My hunting partner, Buck, got permission for us to get on a private farm field in an area where CW troops passed and camped. We did make some finds that would lead one to think the troops had been there. A 1862 Indian Head, dropped three ring bullet, heel plate w/heart piercing, fired round ball, pistol bullet, 1877 Seated Liberty Quarter, 1891 Indian Head, piece of broken muzzle loading rifle trigger guard, bridle rosette, small piece of pewter spoon, fragment of a harmonica reed and a lantern wick adjuster.
In addition the usual broken pieces of farm equipment, bolts, plow points, broken cast iron pots and pot lids.
And ....... half of a lead mold to make counterfeit Seated Liberty Quarters. (This detail has now been investigated and changed to the mold being for a V-Nickle.)
The lead mold half was bent in a "V" shape when struck by a plow. I straighten it out flat again by gingerly squeezing in a wood workers vise.
I have played around with the image in of the mold cavity to enhance the design. The photo of just the cavity it's self has been reversed. This makes the image look the same way the coin that was used to make it instead of backwards as it looks in actuality.
Unfortunately a plow rode across the cavity wiping out the last two digits of the date. You can see the "18" clearly and that's it. Three feet from the mold I found a fairly nice 1877 Seated Liberty Quarter Dollar and I just wonder if this coin is the one used to make the mold.
Something kept nagging me about the coin used to make the mold. I finally figured it out by rotating the photo until the date was straight across the bottom as one normally would look a the coin.
As I said earlier I reversed or flipped the image so it would appear as if you were looking at the coin instead of the mirror image of it.
I am now certain that the mold is to cast fake V-Nickles or what is also known as Liberty Head 1883-1912 Nickel.
I attached the rotated image of the mold and if you have a V-Nickel or a book with a photo of one you can make out the head, stars and date (except for the last two digits)
nice finds like the heart shaped heel plate often used by ladys of the nite so customers could follow her to her house of operation heel prints in the dirt
Spring 2012 CaneField Bandits Totals: TEN Half Reales:
1740, 1777, 1784, 1796, 1801, 180?, 1806, 1807, 1808, and 1814
1836 8 Reales
A 17?? One Real
1819 Token/Jeton
Two "Russian Blue" Trade Beads
Henry Clay Campaign Button FIVE Early New Orleans Seated Coins:
1838-O Dime (no stars), Three 1839-O Half Dimes, an 1840-O Dime, and an 1842-O Half Dime
1892 Barber Dime
1918 Walking Liberty Half
1866 and 18?? Shield Nickels, and some GawGag V's and Beefaloes. Military Relics: Possible Spanish Colonial Era Cap Badge
FOUR War of 1812 Artillery Buttons
1820s Pewter Militia "U.S." Button
CW Eagle Artillery Cuff Button
CW Eagle Infantry Officer's Coat Button
3-Ringers, Enfields, Musketballs, and Shell Fragments
Any relics, coins, or other items appearing in my finds posts were found on PRIVATE PROPERTY with total consent and permission from the owners of said property.
I'm having trouble making out what you are describing but I'll take your word for it regarding the details.
You mention the "V" or Liberty Nickel. Don't forget that for that issue in the first year the word Cents was not on the reverse for part of the run. Many 1883 "V" Nickels were plated and passed as $5 Gold pieces. Your mold could actually be part of a process for making counterfeit $5 gold pieces. Pretty neat!
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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