A Few Scouting Missions

[Ahab8]

My life has been pretty damn crazy lately! Got done with my job and am starting my own business. Having a bunch of stonework done at my house and my driveway paved. I've also had family in town and issues with my truck. Ok now that I've got my sob story out there for all of my Tnet buddies I'll get to a few random finds.
I have been doing lots of research at might and have found lots of new sites to explore. So I've basically headed out just to see if I could locate some old homesteads and basically just crank on my detector to see how trashy they are and what coil I should bring on a return trip. I've found 8 or 10 colonial foundations and one from the 1600s. One place in particular has got me pretty intrigued. It was a sea captains home and it's located on the top of a hill with a beautiful foundation. I was there for maybe 15 minutes and found my first thimble (crushed) and a broken Crotal bell. Interestingly my mom told me that I'm a descendant of this guy. The thimble has a monogram on it but it's in rough shape. The Indian head is proof that even the worst looking coins have potential my favorite find is the shoe buckle piece. My buddy says everyone has a "thing" that they're good at finding. Mine is apparently shoe buckles and buckle pieces. I believe I've found 3 complete and a few frames and lots of parts.
Anyway I hope all of my Tnet friends are doing well and I really hope you all have more time than this guy. All the best, Abe

 

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[cjon455]

Dang abe, those buckles are awesome

So that's what real ones look like!!

Seriously though, killer buckles

 

[sideshowbob]

That thimble silver and dirty or just trashy treasure? Still holding out for my first one

 

[Blueblood]

Nice finds!

 

[Garrett424]

Nice.
So, how'd you resurrect that IH??

I have an old LC I'm working on and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Ahab8]

Nice. So, how'd you resurrect that IH?? I have an old LC I'm working on and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Well first off you never know what's hiding under the crud. This coin prob wasn't in circulation long when it was lost so i had something to work with. But when I have a coin like this I will warm up some peroxide for about 28 seconds then throw my coin in it. When it's this bad I will just leave it there over night. In the morning I take a soft toothbrush and brush whatever loose crud off. Then I just stick it back in and let it sit for as long as it takes to loosen up the crap. Sometimes you have a decent coin hiding under there and sometimes you don't. I will tell you that I've had better luck with the indian heads then I have the LCs. They just seem to withstand the elements better for some reason. Out of about 14 LCs I only have one with super details and luckily it's a Draped Bust (1802). You need a bit of luck on your side to get a good one

 

[el remolino]

That Indian did clean up nicely. Good luck on the future outcome of your research.

 

[Old Dude]

Nice job on that IH! Who would have thought THAT was hiding under all that?

 

[treblehunter]

Nice work buddy, some day before you know it, you will have that time to be able to do what your heart desires. That's why I'm grateful for everything I have now, and grateful for all the times I set aside for my son back when time was tight for me. Back then, that quality time was well worth the wait, I knew that one day I would have this time. I'm living a dream, hunting every day, thats why I'm also grateful for every wheatie or every LC, it all puts a smile on my face ( of course that chain would really light me up)
Nice finds, George is holding me back, wish he could break free, I want to come up.

 

[MaineRelic]

Good stuff Abe ! I hope you get less busy and bear down on some of these sites ! You still have time to find something to make the Banner this Year ! Good luck out there My fellow Maineiac ! M.R.

 

[Garrett424]

Well first off you never know what's hiding under the crud. This coin prob wasn't in circulation long when it was lost so i had something to work with. But when I have a coin like this I will warm up some peroxide for about 28 seconds then throw my coin in it. When it's this bad I will just leave it there over night. In the morning I take a soft toothbrush and brush whatever loose crud off. Then I just stick it back in and let it sit for as long as it takes to loosen up the crap. Sometimes you have a decent coin hiding under there and sometimes you don't. I will tell you that I've had better luck with the indian heads then I have the LCs. They just seem to withstand the elements better for some reason. Out of about 14 LCs I only have one with super details and luckily it's a Draped Bust (1802). You need a bit of luck on your side to get a good one

Well it sounds like you use the same methods as me.

I've also had very good luck with the Indian Heads. They seem to hold up very well in the dirt. But, the LC I found is pretty well toasted. I'm just curious as to the date. I would love to at least pull a date if at all possible because this may be my oldest coin yet.

The oldest dated piece I have so far is an 1863 Civil War store token. I'm thinkin' the LC is probably older. I actually found them both in the same area within about 40 minutes. I also found an old IH there a few months ago as well. No silver yet though.

