Bill D. (VA)
Silver Member
A hunting partner of mine had recently gotten a tip from an out-of-town friend about a couple sites including a beach. She invited me to go with her yesterday to check them out today since the tide was running real low. Anyway, neither of those sites worked out and on the way to our Plan B site we saw a field that looked inviting. We eventually found out who the owner was and where he lived so we went and talked to the guy and his son-in-law for quite a while. He told us it would be OK to go ahead and hunt. The field was rather small and right on the main road so we weren't expecting much. But we started digging a few early buttons right away and eventually started seeing a little brick followed by the iron patch. This was within 100 ft of the main road which was a little unusual. I found a couple more buttons then a nice holed 1782 half reale pops out! Then I found one of those 1600s nipple buttons which was a good clue as to the age of the site and also prepared me for the next target I dug - an Elizabeth I hammered silver coin!! Later after a little straightening and cleaning I saw where it was dated 1587 (425 years old!). I had been trying to get my partner to come hunt that area of the field with me and she finally came over. Then, just one row over she pulls out a very nice 1742 large British copper (half penny). I also found a shallow trash pit just behind the house site that I need to expand upon later. Dug some early brick, oyster shells, iron, ash and one decent sized piece of white pottery (the base of a bowl or small dish). It was a total luck-out to end up at this place and then to find an early colonial homesite, but many times that's how the best sites are found. This was the 8th 1500s silver coin I've dug in the area over the last 3 years. Can't wait to get back out in the field again. HH ..... Bill
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They don't get much older than that in the US so big congrats for such an old and rare find!
