and no one would be able to correct me, huh? :laughing7:3
 

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AugustMoose87

AugustMoose87

Sr. Member
Sep 10, 2014
443
264
Longmont, CO
Detector(s) used
Gold Pan, Sluice, Hand Dredge, X-Terra 30, X-Terra 705, Sand Shark
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
No equipment available to me at the moment for high mag.... I'll have to keep an eye out for my magnifying glass in the storage unit.
 

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