I'm trying to find out what was once there (it's a school now) but I can't find any old maps or overlays for that particular spot. I need to find some old folks from the area and strike up a few conversations.
I've gotten some great information that way. Most of them like to tell their stories so it's a win/win.

 

[TNGUNS]

Awesome stuff there Abe. You live in an awesome and historical part of this wonderful country. In reality I know that tons of work and research have led to the incredible finds you make. Literally proud to just see a friend save so many relics from our nation's past. Sure hope that someday you will be able to find a way to display those for others to enjoy. Not kidding when I say you keep this up and your finds will be worthy of display in museum or similar format. Talk to ya soon my friend and HH.

 

[toddsumm1]

Wow man! You are definitely on a prime site. I need to do some scouting missions as well. I have pretty much depleted my colonial era field. I haven't been as fortunate as you with the buckles. I've never found one. GL&HH.

 

[park pirate]

Nice haul Abe ...

 

[Msbeepbeep]

You always find the good stuff, even when your just scouting. Very nice finds!
Congrats on starting your own business! Your a real busy guy, don't forget to breath now and then!

 

[Fingerlakes119]

Great job on cleaning that indian head. How id you do it?

 

[Ahab8]

Great job on cleaning that indian head. How id you do it?

That one went into some warm peroxide and stayed there for about 12 hours. Then a soft toothbrush. I've come to realize after a year that your coin either is going to have decent detail or it's not. If it's not a valuable coin I just go for it and don't worry much about it. I've only got a few coins that I've really taken a lot of time with. They just happened to have some moderate value. But I'm not afraid to just let em soak now

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

That one went into some warm peroxide and stayed there for about 12 hours. Then a soft toothbrush. I've come to realize after a year that your coin either is going to have decent detail or it's not. If it's not a valuable coin I just go for it and don't worry much about it. I've only got a few coins that I've really taken a lot of time with. They just happened to have some moderate value. But I'm not afraid to just let em soak now

Good philosophy, if the peroxide "ruins" it, you really had nothing to start with, and it's value was pretty much nil anyway.

MAN YOU HAVE ONE SERIOUS BUCKLE COLLECTION !!!! I don't know if you know it, but that is a lifetime's worth for any mere mortal, and you did that in one short year. I'm never the jealous type, But DANG I'd like to get a complete one.

 

[Ahab8]

Good philosophy, if the peroxide "ruins" it, you really had nothing to start with, and it's value was pretty much nil anyway. MAN YOU HAVE ONE SERIOUS BUCKLE COLLECTION !!!! I don't know if you know it, but that is a lifetime's worth for any mere mortal, and you did that in one short year. I'm never the jealous type, But DANG I'd like to get a complete one.

Thank you Rick I'm quite fond of the shoe buckles and it speaks to how many sites I've found that haven't been hunted to death. Almost every one of those shoe buckles was about 2" deep. The only one that was deep was the pewter piece. Not sure why I get my coil over so many but I'm excited to make a display as I personally think they're one of the coolest looking items we detectorists find.
All that said you have found some really amazing items yourself my canadian friend.
As for the whole peroxide thing I've just come to a point where I believe there's something to work with or there's not. You can ***** foot around with a green blob with no detail as long as you want and when you're done it's still just that, a cool old coin but still a piece of crap that won't be worthy of display or have any monetary value. But ugly or not I still REALLY enjoy digging them

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Thank you Rick I'm quite fond of the shoe buckles and it speaks to how many sites I've found that haven't been hunted to death. Almost every one of those shoe buckles was about 2" deep. The only one that was deep was the pewter piece. Not sure why I get my coil over so many but I'm excited to make a display as I personally think they're one of the coolest looking items we detectorists find.
All that said you have found some really amazing items yourself my canadian friend.
As for the whole peroxide thing I've just come to a point where I believe there's something to work with or there's not. You can ***** foot around with a green blob with no detail as long as you want and when you're done it's still just that, a cool old coin but still a piece of crap that won't be worthy of display or have any monetary value. But ugly or not I still REALLY enjoy digging them

I have to agree with you on shoe buckles being one of the "coolest items" to find, but then again I am baised for the fact I still haven't got a complete one. I do have a fair amount of pieces, a couple complete frames, but just not the whole anchilada (SP that).

Tip one up for a good fall season for all of us. I do however know you are going to do well, as you still have sites you've barely touched right next to your house. Like that button (gilt navy) next door.

Good luck out there my friend.

Rick