Three Corroded Coppers and a couple Riflemans Buttons

[Steve in PA]

Three Corroded Coppers and a couple Rifleman's Buttons

This past Sunday was a beautiful day in Pennsylvania to get out outdoors with a metal detector. Chances are there won’t be another like it for months. My sister and I took advantage of the weather and to check out an old mill site I found on an 1817 map. We were able to find the foundation stones but nothing else, so we moved on to one of my well hunted sites nearby. I was able to dig three deep coppers but they were all eaten up by the harsh soil at this site. Everything from this site is in terrible condition unless it’s silver. We each also dug a 13.7 mm (cuff size) Rifleman’s button, War of 1812 era. This was my first one piece Rifleman’s button so that was kinda cool. Unfortunately the ground action removed a lot of detail from the faces. I included a picture from Albert’s book to show what they would have looked like.

 

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[Greylock]

Gotta take advantage of the weather while we can. I heard a big storms rolling in. Toasted coppers are better than none at all. The rifle mans buttons is a great find.

 

[metalev4]

Congrats on the buttons Steve. Hope you are able to get out another time or 2 before the snows shut you down.

 

[beez0404]

The rifleman buttons are wonderful finds. Congratulations.

 

[texjim]

The buttons are awesome.. Nice job on the coppers too.

 

[coinman123]

Nice three copper day, I still have not had a two copper day, the riffleman's buttons are very nice. Good luck on finding the rest of the spigot.



Coinman123,

 

[Steve in PA]

Nice three copper day, I still have not had a two copper day, the riffleman's buttons are very nice. Good luck on finding the rest of the spigot.

View attachment 1084257

Coinman123,

There was a tavern on the site, so a number of spigot parts have turned up. But these fields are also cultivated, and though they haven't been plowed in several years, the chances of finding a complete spigot are slim.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice stuff there Steve. I've never dug one of those rifleman buttons before. Too bad the soil was so harsh on those.

 

[Ahab8]

Great buttons Steve. Never seen em before. Looks like quite a site bud. If only every site could have friendly soil. We can't control that part though. Great hunt bud

 

[The Patriot]

A great save in my book and one to add to your collection

 

[The Rebel]

Nice saves Steve!

 

[Old Dude]

Yeah, I agree that the only thing worse than digging toasted old coppers is digging none at all. It's great knowing they are old, but frustrating to not know HOW old. Great saves on all.

 

[Steve in PA]

Yeah, I agree that the only thing worse than digging toasted old coppers is digging none at all. It's great knowing they are old, but frustrating to not know HOW old. Great saves on all.

OD, even though the coppers are always toast on this site and many can't be identified at all, there is a lot of early silver here. I have dug 34 coppers and 15 silvers dated between 1761 and 1830, including an 1803 Draped Bust dime. Very few early sites in Pennsylvania have that kind of copper/silver ratio. So I will keep going back and hopefully the farmer will plow some day.

 

[Scrappy]

Coppers are what make us dream and want. Who cares if you dunno what they are. They're wicked old and wicked sexy! Pass 'Em my way and I'll give them a good feelin' up. Lol.

Lol. By honestly, nice finds and nice coppers

 

[Steve in PA]

Coppers are what make us dream and want. Who cares if you dunno what they are. They're wicked old and wicked sexy! Pass 'Em my way and I'll give them a good feelin' up. Lol.

Lol. By honestly, nice finds and nice coppers

Haha! Scrappy you are right about that. Nothing like seeing the big green disc laying in the dirt or sticking out of a clod of dirt

 

[VOL1266-X]

Steve, those are some GREAT finds. I was thinking Eagle "R" buttons but 1812 era is reaarkable. WTG, Q.

 

[park pirate]

Nice finds..

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Par for the course, I guess with old coppers, many are like that.

At least you got out, and did find a button not found before. I haven't been out in 3 weeks...I won't find anything doing that.
About the button, not knowing, and looking at it I would have guessed bugler. (sp)

 

[mangum]

Sweet buttons, I've never seen one. That ground is harsh!

 

[Steve in PA]

Par for the course, I guess with old coppers, many are like that.

At least you got out, and did find a button not found before. I haven't been out in 3 weeks...I won't find anything doing that.
About the button, not knowing, and looking at it I would have guessed bugler. (sp)

Rick, that is technically a "hunting horn" and was the symbol of the US Rifleman in the early days of the US Armed Forces. I had always wanted to find a one piece rifleman's button, now I just need to find a nicer one!