Had to get out digging again before we boot 2020 out the door. Glad I did!

[CCDAMEEK]

Got back out onto the plantation today, New Years Eve Day, that I and Smallfoot were digging at all last winter. Just wanted to let 2020 know that it didn't win>
So here are the short days finds. See if anything 'POPS' off the page at you before checking the rest of the photos......



Now think about this: Last season I had an issue with the speaker on my CTX3030, and had it repaired under warranty in May. I've only used the machine about 4 times since getting it back. On the signal of the hidden find in the photo above while pinpointing the target, my damn speaker up and quits again! I was so dang mad I started to walk away, because all I was digging up was trash, and that just pulled my chain that the speaker quit again.
But I had to stop, go back and located the target by just using the screen indicators, as something told me to not walk away.

Dig the plug and popped it out of the ground and this was the beautiful sight I saw:



That baby just flipped off of the bottom of the plug where the lighter flat spot is, landed on the ground and said "U.S.". I about crapped my shorts!

Now mind you that, this property was formerly owned by a Confederate Civil War Captain John Jackson Dickison!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Dickison

Now I need help in fully identifying what I found. Here it is up close:





Having received many suggestions that this is pot metal, zinc, I decided to definitively see if it was or was not. I took a very fine small file and gently filed one corner of this item. The photos indicate this is Not a zinc or pot metal item. The first photo below you can actually see the file marks easily on the soft lead based metal. This fact does not make it genuine old item, but if it is a knock off, it is of much harder manufacturing style.




What a way to kick the year 2020 out the back door! Happy New Year Ya'll!

 

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[pepperj]

Buckle does have a few yrs on it-but not many.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

Buckle does have a few yrs on it-but not many.

Please, tell me more!

 

[pepperj]

Buy yourself a pair of Grey Ghost headphones-best ears out there on the market. They stand behind the warranty also.
Though what is it with the Minelab repair centre, send in, get back, it breaks again.

 

[pepperj]

Please, tell me more!

I tried to find out the date of the style-but no pulling the bunny out of the hat. Reminds me of the early 70's style-then again I could be off on this.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

I tried to find out the date of the style-but no pulling the bunny out of the hat. Reminds me of the early 70's style-then again I could be off on this.

I understand not being able to find one like it, as that is what I am running into. This property has been in the same family since the 1920's, and there is no reason anything of a newer version would be around on it. That is really got me puzzled.

 

[smokeythecat]

Nice find. I looked at Kerksis' book on American plates and that design began to be used in 1874.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

Nice find. I looked at Kerksis' book on American plates and that design began to be used in 1874.

Wow, can you send me a photo of the page or something by message?? I wouldn't post it or anything, but I could show it to the owner of the property and keep it on file?

 

[Wildcat1750]

You did well by squeezing in another hunt!

 

[Hogtown Hunter]

Nice find!!
What an opportunity you have to search that property. The "Swamp Fox". He was the Stonewall Jackson of Florida. We dont have much Civil War history here but we had J.J. Dickison.

 

[smokeythecat]

The attachment is SIMILAR to the one in the book, but offset, unlike the one in the book. I assume its later than the 1874 model, but don't know an exact date. "Plates and Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874 by Sydney C. Kerksis. page 81.

 

[smallfoot]

What a way to end the year! I'm hoping for somebody with some good ID on it!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Well done !

 

[Digger RJ]

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[CCDAMEEK]

I have figured out that this buckle is lead based, with probably nickel to give it rigidity & strength. It absolutely is not pot metal, and was in an electrolysis bath for 4 hours this morning and is rock solid.
I also took a corner of the buckle to a concrete block, and it left a nice lead mark as it traveled. Researching I found that buckles were made this way and then bronzed or gilded, but there is no sign of either on this buckle.
Really hoping to clearly identify this.

Thanks for any identifiable help in doing so.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

Buy yourself a pair of Grey Ghost headphones-best ears out there on the market. They stand behind the warranty also.
Though what is it with the Minelab repair centre, send in, get back, it breaks again.

Good news! I opened the speaker housing and as I did, the speaker came back live. Found that one of the new wire solder connections had not actually connected properly to the wire (no flux used?). Pulled the wire out of the solder joint, cleaned it, fluxed the hole and wire, and problem solved.

With that said, I had been impressed with the new repair center in Pennsylvania. I shipped my unit in, and within 7 days, it was repaired and picked up for delivery back to me! That was April or May of 2020. With the wire issue now, I'll have to downgrade them from a 5 star to 4.8.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

The attachment is SIMILAR to the one in the book, but offset, unlike the one in the book. I assume its later than the 1874 model, but don't know an exact date. "Plates and Buckles of the American Military 1795-1874 by Sydney C. Kerksis. page 81.

smokeythecat, No attachment showed up on your post. Would love to see what you found!

 

[vpone]

wow great find congrats!

vp