HomeGuardDan
Bronze Member
Well I managed to work some magic and get out for a half day yesterday with good ole Bill D. to finish the site that we left off at the other day. Surprisingly we managed to get 90% of the easy stuff during that final 90 minute hunt because the targets were a bit scarce yesterday. As you slowed down, they began to reveal themselves and I managed to score 12 buttons from that site. As we spread out we realized that the site was right where we stumbled into the other day. After walking some new ground in an adjourning field (Bill dug one button right on the property line so who knows what lays in the next field) we decided to head back to a tried and true site to get off this ridiculous non-existent colonial silver slump we both are in.
This site has yielded a tremendous number of colonial silver and coppers and we had hoped to at least squeak one more out. We decided to be productive and walk a new field on the property first and after 30 minutes we realized nothing was there so off to ground zero we went. This particular spot has been a concentrated effort to find an old 1600's homestead that once stood there. It was purchased in the 1700's and a larger plantation was established so for nearly 3 years now we have spent time trying to locate the 1600's site. 90% of the finds are 1700's but a 1600's item (including some cobs) have shown up. I have believed for sometime now that we had actually located it during our first year but just did not produce much. I told Bill "I want to work right on the hedge-line where house I believe stood due to the fact that I had dug a cob there two years earlier and last season we dug several cut silver coins in the field just on the other-side of the hedge." WOULD YOU NOT BELIEVE IT THAT THE FIRST TARGET I DUG RIGHT THERE WOULD BE A NICE 1683 1 REALE COB!?!?!" Bill's face was priceless as my arms went up in our signature pose for silver. The pitiful lead was now 2-0 and with how this slump has been going it could be a low scoring game (though I suspect a flurry of finds in the spring will close it out for one of us). Back to the story, less then 6" away a nice trapezoidal buckle popped out and then shortly after a nice 1600's marked spoon dish. I believe that we now can prove this is indeed the site as I was less then 10' from where we believe the foundation stood. At this particular spot a large abundance of melted lead always pops up and I believe I solved that mystery too as not only did I dig molded lead shot (which is plentiful across the entire site) but also produced a nice little clipped spru among the lead. I believe they were pouring shot here.
We spent the remainder of the time (only about an hour) roaming through the older and more hard-hit area of the property with a button here and a button there. I will let Bill chime in, but lets just say he did not go down fighting! But then again, neither did I. With about 15 minutes left, we began to make a circle back to the truck and we decided to hit an area between sites where we had found a few things. No sooner did I stop and say "Bill, you found a cut coin during our first trip over here, perhaps there is another" then did I dug a teeny, tinny, itty-bitty cut spanish pistareen. Up to 3 for the season now and mad did I call my shots today! Then again Bill did say as he got in my truck before the hunt "I believe one of us will get silver today"
My total finds for the trip were 17 buttons, two silvers, and various other odds and ends. One button was a nice dandy cuff (1700s) and the other I had hoped would be a marked military button like the two Bill dug at the last hunt, but just a silvered flower. The rolled brass/copper sheet has leather inside of it so thinking it might be a tinkler of some sort. The big brass disk (with slots and holes) is a UFO, the brass disk below it with two knobs and the flower stamp was with it.
HH all and Merry Christmas
Dan
This site has yielded a tremendous number of colonial silver and coppers and we had hoped to at least squeak one more out. We decided to be productive and walk a new field on the property first and after 30 minutes we realized nothing was there so off to ground zero we went. This particular spot has been a concentrated effort to find an old 1600's homestead that once stood there. It was purchased in the 1700's and a larger plantation was established so for nearly 3 years now we have spent time trying to locate the 1600's site. 90% of the finds are 1700's but a 1600's item (including some cobs) have shown up. I have believed for sometime now that we had actually located it during our first year but just did not produce much. I told Bill "I want to work right on the hedge-line where house I believe stood due to the fact that I had dug a cob there two years earlier and last season we dug several cut silver coins in the field just on the other-side of the hedge." WOULD YOU NOT BELIEVE IT THAT THE FIRST TARGET I DUG RIGHT THERE WOULD BE A NICE 1683 1 REALE COB!?!?!" Bill's face was priceless as my arms went up in our signature pose for silver. The pitiful lead was now 2-0 and with how this slump has been going it could be a low scoring game (though I suspect a flurry of finds in the spring will close it out for one of us). Back to the story, less then 6" away a nice trapezoidal buckle popped out and then shortly after a nice 1600's marked spoon dish. I believe that we now can prove this is indeed the site as I was less then 10' from where we believe the foundation stood. At this particular spot a large abundance of melted lead always pops up and I believe I solved that mystery too as not only did I dig molded lead shot (which is plentiful across the entire site) but also produced a nice little clipped spru among the lead. I believe they were pouring shot here.
We spent the remainder of the time (only about an hour) roaming through the older and more hard-hit area of the property with a button here and a button there. I will let Bill chime in, but lets just say he did not go down fighting! But then again, neither did I. With about 15 minutes left, we began to make a circle back to the truck and we decided to hit an area between sites where we had found a few things. No sooner did I stop and say "Bill, you found a cut coin during our first trip over here, perhaps there is another" then did I dug a teeny, tinny, itty-bitty cut spanish pistareen. Up to 3 for the season now and mad did I call my shots today! Then again Bill did say as he got in my truck before the hunt "I believe one of us will get silver today"
My total finds for the trip were 17 buttons, two silvers, and various other odds and ends. One button was a nice dandy cuff (1700s) and the other I had hoped would be a marked military button like the two Bill dug at the last hunt, but just a silvered flower. The rolled brass/copper sheet has leather inside of it so thinking it might be a tinkler of some sort. The big brass disk (with slots and holes) is a UFO, the brass disk below it with two knobs and the flower stamp was with it.
HH all and Merry Christmas
Dan
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