HomeGuardDan
Bronze Member
Wow what a hunt...so much so that I could not fit them all on my stool that so many have come to like. I had to roll out the red carpet on this one. I got together for my annual hunt with good pal Aquachigger for a couple of days. We spent time at some old sites and located a few new ones as well and the results were well worth it.
To start, we explored a new area for the first part of the hunt. This was a small wharf site that yielded a few buttons (including a worn foliated "A" artillery button) when I heard a large and deep hightone. Reading in the 80s, I was some what unsure what it would be, but soon I was holding a well worn, but actual 8-Real cob! What a way to start out the hunt!! We ran out of time and moved on to an old tried and true site where a few buttons were located. We decided to start there the next morning and located some more colonial goodies including a trifid spoon end, some large brass "shell" looking thing (think it might be a cap to an old snuff box). I then heard another nice but small hightone and was quickly holding a 1700 William the III Farthing!
Things were certainly looking up and after dodging some weather we tried another spot the following morning. We first hit the location where we left off and I was in awe yet again. After digging a few buttons and round balls I heard an all too familiar tone and saw a 63-65 VDI reading. I was fairly sure this would be a cut coin, but ready to be disappointed. I was fairly shocked when I was holding a cut 1652 Oak Tree shilling
. I've always wanted to dig a tree coin and while this one is cut, I will certainly take it. I ended the local with a rather beat civil war NY button which certainly set the stage for the next spot. We were moving from colonial to civil war as we began to scout out a new location. This was a union resupply point that also saw confederate activity prior to union control. We were in for a treat as it also produced a few other unexpected finds. I was steadily digging bullets (mostly CS drop .69 balls) when I heard a large and loud high tone. What I popped up next was a shocker. This is a civil war era artillery fuse adapter still wrapped in a leather cup of some sort. I know my artillery as does Aqua, but I will be sending cannonballguy a note on this one to see what his thoughts were. It certainly was cool to find. Shortly afterwards I popped out two VA Half Pennies side by side as well as additional items. I also located another small copper coin that is very thin and has some crude lettering around the edge, too bad it is toasted as I would have liked to have seen exactly what it was. This site was full of bullets and brass nails/rivets from the shipyard. The heart breaker was the silver barber dime, still nice to find, but was hoping it was going to be seated. The bullets were a good variety of dropped and fired along with 3-ringers and pistols. Other lead items included homemade sinkers, including one from a bullet. I also located a unique carved lead pipe bowl and shortly afterwards eyeballed an actual colonial clay pipe bowl, along with a stem and native american pottery. I also located plenty of melted brass and lead from the camps that were once there, these two gave me a heck of signal. What a site and I can't wait to get back to it.
Still note done...this morning we finished the 2.5 day hunt at an old site that still produces from time to time. It was civil war but also had an early colonial landing nearby. We began hunting the CW site and it yielded a few bullets (including some ringtail sharps), eagle button back, percussion cap, and the brass bar to a shoulder epaulet. iron was there too as I took home a butt plate to a Springfield musket. On the way back we decided to check the old colonial site, and boy am I glad we did as it ended the day perfectly! Shortly after digging a colonial era pocket knife (broken) I heard another all too familiar sound and a short while later I was holding a beautiful 1690 1-real cob!
This was a heck of a hunt that yielded 8 keeper coins, over 30 bullets, some good buttons and many many more unique finds. I am still on cloud nine with the 8-R and the Oak Tree!
Bonanza Baby!!
HH
Dan
To start, we explored a new area for the first part of the hunt. This was a small wharf site that yielded a few buttons (including a worn foliated "A" artillery button) when I heard a large and deep hightone. Reading in the 80s, I was some what unsure what it would be, but soon I was holding a well worn, but actual 8-Real cob! What a way to start out the hunt!! We ran out of time and moved on to an old tried and true site where a few buttons were located. We decided to start there the next morning and located some more colonial goodies including a trifid spoon end, some large brass "shell" looking thing (think it might be a cap to an old snuff box). I then heard another nice but small hightone and was quickly holding a 1700 William the III Farthing!
Things were certainly looking up and after dodging some weather we tried another spot the following morning. We first hit the location where we left off and I was in awe yet again. After digging a few buttons and round balls I heard an all too familiar tone and saw a 63-65 VDI reading. I was fairly sure this would be a cut coin, but ready to be disappointed. I was fairly shocked when I was holding a cut 1652 Oak Tree shilling
. I've always wanted to dig a tree coin and while this one is cut, I will certainly take it. I ended the local with a rather beat civil war NY button which certainly set the stage for the next spot. We were moving from colonial to civil war as we began to scout out a new location. This was a union resupply point that also saw confederate activity prior to union control. We were in for a treat as it also produced a few other unexpected finds. I was steadily digging bullets (mostly CS drop .69 balls) when I heard a large and loud high tone. What I popped up next was a shocker. This is a civil war era artillery fuse adapter still wrapped in a leather cup of some sort. I know my artillery as does Aqua, but I will be sending cannonballguy a note on this one to see what his thoughts were. It certainly was cool to find. Shortly afterwards I popped out two VA Half Pennies side by side as well as additional items. I also located another small copper coin that is very thin and has some crude lettering around the edge, too bad it is toasted as I would have liked to have seen exactly what it was. This site was full of bullets and brass nails/rivets from the shipyard. The heart breaker was the silver barber dime, still nice to find, but was hoping it was going to be seated. The bullets were a good variety of dropped and fired along with 3-ringers and pistols. Other lead items included homemade sinkers, including one from a bullet. I also located a unique carved lead pipe bowl and shortly afterwards eyeballed an actual colonial clay pipe bowl, along with a stem and native american pottery. I also located plenty of melted brass and lead from the camps that were once there, these two gave me a heck of signal. What a site and I can't wait to get back to it.Still note done...this morning we finished the 2.5 day hunt at an old site that still produces from time to time. It was civil war but also had an early colonial landing nearby. We began hunting the CW site and it yielded a few bullets (including some ringtail sharps), eagle button back, percussion cap, and the brass bar to a shoulder epaulet. iron was there too as I took home a butt plate to a Springfield musket. On the way back we decided to check the old colonial site, and boy am I glad we did as it ended the day perfectly! Shortly after digging a colonial era pocket knife (broken) I heard another all too familiar sound and a short while later I was holding a beautiful 1690 1-real cob!
This was a heck of a hunt that yielded 8 keeper coins, over 30 bullets, some good buttons and many many more unique finds. I am still on cloud nine with the 8-R and the Oak Tree!
Bonanza Baby!!
HH
Dan
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