1700s SILVER, 1850s BELT PLATE, and MORE!

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,124
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
1700's SILVER, 1850's BELT PLATE, and MORE!

Hello All,

Rodeo Recon, Foxhound, and I made a return trip to the site where we've pulled out 1700's Reales each of the past two hunts, along with powder flask fragments, a CW Eagle Button, flat buttons galore, etc. Man oh man this was one HECK of a hunt! I'll let Rodeo and Foxhound post their great finds...but on with the story.

We got out to the site and immediately the flat buttons and pewter started coming up. Here's a photo of the site (as requested). See anything special about this little patch of cornfield? It's all about the research, being observant, and a little bit of luck. ;)

Silver Piece.jpg

Anyhow, we all got to work. Here's Foxhound and Rodeo showing off their MAD detectin' skills:

Belt Buckle.jpg

Belt Buckle Reverse.jpg

So after a few flat buttons, I got another *o.k.* signal, flipped out the plug and saw this:

Colonial Site.jpg

It's a 177(4?) Half Reale. I'm STILL on cloud nine from this one! Afterwards, I remember telling Rodeo that I should perhaps change my name to "Reale Finder." Funny that I said that, in retrospect! It gets better...just wait ;) Anyhow, here's the Reale in my hand:

Foxhound 2-8-08.jpg

So we kept hunting...and later on (after a bit of a dry spell) I got a signal that sounded just good enough in the middle of a patch of nails. It turned out to be more silver, in the form of this little decorative piece depicting a rifleman. This is currently posted in "What is it," so if you have any idea, I need some help on this one.

Rodeo Recon 2-8-08.jpg

So then there was another dry spell for me--and a little bit of beating the brush in the woods surrounding the site. I walked back around the fringe areas of the house site again through the plowed fields. I got a FANTASTIC signal--best one I had had all hunt. Judging by how "fuzzy" it was on my Fisher, I knew it was likely a little deeper. I was praying that it wouldn't be big deep iron. And so I dug...

Half Reale in Dirt.jpg

When I saw this I started fumbling for the camera because I just knew that this piece of brass was what I thought it was. I yelled to Rodeo and Foxhound to come over and take a look.

Half Reale in Hand.jpg

I had in my hands a Belt Plate!!! I was going crazy. For those of you who have dug them, you know how IMPOSSIBLE it is to slow the heck down after a recovery like that! Needless to say, after the plate came up my detecting abilities were shot. And a close-up of the Half Reale all cleaned up:

Silver Piece.jpg

And last but certainly not least, the belt plate. You'll notice that when I found it, it was bent in half like a taco...well...I had heated the powder flask fragment with hot water and bent it back into shape (and it was very thin brass)...so...I held my breath...and said a BIG prayer...and gently....gently...bent the plate back so that I could see the face of it. It still has a 45 degree bend in it, but you couldn't PAY me to mess with it any more. WHEW! So here it is:

Buckle in Dirt.jpg

Buckle in Hand.jpg

And a photo of all my finds for the day:

Half Reale Cleaned.jpg


Iron Brigade Digger,


Buckleboy
 

Attachments

  • Belt Buckle.jpg
    Belt Buckle.jpg
    108 KB · Views: 1,069
  • Belt Buckle Reverse.jpg
    Belt Buckle Reverse.jpg
    127.9 KB · Views: 1,035
  • 2-8-08 All Finds.jpg
    2-8-08 All Finds.jpg
    87 KB · Views: 1,027
Upvote 0

Evolution

Gold Member
Aug 2, 2007
5,278
2,481
Upstate NY
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX (with 4x6 shooter DD coil and 12" spider coil), Minelab Rocco 2700. (E-Trac)
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

Awesome hunt Buckleboy. A belt plate and spanish silver in one hunt. Thats the stuff that dreams are made of. Congratulations. ;D :o
 

Colonial KirkPA

Silver Member
Apr 4, 2007
3,846
9
Colonial, PA
Detector(s) used
White's Pro XL
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

Buckle,

You are my hero. You are my hero. You really are my hero.

I loved the site pics.

Kirk

P.S. Can I have your Fisher? ;) :D
 

FoxHound0985

Hero Member
Feb 5, 2005
582
1,567
Amber Waves of Grain!
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Max/AT Pro
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

It was great huntin with you and RR again today and you're right, that was ONE HECK of a hunt. Congrats on your awesome finds!! Take care and HH!!

Fox
 

Giant056

Silver Member
Jun 10, 2007
2,873
468
Southwest Michigan
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Made in U.S.A.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

Super Finds !!!!!!!! 2 great finds in that hunt for sure!!!
 

