silversweeper
Sr. Member
- Aug 22, 2011
- 340
- 252
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab Etrac, CTX 3030
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
I've been working on a new site that I had just gotten permission for a few weeks ago. I've been eyeing this property for quite some time as I have often heard the story that it was a very early campsite for travelers in the area, even going back to prehistoric times. I finally got up the nerve to go knock on the door (unlisted phone number) and after my initial introduction, I realized that the lady looked very familiar. Turns out that I used to work with her years and years ago in the restaurant business. Anyway, longer story shorter, she's a very odd bird but has decided to let me detect her property (which goes back many generations in her family). She says that I have to keep an eye out for the sasquatch that watches over her, however.....ahem....(like I said...odd bird). Anyway, here are my combined finds for the last two trips. The first time I was out there and initially detected in a wandering fashion trying to locate hot spots. Didn't find much that day except a small spur buckle, piece of colonial era scissors handle, one flat button and A WHOLE LOT OF trash modern to early. Went back this week in the hopes of doing better. First day I spent the better part of chatting with her and listening to her spin stories. Once I got to detecting I dug several more aluminum cans (there are a ton of them scattered on the property up to about 5 inches deep), some more chunks of rusted iron from the old farming days, and then as it started raining I got a good signal that I figured was just more junk. At about 10 inches I got the sword hanger/sling hook, then a few more junk targets and then (right before I quit because I was getting soaked by the cold rain) I hit another good signal. It too was deep, about 10 inches or maybe a bit more, and I pulled out what I at first thought was the catch from an old steamer trunk. It was a bit crumpled and too light to be that though so I brushed off a bit of dirt and saw what I thought might be an eagle! Recognition dawned on me immediately then, one side of a powder flask! Wahoo I've always wanted one of these for my Civil War collection. It was extremely crusted with a layer of very hard oxidized dirt hiding most all detail, and it was badly creased and crumpled in a couple of different places. When I got it home, it took me quite a while to carefully straighten it out and pick the crust off, but it turned out great. If I have it identified correctly, it is a flask from a Colt Baby Dragoon pistol or model 1849. Sweet find and might support the lady's claim that the troops stayed there. Not much other evidence, though, I went back yesterday and found almost nothing but trash (and I hit it pretty hard). No bullets, or buttons, unfortunately. Will have to look at the rest of the property now to figure out what I'm missing because my finds so far sure don't point to much of a camp. There seems to be some fill on the area, however, so that may be hiding a lot of the better stuff. My best find on the last hunt was just as I was getting ready to leave and running late, a small patch of morels had popped up during the afternoon. YUM Wish I'd had more time to look for another patch because it turned cold again last night.
Also found 2 wheat pennies (1912 and 1923) and a crust of a Missouri tax token. No other coins so far other than some stinkin lincolns.
Anyone recognize the rectangular pieces? They were at about the same depth as the military finds and scattered on the site. Two of them have two tabs on the back, the other two are slightly smaller and have four. Perhaps they came off of a saddle
? Definitely brass and were gilt/plated at one time.
HH
Also found 2 wheat pennies (1912 and 1923) and a crust of a Missouri tax token. No other coins so far other than some stinkin lincolns.
Anyone recognize the rectangular pieces? They were at about the same depth as the military finds and scattered on the site. Two of them have two tabs on the back, the other two are slightly smaller and have four. Perhaps they came off of a saddle
? Definitely brass and were gilt/plated at one time.HH
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