Fugio, Barber Half, 1600s Buckles, Eagle Button Surprise, Property Owner Shakedown

Silver Tree Chaser

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It’s been a while since I last posted some finds, so here are some highlights from several recent hunts and some comments. Feedback on the subject matter at the end of post are welcomed.

Despite exposure to the elements, this 1787 Fugio copper found on Saturday has just enough details for a variety ID. For pre-federal and early state-issued coppers, variety ID is a must, as even a corroded, unsightly copper can prove to be a tremendous recovery if you happen to recover an ultra-rare variety. This Fugio looked the part with club rays, but it proved to be a more common W-6505, Newman 10-T variety, as listed in Bowers’ book. It still beats a KGII by a whole lot. It’s the best preserved Fugio of the three that I’ve now recovered over the years. It was found at a cellar hole that offered up a GWI button last year.

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Along with the Fugio, I recovered a nice, decorative dandy button only a few feet away. I haven’t found one as nice as this specimen in a few years. I also dug another copper nearby, but it was toasted. Finally, the site offered a silver coin. I was certain of it being a Liberty Seated coin, but it was a Barber dime perhaps dropped by a hunter. It was very dark with toning, but I cooked it with electrolysis, which always yields great results. See before and after images.

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Here’s a 1909 Barber Half from a farm field that’s offered up a few Spanish cobs years ago. The property owner is a 3rd generation farmer, so I gave him the coin. His grandad started the farm in 1913 and perhaps even lost the coin. I was glad to give it to him; his mother was born on the same year — 1909. I got the case for the coin online for about $2 a piece. It’s a good deal — the clear cover is glass and won’t scratch like gem cases.

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I’ve dug a small number of Civil War buttons over the years, but this one from another cellar hole came with a surprise. Along with a trace of gilt, the button’s loop held what I mistook for a root. It’s actually 160+ year old thread still tied in place! :icon_cyclops_ani: Now that soldier knew how to tie a knot. Along with the eagle button, I came upon a Civil War period lice comb while digging along the foundation. It’s made of ebonite, vulcanized natural rubber patented by Charles Goodyear in 1844. What’s not to know in the age of internet? This type of lice comb was typically carried by soldiers in the Civil War.

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Another cellar hole, another find to keep me going. :icon_thumright: It’s a saloon token from 1863.

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So last few finds are in a group shot below — two 17th century spur buckles, an 18th century shoe buckle, and perhaps a gun part owing to the GR (King George) stamp.

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And here’s the story behind these finds. These finds are from a promising site dating back to the 1640’s and now situated in a hay field. I rarely recover intact spur buckles from the 1600’s. I recovered other finds as well, but sadly no coins. I worked the site for a good eight hours, but I’m certain that a great deal more remains to be found. So what’s my problem? I like to be forthright with property owners, so disclose everything that I recover and understand that they might wish to have a portion of what is found or even half of everything, although such a request has never been made before — until now. The woman who owns the property wants all of it — everything. :-\ I have all the finds at this time, as I told that I would preserve it for her first. It’s now all cleaned up, and I’m going to let her have it — all of it. I have a few thoughts on the whole experience, but I’ll only share this one view — she’ll get 100% of what I’ve found, but 0% of everything else that still remains uncovered. I’m sure I could find a great deal more and would have been happy to share it equitably with the property owner, but as it stands at present, what remains buried on her property will never see the light of day. I will tell her exactly this respectfully. Perhaps she will have a change of heart, but I’m not sure of any further relations regardless of her repsponse. There’s more to the story than I care to relate. Thanks for looking and good hunting to all.
 

Upvote 60

birdman

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Amazing finds! The Fugio seems to be on about everyone's bucket list.
100% of finds really sounds ok till you pull them out of the ground.
50/50 is of gold dug or family heirlooms returned is what I throw out .
People usually think you will not find anything..
 

Rubka888

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Good luck with that. I hope she realizes how much work it is to dig for 8 hours and comes to her senses
 

trdking

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FUGIO!!!! :headbang::icon_salut: Can you believe they only have a left handed salute? Awesome find Hands down my favorite first penny colonial
 

Phishfindr

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Really great finds. It would pain me to no end, while cleaning them up, only to have to give them away afterwards. Not only did it take 8 hours to discover, but by the looks of every one of your finds, you spent a considerable number of additional hours caring for them. Personally, I'd move on to other opportunities. GL&HH
 

CASPER-2

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An old partner and I had a site along those lines - we had a corn field with a little history - we both got colonial on up every time we visited
always checked in with the owner - he never asked for anything - but over the years other hunters asked permission and many hunters did not
which po'ed the owner - after yrs he got suspicious - he did not understand why so many would want to hit his fields - we were the only ones that would take time to
talk to him - back then he was a working doctor and we would only run into him as he was leaving for work when we got there early at sometimes when he got home
- this is when he would walk out now and then and ask how we were doing - we always had at least 1 copper and many musket balls and buttons and would
show him - we are more than happy to just dig these oldies - now and then getting a piece of Spanish silver but we got lots of coppers over the yrs. He started
act funny one day and wondering why would travel so far for what we were finding. He asked right out "are you finding gold nuggets or something" I told him
that its not so much what we are finding but what we could possibly find. My friend actually had heard of a gold coin coming out of there - but that was like in the 90s
He said maybe he should not allow any hunting anymore - not cause of us but because of the others - others had said they saw us out there and that they thought it was ok for them
- this has cost us others sites too. Sometimes farmers will say they did not appreciate telling our "friends" that they could go there - which they were no friends of ours.
So we asked him if he did not want us up there any more. He said he only wanted us hunting when he was home. So next trip up - to show our appreciation - we decided
to put together a ryker box with finds from field - we put balls, buttons, some worn coppers, IH's some barbers and newer silver found there over the yrs. This turned
out to be a mistake - after we hit there for the day - he came out and wondered if we were giving him that - what were we hiding from him. We never mentioned the Spanish silver
but we never got any that were worth much - I think over 20 yrs of hitting there a few times a yr. there was one coin worth over $100 - we like the spot cause we
always got 1700s stuff and up. We didn't know what others were getting but we should never have offered the box when he never cared what we were finding.
 