Colonial Zoyboy

Bronze Member
Apr 3, 2006
1,501
11
PA
Detector(s) used
White's XL Pro 6000
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

Buck, you fricking rock, my man. You have been cleaning some serious metal detecting arse recently.

Was this field a product of your research? You know how much I am into the research aspect of this somewhat great hobby. :D

Kyle

P.S. Would you be so kind as to mail me your Fisher? :D
 

civilman1

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
9,386
1,685
PA-MD
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett Infinium LS,White's MXT's and Surf II Lot's-O-Coil's
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

I'm serious BB....take a video of your next hunt.Awesome find's!!!!
 

vpone

Bronze Member
May 1, 2007
1,028
828
central pa
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800, 11" & 15" coils
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

hey buckle - all i can say is WOW !
what a great day - WOW !

makes me want to grab my detector and run out right now - thanks for the pics buddy

big congrats again on an unbelievable day

take care

kevin
 

ModernMiner

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2007
13,951
4,147
North Carolina
🥇 Banner finds
5
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Detector(s) used
Minelab Manticore , Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

BB,
Awesome finds! Congrats on that eagle plate. Very cool. I like that rifleman piece too.
Thanks for the great pictures.
YOU are da Man!!!
-MM-
 

Mona Lisa

Gold Member
Jan 13, 2005
5,112
36
Great Falls, Montana
Detector(s) used
White's DFX & a Sunray probe
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

OMG, Buckleyboy!! :o :o :o :o :o

You must be on cloud nine. What a great day. :) :)

Thanks for the site pictures.....and, No, I don't notice anything special about that cornfield, except it's along a creek...and all my good sites are beside a stream. ::) ::)
 

Baggins

Bronze Member
Jan 2, 2007
1,541
89
TEXAS
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV / Garrett Ace 250/Minelab X-Terra 70
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

WOW!!! What a great hunt!
WTG!
Baggins
 

River Rat

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2006
20,846
2,532
SE Louisiana
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, Ace 250 & Ace 400
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate (?) 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

Those finds are considered W :o Wser finds. Get any better than this, BB will be having heart failure. I nearly have one just looking at the pics. Congrats, BB!!

;) RR
 

john37115

Hero Member
Nov 8, 2007
529
3
Tennessee, USA
Detector(s) used
E-Trac, F75, Nautilus dmc IIb, Custom Soveriegn, Pro XL, Classic IV, IDX, Compass Gold Scanner Pro
Re: 1850's Militia Plate, 1774 Half Reale and MORE!

You guys blow me away. The half reale, the militia plate. I bet your knees did get weak when you made these finds. My A.D.D. would have kicked in and I wouldn't have been worth a crap the rest of the day. <LOL> Gonna be hard to top this day. The silver almost looks like the bolster off a knife of some sort or possibly an adornment off a musket old powder horn?
 

The Buzzard King

Hero Member
Mar 29, 2005
643
5
N.E.P.A.
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ-5, Fisher 1280-X
Re: 1850's Militia Plate, 1700's Silver, and MORE!

Wow! 2 Spanish silvers in less than a week?
Sweet!
There's gotta be more there!!!!!
 

cheese

Silver Member
Jan 9, 2005
3,331
1,087
South Georgia
Re: 1850's Militia Plate, 1700's Silver, and MORE!

What a hunt! That's a heck of a spot you've got there. Fishers rock!
 

K

KirkTN

Guest
Re: 1850's Militia Plate, 1700's Silver, and MORE!

Buckleboy, once again a truly inspirational post. Awesome finds, Great detailed story, and Top Pics to boot. Thanks for sharing, really, thank you. Treasure tales like this pump me up about detecting even more.

KirkTN
 

kindafoundabuckle

Hero Member
Dec 9, 2006
803
12
In bed at the moment
Detector(s) used
Dowsing rods
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate, 1700's Silver, and MORE!

You should have heard him on the phone last night. He sounded like a man who was a proud father of a newly born child. Its been a long time since I have heard that kind of excitement in his voice. The last time I heard that voice he dug up his first buckle! I knew the "Iron Brigade" was going digging yesterday and when I seen that he called late in the day he must have found something good. He did not let me down! WTG brother keep it coming.

That is what I'm going to start calling you guys. The Iron Brigade. You should see all of the iron they remove from a site like this to get to the good stuff. As you can see from recent post it DOES pay off.

Congratulations on another awesome and spectacular find.

KFB (JR Iron Brigade member)
 

Harry_Morant

Bronze Member
Jan 11, 2006
1,001
42
Canberra
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's Militia Plate, 1700's Silver, and MORE!

Wow - great story and finds, well done!
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top