Horse Farm / Bean Field Hunt - Flat Button & Rosette

ANTIQUARIAN

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Apr 24, 2010
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This was my second visit back to this site in as many weeks and I was hoping to find more coins and buttons from an old homestead that was located here in the 1820’s. :thumbsup: I’ve been hunting two old horse paddocks, which had soybean crop in them up until a week ago; they’re also located just west of a now abandoned 1870 farmhouse. There were archeological excavations of an unknown structure on the edge of the paddock last year. They excavated a much larger section here then they have on other sites in this area. The total area the archeologists 'sifted soil' from was around 50' x 50', on most sites they usually just dig 2' x 2' test holes. I understand the results from these digs will be made available to the public in about year, at that time I'd have to submit a request for a copy of the report. So far, most of my older finds have come from the field within 20' of the archeological site.

History of the Site

Windfields Farm in Ontario is the birthplace of racing great and champion sire Northern Dancer, winner of the 1964 Kentucky Derby, in stakes record time, the Preakness Stakes, and the Queen's Plate. Retired from racing after the 1964-racing season, he went on to an even more brilliant career at stud. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association states that Northern Dancer is "one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history," and the Daily Racing Form calls Northern Dancer the most influential sire of the 20th century. Northern Dancer is also regarded as the 20th century's best sire of sires.

Led by Northern Dancer, in the 1960s Windfields Farm earned more prize money than any other stable in North American Thoroughbred racing. Windfields bred Northern Dancer's sons Nijinsky, Secreto, and The Minstrel, all of whom won England's most prestigious race, the Epsom Derby.

In 1968, a barn fire at the Maryland division resulted in the death of thirteen horses that had just arrived from the Canadian farm. Included in the horses that died were twelve mares, three of which were in foal to Northern Dancer and one to Nearctic. Northern Dancer spent most of his years at stud at the Maryland division, which also became home to other sires such as Dancer's Image and Assert. A national icon in Canada, Northern Dancer died in 1990 at Windfields' Maryland farm but was returned to his birthplace in Oshawa for burial.

I started by digging a lot of brass shot gun shells today, there were literally dozens of them spread throughout the field! :BangHead: I did manage find one small flat button and a small horse rosette, which is likely made of pewter. I also found a racehorse shoe, a couple of modern brass buckles, an iron buckle and a very interesting American-made bronze buckle. The buckle is marked ‘Dapper’ Solid Bronze – US Pat. No. 2467006. With some online research tonight, I found this unusual looking buckle was patented in September 1949. If anyone has an idea as to its function, I would appreciate it if you would let me know! :dontknow: I currently have the buckles, the flat button and the rosette in the tumbler, I'll post pics of the 'end results' tomorrow morning! :wink:

After digging a ton of shotgun shells and not much of anything else, I decided to hunt in the long grass behind the old farmhouse. I managed to find .53 cents and a couple of cool hot wheels toys!

Thanks for looking,
Dave
 

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CRUSADER

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May 25, 2007
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A worthwhile hunt, must be more about.
 

OP
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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Apr 24, 2010
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CRUSADER

Gold Member
May 25, 2007
40,884
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ENGLAND
🥇 Banner finds
27
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II v0.6 with 11" Coil
Primary Interest:
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Thank you Sir! :icon_salut:




I would certainly think so Cru, just not sure if I want to 'detect' all those shotgun shells! :sad1:

When doing woods I dig that many in 20 minutes. You just have to dig quicker.:thumbsup:
 

Flathead25

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Nice buckles. I've found a bunch of those old iron buckles. I'm assuming they were used for horses, but does anyone know why the prongs are always offset like that? I've dug 3 or 4 of the same one you have pictured. I thought, at first, they were missing a prong but I'm starting to think they were made that way. Anyone have any insight?
 

kuger

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Nov 6, 2007
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shotgun shells are good!!!Means the place hasnt been detected and..................certain gold coins ring up like one!!!
 

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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Apr 24, 2010
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Nice buckles. I've found a bunch of those old iron buckles. I'm assuming they were used for horses, but does anyone know why the prongs are always offset like that? I've dug 3 or 4 of the same one you have pictured. I thought, at first, they were missing a prong but I'm starting to think they were made that way. Anyone have any insight?

This iron buckles pin isn't off-set, it's frozen in time due to rust corrosion. After this buckle spends a couple of days in the tumbler, it will become 'unfused' and will again float freely on the buckle.

Thanks for your post and best of luck to you Flathead! :thumbsup:
Dave



shotgun shells are good!!!Means the place hasn't been detected and..................certain gold coins ring up like one!!!

I hear you about the place never having been detected before with all those shells lying around kuger, but there are so dam many of them! :laughing7: I'm going to give it another go tomorrow morning.
With this much hunting activity in one location there just has to be something good there! :occasion14:
Dave
 

pepperj

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Digging a few shells will keep you limber, hit an area of skeet shooting and you'll soon know how messed up detecting can be as there's so many steel and lead shot in the ground it makes sq. nails look good.
Lot's of horse tack, so there has to be a few good finds hiding in the mix.
 

OP
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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

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Apr 24, 2010
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Digging a few shells will keep you limber, hit an area of skeet shooting and you'll soon know how messed up detecting can be as there's so many steel and lead shot in the ground it makes sq. nails look good.
Lot's of horse tack, so there has to be a few good finds hiding in the mix.

I think you may have just hit the nail on the head with the suggestion that this area was used for skeet shooting! :sign13: I noticed there were lots of pieces of what I thought was black pottery spread all over the field, but it wasn't pottery, it was more of a bakelite material. That's exactly what they were using this field for was skeet shooting, as the field is littered with literally hundreds of shells!
Thanks for your help here J, you've just solved a big mystery for me!
:occasion14:
Dave
 

Last edited:
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ANTIQUARIAN

ANTIQUARIAN

Gold Member
Apr 24, 2010
12,844
27,390
Upper Canada 🇨🇦
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Lesche Piranha 35 Shovel & 'Garrett Carrot'
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting

Went back to the farm this morning for another round, but it started to rain!
:sad10: Snapped some pics to entertain myself! The black bits are skeet shooting frags I picked up walking the field before it started to rain. This explains why there are so many shot gun shells and lead pellets here.


Unfortunately, I feel this field is pretty much unhuntable!
:dontknow:
 

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