Normally I HATE digging square nails, but this one has got me floored

[nc-joe]

I hit a home site today for a short hunt that was built about 1780. I got an iffy signal that was close to 5" deep so I decided to dig it. Out popped this square nail. Now I dug 2 other square nails at another location today and they were typical rusty square nails that fooled the DFX into thinking it was a coin. But look at the photo of this nail. I have NOT cleaned it. This is how it came out of the ground, in like mint condition. How can a nail be in the ground for 225 years and come out looking like this. This nail has me really confused because the soil here is not kind to metals and this site is right next to a creek and in the overgrown woods. Any thoughts?

 

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[Johnny Ringo Silver]

Have you checked to see if it is brass or another type of metal? I have found a few brass nails that threw me off. 8)

 

[Colonial Copper Zeus]

It might not be old at all. I use square nails to hammer studs into concrete. It is probably a newer coated one.I may be wrong of coarse.
Chris

 

[gregd573]

Sorry but I agree with Zeus. It looks like a new concrete nail. This is just one type you will find in a lumber/hardware store..........I could always be wrong though.....HH......gregd573

 

[CladMaster]

I hunt in NC as well. I'm up around Greensboro only 50 miles or so from you. I have a pre civil war site I hunt and have found old cut nails in as good or better shape than that one. Most of the nails i find are in bad shape but when i dig one out of that old red clay, several inches under our topsoil, it's generally in very fine shape.

 

[nc-joe]

I don't know much about newer concrete nails, but this nail in only 1 inch long. Would a 1 inch nail break in concrete?

I attached the entire picture to see the size compared to some coins.

 

[lonewolfe]

If the soil (being near a creek as you've stated) is "sandy" - that would preserve it in the condition it's in. Our soil here is not kind to most metals either. It's mostly black soil and very wet for the 1st 6 in to 1ft down to maybe 2ft depending on elevation/etc. but there's also clay mixed in and it's all clay at 2ft and beyond but - on the west side of the state near lake MI and/or in the north of MI - the soil is more sandy (especially in the woods, near rivers/streams and the closer you get to the lake) so - many of the finds made in those areas are much better preserved than in the rest of the state where the black/clay soil is.

I've found many square nails in the condition of yours but I've also found them in totally decayed condition also (it just depends on the soil type and weather conditions of the area/s I've found them in).

I'd check that area more in depth - there may be much more deep in the ground.

HH

 

[fishboymike]

It might have just been a good nail, they werent mass produced then, they were individually made.

 

[Detectingfreak]

Looks like an interesting nail you have there.

 

[allen]

why would a new nail be 5" deep for though?

 

[CRUSADER]

Its clearly not iron & if it is bronze (for example) it would come out quite nice after 2000 years.

 

[davef]

I don't believe the finder has said it's "CLEARLY NOT IRON". Is it iron?

 

[CRUSADER]

I don't believe the finder has said it's "CLEARLY NOT IRON". Is it iron?

No, I did.

 

[JerV3]

Nice nail,

That's a oldie for sure. I have found them in the past also. I pulled a few out of of a old log structure half standing in the woods. Most of the time they are fully rusted.

It probably is brass or copper. You can tell by the patina it's been in the ground a long time. I totally agree with Lone on the soil cond. P.a is just like that also. He couldn't have said it any better.

When they are that nice witch is rare I put them to the side as a keeper relic. I'd check that site over hard. The dfx is a real work horse in the right hands.

HH Jer

 

[nc-joe]

why would a new nail be 5" deep for though?

I gave up on this question along time ago. I have found Indian head pennies at 2 inches and zinc pennies at 6 inches on the same site.

As for 'IRON OR NOT' well I just checked and a magnet picked it up off the counter so I would say Yes it is iron.

 

[Windbreaker]

YEP! its a nail!

 

[gregd573]

Sorry......I retract my statement of a new concrete nail. At least I have not seen any at 1" long. As stated in my first post....."I could always be wrong." My apologies........gregd573

 

[Quix Ten]

Something to consider is that these old nails are made of true wrought iron, not mild steel like modern nails. Wrought iron hasn't been produced in the US since the early 1900s. Wrought iron actually resists rusting better than modern steels, but it has other drawbacks. Wrought iron was also highly variable, so I'm guessing that the combination of this particular batch of wrought iron combined with the soil conditions led to this nearly pristine nail.

Pretty cool!

 

[Nana40]

I have found a square nail that looked like new too. And also wondered why it wasn't all rusty and yuck as they usually are when I find 'em.

 

[logbuilder]

Horseshoe Nails.........?


Mike.