Eagle Belt Plate from the Burgh

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Made it out for a pretty good lunch hunt last week, then met up with MetalHeadz this morning to explore a new site.

The new site is loaded with old bottles, brought 2 home.


We had a hard time locating the definitive 1860’s homesite as there were several large holes filled with water, 20’x20’ size, and brick spills, but not our typical stacked stone foundation cellar hole. I think we may have just found the out buildings.

Here is a mystery token. I think it is a Pittsburgh specific merchants token. Any ID would be awesome.




Then I got a deep 23-24 signal on my Nox about 15’ away from this token. Dug the plug and then pinpointed deeper, took another 4” of soil and got quite a surprise.

Yelled for Louis to come down to check it out.

Next step was to send a quick text to wake Steve up for a quick ID. (I’m sure he loves these texts at 8am...) Steve texts back that it is probably Indian Wars era, post CW.

Here it is cleaned up, if anyone has more ID info it would be appreciated.

BTW this piece was about 5’ away, sort of looks like it is part of the mechanism.


Only one silver, 1927 Merc.


Here is the handful of relics and coins.



Louis had a great weekend pulling old coins and relics as well. I’m sure he will be posting his finds.

Good luck out there!

 

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[Yak1366]

Great finds, Congrats!!!

 

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[JerV3]

Congrats,

That plate is beautiful.

I found a U.S plate at a old foundation site in the city about 5 years ago.

They are out there. That one is preserved nicely. If you put the work in like you guys do you will be rewarded.

Jer

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Congrats,

That plate is beautiful.

I found a U.S plate at a old foundation site in the city about 5 years ago.

They are out there. That one is preserved nicely. If you put the work in like you guys do you will be rewarded.

Jer

Thx Jer! We spend a lot of time researching sites. I get bored easily if all we a are popping is trash and shotgun head stamps.

I found some info on the token. Pickering’s Furniture Store, in the City. Shut it’s doors in 1931. Only could find a front pic.

 

[trdking]

Wow on the condition of that plate. So very nice. Congrats here

 

[RVRoamer73]

Awesome Plate from any direction. Congrats!

 

[Doc Arey]

It's one of my bucket blisters! Congrats!

 

[washingtonian]

Great belt plate and other oldies too. That is awesome!!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Thx for the ID help. Does the pic in your book have a small or wide tongue attachment on the back? I have seen a bunch of pics on the net with the small tongue, but have not seen a wide tongue pic.

I'm sorry, but the book only pictures the front of the plate. I can't help with that one.

 

[Inspector]

Beautiful looking plate, really nice token & relics, congrats on all the saves

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Great day in the field, congrats!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Steve Moore's book Relic Quest should not be should not be used as a reference guide. Moore used the description sent in by the finder with their picture. I have a number of my finds pictured in that book, as does a friend of mine who sent a large horse tack buckle in and called it sword belt buckle, which is what it is called in his book. Here is an online reference to the Model 1874 plate.

Ridgeway Reference Library, Civil War plates and buckles

I also thank you for the info link. That is exactly why I stated it was not my opinion, but rather from a book. I just assumed if someone was going to write a book, they would also properly research the pictures that were printed in that book. Looks like I'm back where I started with the ID of Indian Wars on my plate also, but thats ok with me. They are still great plates, and I know one day I will pull that Civil War plate out of the ground (although they dont show up here in Illinois to often)
Glad to finally have that one ID'd properly. Now I have to go back to my display case, and type up a new description tag again !

 

[HighVDI]

Awesome plate there! Congrats on a very nice outing.

 

[Steve in PA]

I also thank you for the info link. That is exactly why I stated it was not my opinion, but rather from a book. I just assumed if someone was going to write a book, they would also properly research the pictures that were printed in that book. Looks like I'm back where I started with the ID of Indian Wars on my plate also, but thats ok with me. They are still great plates, and I know one day I will pull that Civil War plate out of the ground (although they don't show up here in Illinois to often)
Glad to finally have that one ID'd properly. Now I have to go back to my display case, and type up a new description tag again !

Yes I agree it should have been edited and proofed more thoroughly. It's a nice book, but it's not a reference guide. I use American Military Belt Plates, by Michael J. O'Donnell & J.Duncan Campbell for reference on plates. I have a number of my finds in Moore's "Relic Quest"; including cut Spanish silver pieces, William Harrison campaign buttons and tokens, King George coppers, and a G. Washington cuff link. Here is a good example of a misidentified relic from that book, which was submitted by my friend Tom, who decided that this was a sword belt buckle and submitted it as such. This is just a mid 19th century horse tack buckle. Also note at the top of the page it says the road west to Philadelphia, when it should say the road west to Fort Pitt.

 

[Whyme]

Nice old glass! And a really nice belt plate! Congrats!

 

[A2coins]

That is an awesome belt plate great display piece looks like some cool glass going on there to Well done Tommy