My first wheats in a small spill, promising relics, and mystery jewelry

Son&Son

Jr. Member
Sep 30, 2018
32
79
MI, Lower Peninsula
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre, Vaquero
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Spent some more time in my (new) yard, inhabited pre 1850, where I found my Hot Wheel.

The cap gun was nearly a foot down, about 3 feet out from the foundation, I think I only found it because it was buried next to two other unidentifiable chunks of iron.
IMG_7062.JPG
(Large cent for scale, unfortunately didn't dig it but it was a yard sale find)

Based on what is visible on the handle I was able to identify it, made 1907:
Screen Shot 2018-10-11 at 4.31.49 PM.png
Source:Antique Toy Cast Iron Cap Guns

On the same property under the clothesline, I found what I think is a pocket watch back. What do you think?
IMG_7066.JPG IMG_7067.JPG

The depth of these items has me a bit concerned about how deep potential 19th century targets might be, and I have encountered a lot of areas completely saturated with old burn piles full of nails about 6 inches down which is hampering the search.

Does anyone with more experience think I am right to be concerned that older targets will be even deeper than the cap gun? Or am I over thinking it? Maybe the cap gun was buried that deep on purpose?


I had a brief opportunity to dig some holes in another yard, not sure how long it has been inhabited, the current house was probably built in the 40s.

The first hole I dug gave up this intriguing item. The "gems" are glass, they have a flower design impressed in the backs and are painted. The small strip of metal below it was laid across the back but turned out to not be attached once I flushed the dirt away.
IMG_7064.JPG IMG_7065.JPG
I'm confused how the back piece may have been attached, doesn't seem like a brooch back, it also isn't sharp. Anyone have any guesses?

Three Pennies is a coin spill right?
IMG_7087.JPG
1951d, 1940d, and 1963d. Nothing special but they are my first dug wheats and it was exciting to pull them all from the same plug. The Compadre did a good job telling me there were multiple targets, despite their close proximity.


Thanks for reading, let me know what you think on the deep relics and mystery jewels!
 

Upvote 12

Whyme

Silver Member
Aug 22, 2007
3,731
5,451
Western New York
Detector(s) used
CTX-3030, Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nice finds! :icon_thumleft: That is a strange thing you found! Hope someone ID's it.
 

trdking

Gold Member
Feb 28, 2015
5,139
7,923
Fullerton CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030
AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Definitely pocket watch back. Clean it up and photo the info inside the cover?
That jewelry reminds me of a sash or scarf collar
 

OP
OP
S

Son&Son

Jr. Member
Sep 30, 2018
32
79
MI, Lower Peninsula
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre, Vaquero
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Definitely pocket watch back. Clean it up and photo the info inside the cover?
That jewelry reminds me of a sash or scarf collar

The second photo is the inside, I looked carefully and haven't seen any marks. Do you have any suggestions how best to clean it without fouling it too badly? I'm figuring that it's corroded silverplate.
 

Johncoho

Silver Member
Feb 14, 2014
2,854
7,264
Martinsburg, Pa. in the summer and Apache Junction
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Whites Spectrum XLT, Garrett AT Pro, Macro pinpointer, Garrett carrot pinpointer,
Lesch digger, Nel Tornado coil for ATPro, Garret ATMax with Nel Tornado coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Nice digs. It does appear to be a pocket watch back. Congrats.
 

trdking

Gold Member
Feb 28, 2015
5,139
7,923
Fullerton CA
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030
AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The second photo is the inside, I looked carefully and haven't seen any marks. Do you have any suggestions how best to clean it without fouling it too badly? I'm figuring that it's corroded silverplate.
Cant hurt it. just remove some crud and see if anything is visible.
 

A2coins

Gold Member
Dec 20, 2015
33,807
42,606
Ann Arbor
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Most of my oldest coins and relics were only a few inches deep some just below the surface 1876 quarter less than an inch swing slow, nice relics
 

port ewen ace

Silver Member
Dec 16, 2012
4,065
7,786
port ewen ny
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
AT-PRO & Equinox800
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
depth means nothing--- way too many variables to factor in--- if the hit peaks your interest---- DIG IT!!!!!
 

Rookster

Gold Member
Nov 24, 2013
29,382
111,597
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, F75Ltd., AT PRO, Garrett pointer
Primary Interest:
Cache Hunting
Way ta go Son. Nice finds.:icon_thumright:
 

GB1

Gold Member
Jul 12, 2017
7,428
21,863
East TX
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Teknectics eurotek pro
bounty hunter time ranger
bounty hunter quick draw 2
used a teroso compadre.
Primary Interest:
Other

Reanm8er

Bronze Member
Aug 17, 2018
2,283
3,556
Shenandoah Valley Va
Detector(s) used
WW2 Mine Detector, 2 Garrets and an Underwater Fisher (Older Machines)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Welcome! Really nice finds and a swell ID on the cap pistol.

I think sash or perhaps hat décor as well. The pistol could have been lost before the foundation was backfilled. You can never be certain how much the terrain has been changed. Perhaps it's been sodded, maybe more than once. Parts of the yard may have been a vegetable garden on which manure, compost or topsoil were added. You might go over the part with the nails with a roto-tiller and comb out the nails with a strong magnet but I wouldn't go very deep. A shed or outbuilding may have either burned down or torn down and burned. With a little luck, it's the privy. Elsewhere on this site you'll find articles about dowsing to find old privy sites. Good for old bottles and who knows what else.

The goodies will be you find them. Keep swinging.

Best wishes-------Phil
 

OP
OP
S

Son&Son

Jr. Member
Sep 30, 2018
32
79
MI, Lower Peninsula
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Compadre, Vaquero
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Welcome! Really nice finds and a swell ID on the cap pistol.

I think sash or perhaps hat décor as well. The pistol could have been lost before the foundation was backfilled. You can never be certain how much the terrain has been changed. Perhaps it's been sodded, maybe more than once. Parts of the yard may have been a vegetable garden on which manure, compost or topsoil were added. You might go over the part with the nails with a roto-tiller and comb out the nails with a strong magnet but I wouldn't go very deep. A shed or outbuilding may have either burned down or torn down and burned. With a little luck, it's the privy. Elsewhere on this site you'll find articles about dowsing to find old privy sites. Good for old bottles and who knows what else.

The goodies will be you find them. Keep swinging.

Best wishes-------Phil

Hat decor sounds like a good guess, I can imagine the back bar being meant to have a wide ribbon hat band thread through it.

Thanks for the insights, I really should be spending more time working on the house and less time digging! Hopefully next summer I will have the time to really get into it. There are so many pottery shards and such (and i've come across a shell button and a couple marbles) I may end up just screening sections of the yard and then detecting the tailings to catch anything tiny.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top