My best 9 finds after 17 years of metal detecting

gwdigger

Bronze Member
Dec 3, 2006
1,421
1,826
Ocean City, Md
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
All finds found on private property with owners permission. These finds represent alot of fun times!

1. A pile of Spanish silver cut pieces and cobs, mostly found one at a time but occasionally I found more than one in a single day. The oldest is undated and then a 1658 and two dated 1658.

2. A so called "Bucks of America" button, from the 1st black regiment of the revolutionary war. There is controversy over the legitimacy of such a regiment but it is surely listed in Albert's book of buttons as such. The shank is intact.

3. Virginia halfpenny - although I have dug others and several state coppers and halfpennies; none of them were in such presevered condition. Its beautiful.

4. RARE 1784 halfpenny - I have read that only some 35+ examples may exist of this coin. More info here:

http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinText/UnattributedCount.html

5. A group of really old and complete buckles - maybe not a great feat for some but I have not had great luck finding complete colonial buckles. I have hundreds of pieces but only a few dozen complete. Mostly found damaged from the plow chewing them up.

6. 1674 dated King Charles farthing - I have found 4 of these but this one was by far the best. (3 came of the same site)

7. 1780ish-1815ish eagle button with only 11 stars - remarkable patina, I have had several offers to buy the thing but I am not interested in selling it. I am told it is rare especially in the condition.

8. George Washington Inaugural button - I understand that its value is based on how many denticles run around the edge. Also its worth more with a shank. I have never counted the denticles. This button was in my collection for years until I figured out what I had!

9. 1652 Massachusetts bay colonies oak tree sixpence - My favorite find! I cant begin to tell you the feeling I had when I dug this in the Spring of 1996. It was dug with 2 Spanish cobs (one dated 1658) and the other from the late 1500s - found on what I have been told was a trading post in the mid 1600s. Absolutely the most incredible spot I ever metal detected. When we discovered the spot on the Chesapeake bay, we knew we had an old site with its hundreds of pieces of clay tobacco pipe strewn everywhere -just didn't realize it was THAT old. My very first signal was a 1500s 1 reale Spanish cob. After a few more visits I found the Mass. coin and thought it was just a Spanish 1 reale but it was something much better! Incidentally I thought it was worthy of an article in the treasure magazines so I tried no less than 3 times to get my finds in an article to no avail. Meanwhile, they published article after article concerning dug buffalo nickels and silver "roosies". Maybe my articles sucked but the finds should have spoken for themselves.

Thats OK...I enjoy them nonetheless...

HH, Gary
 

Attachments

  • pieces.jpg
    pieces.jpg
    41.2 KB · Views: 8,175
  • piecesr.jpg
    piecesr.jpg
    52.3 KB · Views: 18,857
  • boas.jpg
    boas.jpg
    38.4 KB · Views: 7,928
  • 1773t.jpg
    1773t.jpg
    68.8 KB · Views: 7,918
  • 1784s.jpg
    1784s.jpg
    47.2 KB · Views: 7,849
  • buckles.jpg
    buckles.jpg
    26.4 KB · Views: 7,947
  • bucklesr.jpg
    bucklesr.jpg
    22.6 KB · Views: 7,794
  • fars.jpg
    fars.jpg
    55 KB · Views: 7,774
  • eags.jpg
    eags.jpg
    62.6 KB · Views: 7,872
  • ins.jpg
    ins.jpg
    37.1 KB · Views: 7,681
  • 1652s.jpg
    1652s.jpg
    58.4 KB · Views: 7,755
Upvote 37

ColonialDude

Hero Member
Jul 5, 2004
691
268
Canada
Detector(s) used
Explorer SE Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
wow! Those are some absolutely beautiful finds!! Congrats, and thanks for sharing!

Love the buttons!! Heck, love it all!! Nice old stuff in great shape!
 

birdman

Gold Member
Jan 28, 2005
7,458
2,393
Choctaw Beach Florida
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800 and ORX, tesoro Cibola with garret,whites and minelab pinpointers
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!!!! I would say you had a good run!! Congrats !
 

River Rat

Super Moderator
Staff member
Jan 6, 2006
20,846
2,532
SE Louisiana
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, Ace 250 & Ace 400
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
W :o W!!! Love em all.

;) RR
 

xlt nh

Hero Member
Jul 28, 2006
550
11
Cheshire, Mass
Detector(s) used
White's XLT, DFX 300
Thanks for sharing your collection....WELL WORTHY of an article in any magazine!! ;)

Congrats on all your incredible finds!! Hank 8)
 

OP
OP
gwdigger

gwdigger

Bronze Member
Dec 3, 2006
1,421
1,826
Ocean City, Md
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Thanks much for the interest. 17 years ago I was 20 years old and hunted many times every week. Sites are not that easy to find these days, many of my best sites are now sitting under housing developments. Plus I am married with 3 children so its hard to get out even once a month. Glad I was able to get this stuff before it was lost to progress...Like I said, these finds represent alot of fun with friends and family and the smells and sites of nature on those creeks and rivers are forever etched in my mind.

HH, Gary
 

D

dugupfinds

Guest
Find the time & get your kids digging for you. Whats the use of having kids if you can't use them. :D

Great collection.

Happy hunting from the UK!
 

lonewolfe

Gold Member
Feb 14, 2005
5,547
585
West Michigan
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
A stick with a box at one end and a round thing on the other.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Absolutely great finds!

HH

Lonewolfe
 

R

Rusty in Tenn

Guest
Those are some unbelievable finds...That took a tremendous amount of digging to accumalate...Alot of times people look at what we have found and think it was easy...I think you will agree..when putting together a collection like that it took many many hours and alot of trips bringing home nothing to finally get over the goodies...
Try to get the kids interested and enjoy them and detecting...Makes life even better,

Congrats on the great finds..
Rusty
 

Mona Lisa

Gold Member
Jan 13, 2005
5,112
36
Great Falls, Montana
Detector(s) used
White's DFX & a Sunray probe
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Amazing digs, gwdigger! Your pictures are gorgeous too. :o

Welcome to the forum. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your finds! :)
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top