Finger in a jar

Wrongway Wood

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Feb 25, 2024
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Hello all!
Well thereā€™s an unusual ā€œtreasureā€ I want to find, but Iā€™m wondering if itā€™s worth the effort. So in the 40ā€™s or so, my grandpa accidentally cut his finger off with a table saw. His wife put the finger in a mason jar and filled it with alcohol and buried it behind their house in the mountains. (I guess they didnā€™t know how to reattach fingers back then!) I think it would be kinda funny to find it , my mom remembers approximately where it was buried. But I expect the lid is rusted away or I wonder if the alcohol would help preserve it.
 

pepperj

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Feb 3, 2009
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Hello all!
Well thereā€™s an unusual ā€œtreasureā€ I want to find, but Iā€™m wondering if itā€™s worth the effort. So in the 40ā€™s or so, my grandpa accidentally cut his finger off with a table saw. His wife put the finger in a mason jar and filled it with alcohol and buried it behind their house in the mountains. (I guess they didnā€™t know how to reattach fingers back then!) I think it would be kinda funny to find it , my mom remembers approximately where it was buried. But I expect the lid is rusted away or I wonder if the alcohol would help preserve it.
Some of the lid might be rusted away, but there will be enough to detect.
Zero discrimination will be the best option.
So what are you going to do with the finger if you find it?
You could have your own version of the Sourtoe drinks.
 

Oct 1, 2018
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You will probably be able to metal detect the lid, but keep in mind that the constant freeze and thaw of the ground will probably have broken the jar. But you never know, there may be bone left.
 

pepperj

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Feb 3, 2009
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You will probably be able to metal detect the lid, but keep in mind that the constant freeze and thaw of the ground will probably have broken the jar. But you never know, there may be bone left.
If it was 40 proof alcohol it wouldn't freeze
 

pepperj

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I was really thinking the ground freeze/thaw. It can expand and contract enough to break fragile containers. But it could be that the jar was buried below the frost level.
The only reason it breaks is if the contents can't expand within the container.
The glass would break at that point.
Have dug many bottles and water in the bottles will break them. As stated before alcohol won't freeze unless subjected to -10F for a lengthy period of time.
 

RGINN

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Oct 16, 2007
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This is the best question Iā€™ve ever seen asked on Tnet.
For the love of everything treasureā€¦. Please post pics if you find it.
I was thinkin that too, BWD. By all means, WW, get out there and find that and post some pics.
 

jewelerguy

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Jun 28, 2011
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leave it be, we don't need another pandemic
 

Tesorodeoro

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Jan 21, 2018
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Hello all!
Well thereā€™s an unusual ā€œtreasureā€ I want to find, but Iā€™m wondering if itā€™s worth the effort. So in the 40ā€™s or so, my grandpa accidentally cut his finger off with a table saw. His wife put the finger in a mason jar and filled it with alcohol and buried it behind their house in the mountains. (I guess they didnā€™t know how to reattach fingers back then!) I think it would be kinda funny to find it , my mom remembers approximately where it was buried. But I expect the lid is rusted away or I wonder if the alcohol would help preserve it.
Do it. Your treasure story will be cemented in folklore for hundreds of years. Both in your family as well as local folks. What better way to be remembered more than 3 generations?
 

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