Typical low yield colonial field site

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Here is what you find when you come across a typical colonial site in a field. A decent amount of iron as well as a little bit of brick on the surface but very little non ferrous and few or no coins or other highly conductive items. I can guarantee it has never been hunted before. Nothing has been hunted around here. What was here or what went on here will remain a mystery but my guess is there was some type of structure here and not much went on. :laughing7: Ive found a lot of colonial sites but only two have ever produced more than one colonial era dropped silver with most producing none. Im sure the Indian was dropped by a farmer/field worker long after any trace remained of what went on there
 

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Upvote 17
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Nice job on the colonial relics, congrats! :occasion14:
 

Ahab8

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I find lots of these low yield sites here in Maine. The natives and settlers were constantly feuding and many early homes were only lived in for a few years due to fear of staying or the home being burned down. My area was basically burned flat twice. I’m talking every single home in a large area....except for one. This fella bought a large piece of land that the natives had always used as a carrying place to get from the ocean to a large bay. They would drag their canoed across the land and save a day or more on the trip. He befriended the natives and always allowed them to use his land. He made it a point to always communicate with them and be friendly. They literally left only his home untouched. I think there’s a saying about treating people how you want to be treated. I’m guessing he and his family were damn happy they lived by this rule lol. Sorry about the long winded reply. I’m sitting in an airport and your post reminded me of the many barely used colonial home sites I’ve found.
 

smokeythecat

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Good saves. I'm with you on your thoughts on the colonial sites. Most of the time they just didn't have much coinage.
 

Jeff H

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Interesting finds....and comments. I agree many of the colonial sites weren't lived in for long periods. Life was hard and dangerous. Open hearth fire places with mud and stick chimneys likely burnt down many cabins. Disease, poor land, bad neighbors and bad luck all conspired against long term habitation.
 

Aureus

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Always interesting to find those types of sites as they are good indicators of what kind of people lived in the area. Most of them were very poor but some had some money to spend and loose. I would sometimes get 2-3 sites like that a week with almost no good conductivity targets until a good one finally shows up, with coins and nice buttons.
 

smokeythecat

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One of my cabins on a hilltop produced three colonial buttons, a few scraps of unidentifiable brass, two dropped round musket balls and a 2 escudo gold coin. Go figure. I'm going back, I don't think I've found the exact location of it yet.
 

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One of my cabins on a hilltop produced three colonial buttons, a few scraps of unidentifiable brass, two dropped round musket balls and a 2 escudo gold coin. Go figure. I'm going back, I don't think I've found the exact location of it yet.

I had a similar situation with the mystery site where I found my 1852 gold dollar. Iron, trash, a few buttons, completely smooth half real and gold coin where the only finds there
 

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toasted

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Interesting finds....and comments. I agree many of the colonial sites weren't lived in for long periods. Life was hard and dangerous. Open hearth fire places with mud and stick chimneys likely burnt down many cabins. Disease, poor land, bad neighbors and bad luck all conspired against long term habitation.


There are a half dozen substantial still standing brick colonials within a mile of this location with one being very close so its very likely that a lot of the sites that I find like this are those of slaves, indentured servants or other poor field hands for nearby wealthy landowners.
 

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