Colonial Relics and CANNONBALL!

[Patriot Relics]

Hey guys,

Managed to get out and do a bit of swinging over the holiday weekend. No colonial gold to round out the year, but beggars can't be choosers The first site is a go to for Gheenoe78 and I- we've pulled dozens of buttons, round balls, and the occasional Spanish cob. The tides were exceptionally low which allowed for new dirt to be exposed...normally under 2-3 ft of seawater. The first dig was a copper alloy 18th century buckle. While only a fragment, its amazing how well its survived in the surf.



Among the other digs were a few flat buttons, musket balls, CW era leather rivet, and a brass trigger (I think).



Surface finds were free for the picking given the normally hidden shoreline...tons of early pottery, pipe fragments, and blown glass shards. This one in particular still has a inlaid silver ring along the edge.



The big surprise came on Xmas morning while visiting my Grandparents in Richmond. 12 Years ago my Grandfather had lost a 10 foot section of chain behind his house. Knowing I had the CTX, he asked if I could recover it. After about 15 minutes I got the overload signal I expected, and dug a shallow but heavy plug. While it wasn't the chain, I figured as the first dig I might as well take a closer look. To my surprise I recovered a heavy, iron hunk...of cannonball! Spherical in shape, the diameter 5.5 inches, 4 lbs in weight...although I suspect the actual dimensions would be larger given the fragment is not a clean cross section.



Any additional info/guesses on the iron ID is greatly appreciated and thanks for looking!

 

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[Bill D. (VA)]

I see that your trip back to Virginia went well, and you were able to take home a few interesting keepers. Can't help you with that big iron item, but I'm sure you'll figure it out. And you still have a couple of days to find that colonial gold.

 

[Patriot Relics]

I see that your trip back to Virginia went well, and you were able to take home a few interesting keepers. Can't help you with that big iron item, but I'm sure you'll figure it out. And you still have a couple of days to find that colonial gold.

Thanks Bill, sadly won't be able to get out again until after the New Year but its been quite a 2015...my colonial gold came earlier this year. I'll get my year end post up once I get back stateside, but here's the 1750-1770 British Merchant Captain's Gold Dress Cuff- my favorite find of the year.

 

[Gridwalker306]

Nice digs vmair. I live on the Canadian prairies, so forgive me if this is a stupid question- would that cannonball be Rev or Civ war? Either way it is cool as hell. The gold cuff is a wonderful find, I must have missed the post when you found it earlier in the year. Good luck in 2016

 

[against the wind]

Lots of digging.
Congrats on your finds and good luck in the new year.

 

[Patriot Relics]

Nice digs vmair. I live on the Canadian prairies, so forgive me if this is a stupid question- would that cannonball be Rev or Civ war? Either way it is cool as hell. The gold cuff is a wonderful find, I must have missed the post when you found it earlier in the year. Good luck in 2016

Hey Mike,

Hard to be certain, however the property is a stones throw from a federal arsenal that predates the CW. I suspect it may be an 18 pounder, solid shot- a close match to the 5.17 in shot diameter. The 18 pounder caliber had been phased out by the Civil War although some were in service at some of the lower priority forts and were seized by the Confederates. Federal production will predate 1850, Confederates manufactured limited quantity during the war. Hopefully one of our cannonball experts weighs in.

 

[PBR]

Those are some cool relics.
Congrats on a great year
Beautiful cuff button.

 

[HomeGuardDan]

very cool man....I see someone got wet in the warm winter ha.

The frag looks like a union naval shell.

 

[Vino]

That certainly is a cool find Jon,
But I never seen that button before. Man thats killer..

 

[CoilyGirl]

Betcha TheCannonBallGuy could help you out on your fragment with even just the portion that you found if you have access to a set of calipers. Broken pottery,buttons,and pipe stems are always good finds!

 

[Scrappy]

Great buttons and relics. The cannonball is amazing and on my list.

Congrats

Steve

 

[Patriot Relics]

very cool man....I see someone got wet in the warm winter ha.

The frag looks like a union naval shell.

Thanks for the help Dan

 

[Patriot Relics]

Betcha TheCannonBallGuy could help you out on your fragment with even just the portion that you found if you have access to a set of calipers. Broken pottery,buttons,and pipe stems are always good finds!

Yes indeed, hoping he stumbles across the thread

 

[Iron Patch]

When you're finding that type of stuff you have to feel a good button is close!

 

[Patriot Relics]

That certainly is a cool find Jon,
But I never seen that button before. Man thats killer..

Thanks George, here's the thread after I received an ID from the British Museum. While not the most valuable dig of the year, certainly the rarest: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...itish-merchant-captain-s-gold-dress-cuff.html

 

[Patriot Relics]

When you're finding that type of stuff you have to feel a good button is close!

All the right indicators, just have to keep swinging and get lucky.

 

[DownNDirty]

Looks like another good day in the salt & the cannonball is a great find. You have had a great year detecting-congrats.

 

[Darby]

Way to go Jon! Great dig on the cannonball! Looks like y'all had another good day on the shoreline too. Congrats and see you soon.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[Patriot Relics]

Way to go Jon! Great dig on the cannonball! Looks like y'all had another good day on the shoreline too. Congrats and see you soon.

Thanks Darby, ill post a better picture are a few days in the electrolysis bath.