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Great hunt, thank you for sharing! :occasion14:

Love the old coppers and buckles! :icon_thumleft:
 

WisconsinPirate

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If she insist on keeping everything then treat her like any contractor would. Send her a bill for services rendered, and when she fails to pay put a mechanic's lien on her house. I'm sure you did not do this for money but she is acting very unreasonable. That is such BS.
 

DownNDirty

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That's a great bunch of finds but too bad about the lady dog property owner. Sometimes doing the right thing will bite you in the back side (it's happened to me before) but don't let it discourage you. Most property owners are very appreciative when you give them relics and aren't greedy.
 

Tpmetal

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I would kindly explain to her that you don't do it for free. That it is something that interests you and you have lots of money and years of practicing a skill to do this. Then explain the value of what you found is usually not more than a few dollars, so she doesn't think you are trying to "steal treasure" from her. then you can suggest splitting the finds pick for pick. If she reacts badly then you know to just leave it and move on. In the future work this out with land owners before searching.
 

Rick (Nova Scotia)

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PM sent, on how to deal with her.
 

eman1000

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You made some really nice finds. Congratulations.
I would be livid at that kind of greed.
My neighbor's son owns a 75 acre farm in Virginia. He also leases 300 acres. Both parcels are part of a location where a battle took place during the Civil War.
As far as he knows, nobody has metal detected on his land. The last time he visited, (Christmas), he was open to me hunting it. His stepmother told me that his wife suddenly wants half of everything I find. Unless something changes, I won't be swinging a coil over that dirt.

Nay! Hunt it anyways and just cut the coins in half. Actually don't really do that it hurts the value :thumbsup:
 

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Try wearing something sexy and taking cookies next time you visit. Make sure the cookies have a little something extra, like cherry or coconut.
 

JBnNC

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You should do exactly what you said, respectfully and sincerely explain the situation(in person), with the offer of a split on your current and all future finds. She should realize that you are not greedy and that she'll have many more relics in the long run...... a good possibility that she'll have that change of heart that you mentioned. Good luck!--JB
 

BuckleBoy

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Hello!

First off, the GR piece is a keyhole cover from a lock.

Concerning The situation with the property owner, I would personally have no trouble giving everything to a property owner. I have done so many times in the past, without them asking for anything. I have also had property owners that wanted everything, and I was happy to give them everything. I simply requested that they allow me to preserve the items properly for future generations, and photograph everything. Unless we are lucky enough to own a dozen square miles of land ourselves, we aren’t able to even do our hobby but for the kindness of others. Also, once you’ve detected as long as I have, your house is overrun with things. If you are a collector, then as your collection grows you’ll find yourself looking at each of your finds less and less, because there is simply too much to see at once! Why worry about giving something away? I find myself doing this more and more, giving things I’ve dug to owners.

Would you rather find the items and give them away or never find them at all? The answer to that question will inform your decision.
 

BuckleBoy

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I would kindly explain to her that you don't do it for free. That it is something that interests you and you have lots of money and years of practicing a skill to do this. Then explain the value of what you found is usually not more than a few dollars, so she doesn't think you are trying to "steal treasure" from her. then you can suggest splitting the finds pick for pick. If she reacts badly then you know to just leave it and move on. In the future work this out with land owners before searching.

Do you charge people to detect their old, historical properties? If you don’t find anything of value on a 1700s site do you bill the owner for your time spent?
 

BuckleBoy

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Those are some excellent finds. I hope your story ends well. Sounds like the lady wants you to do all the work so she can benefit. I'd see what your next outcome will be. You might just have to tell her to go buy her own metal detector.

would you really rather an owner kick you out and buy their own detector rather than letting you recover the finds even if you have to give them to the person who owns the property?
 

Rick (Nova Scotia)

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Hello!

First off, the GR piece is a keyhole cover from a lock.

Concerning The situation with the property owner, I would personally have no trouble giving everything to a property owner. I have done so many times in the past, without them asking for anything. I have also had property owners that wanted everything, and I was happy to give them everything. I simply requested that they allow me to preserve the items properly for future generations, and photograph everything. Unless we are lucky enough to own a dozen square miles of land ourselves, we aren’t able to even do our hobby but for the kindness of others. Also, once you’ve detected as long as I have, your house is overrun with things. If you are a collector, then as your collection grows you’ll find yourself looking at each of your finds less and less, because there is simply too much to see at once! Why worry about giving something away? I find myself doing this more and more, giving things I’ve dug to owners.

Would you rather find the items and give them away or never find them at all? The answer to that question will inform your decision.

Thanks BB, these are some very good points. Even though I did PM the OP a good strategy to deal with this particular situation, the truth of the matter is, and you can quote me, "without a place to detect (IE someone's land) a metal detector is just a poor door stop."

I see so many posts, that go generally like, I stopped, got permission, found all this stuff, and posted here. Hardly EVER do you here of anyone giving ANYTHING back to the land owner. From this I gather that for the biggest part, when someone buys a MD it gives them a license or a right to everything. While that is definitely wrong, so is the person who wants everything from the guy who found the stuff.

FWIW I once did a "job" for a fellow, I knew going in that he wanted everything, but he paid me well, certainly more than the few "trinkets" were worth.
 

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