My Shang-Ri-La, Hole In One, White Whale, Royal Flush, Bestest Ever Find Ever!,, OM

[BigWaveDave]

I’ve got two Banner Finds under my belt, and while I’m forever grateful for the luck and blessings of those finds....Ain’t gonna lie, this crushes them.
Slumming around small towns here in Mountain Maryland, looking for permissions, striking out left and right, I headed out to a sure beep. A long ago bull-dozed lot, has some history, but loaded with trash, I find this on the surface, before I coiled it...

She’s all pretty and green, 1899 Indian! Sweet!
But lots of trash, a few wheats, time to bounce.
I see this neighbor guy watching me, so I head over to brag about my my finds....permission for his 1880 house?, Granted!
So I’m bopping along, scratching out copper roofing shards, modern clad, and the occasional relics.... keys, locks, drawer pulls... garbage I happily gave to the owner as a Thank You for the permission.
Then, WOW! Something I’ve never found before... a wax seal,
the letter N .... Perfect for the long-time owner of the mansion....I’m keeping this!


So I’m conflicted, I finally find something totally awesome, but I’m keeping it on the down-low, cuz I don’t wanna give it away.

Can’t believe there’s no silver, gotta be something here....

So I’ve covered 95% of the turf, getting tired, gotta pee...getting late
.
Then this happened.



Never, ever, did I ever expect to pull this from a residential lawn in Western Maryland...
South of the Mason Dixon Line, so this has gotta be Civ in the hole, right?

I screamed like a school girl, candy-danced like a teen on TikTok, and am still losing my friggin mind.
Whacked by a mower blade, or plow? Bent? Crusty? You bet! But she’s mine.... in all of her historical glory....

Experts weigh in.... US buckles have only ever been things I’ve read about, never dreamed of finding.

 

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[pepperj]

Congrats on the plate and seal Dave, both are top shelf finds.

 

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[smokeythecat]

I like the way you put the plate toward the END of the post. Makes it more fun that way.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

FANTASTIC !!!

 

[smokeythecat]

The thing to do is go back and go slow. Very slow. I'd anxious to see what you find!

 

[WannaDig3687]

Awesome finds! Glad it paid off for you!

 

[PetesPockets55]

A most awesome find Dave. Congrats and here's a toast to finding lots more on your many returns to the site.

 

[Gridwalker306]

Wow, what a find! It always seems the best finds happen when you least expect them. Congratulations!

 

[BigWaveDave]

Thanks for all the kind words and overwhelming response...
Never did I ever expect to pull this out of the ground...
I’m afraid to clean it anymore to decipher any initials or crude artwork on the back, I’ll have to be patient and careful if I do try to get it cleaner.
A customer of mine offered me $50 bucks for it... so now I’m wondering... what’s this bad boy worth? Seen prices all over the place, no plans on selling it, just curious.

 

[smokeythecat]

Probably $125-$175 in the real world. More if you can ID it to a particular regiment that went through there or can make out something on the back. Go back and hunt those tiny squeaker signals which sometimes are tiny $1 US gold coins.

 

[BigWaveDave]

I’d trade this boy in a heartbeat for a gold coin.

 

[Steve in PA]

You described the house as a mansion, so I would assume it's a nice lawn. I think I would hold off digging those squeaker signals until late fall. It's dry as hell in SW PA and you're not that far away.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Big congrats on the US plate. Well done!

 

[BigWaveDave]

You described the house as a mansion, so I would assume it's a nice lawn. I think I would hold off digging those squeaker signals until late fall. It's dry as hell in SW PA and you're not that far away.

Yeah Steve, it has been dry the last month or so... but my permission didn’t flinch when I broke out the lesche and 5x8 coil
I found a 2003 state quarter 6 inches deep, told her the old silver “must be deeper”, she told me to get a bigger knife lol

 

[BigWaveDave]

And the plate itself was only about two inches deep on a slope.

 

[Army of 1]

Wow , Awesome history there Dave , Congrats !

 

[BigWaveDave]

Wow , Awesome history there Dave , Congrats !

Thanks Mate!