old brass ship spike?

[skalleewag]

found this square brass spike on beach few months ago down by the water...any i.d. on this ? late 19th century ship spike? any value? thanks..

 

[allen]

definetily old and interesting.
Maybe someone will come along
shortly and help id it for you.

 

[timekiller]

I've got quite a few old spikes.Here is one just like yours.It was found in a site that turned up cut coins.And was a landing/small port back in the day.The items that came from there dated 1740's early 1800' so you might want to check the site well if able.
Just saying sometimes the small things can turn up bigger things. There were buttons,buckles,musket balls,cut coins.It was a little honey hole for awhile!
By the way these type brass spikes for ships can date back to the mid 1500's!

 

[davesx]

Hi skalleewag
I found this spike in a field, can't remember when, it's 2.7/8ins long the tip is broken off
and is copper hand made in a forge, I think yours is probably copper as well.

Dave.

 

[dkrfm63]

I found this spike last week on the beach in New Smyrna Beach Fl. I polished it up some and I thought it was gold. Anybody have an ID on what it was used for?

 

[hotrod]

cool find

 

[CRUSADER]

It's copper-alloy, & difficult to know what kind of mix it is, Bronze is also an option. It is at least 200 years old & as TK says could be much older.

 

[steelheadwill]

That's a good indicator of site to examine closely.

 

[BuckleBoy]

I agree with others. Bronze or copper. 200+ years old. Please, next time post in "What is it?" rather than "Today's finds" when you want an ID on an item. Thanks!


Best Wishes,


Buck

 

[1859large]

Do you see the arrow on the side of your spike. It is an English Royal Navy mark called a broad head.

 

[Scrappy]

Do you see the arrow on the side of your spike. It is an English Royal Navy mark called a broad head.

Nice eye catch! These threads get my attention since I'm a merchant Captain. Very cool find man!

 

[CASPER-2]

they are usually bronze and they still used them into the mid -late 1800s on whaling ships
because of where you found yours - it could be 1600s/1700s

 

[CASPER-2]

I recently donated a bunch of mine - along with other water finds to the Cape Cod Maritime museum (this is one of my displays there) - you will see them in middle to the right of some musketballs and minie balls

 

[trapperart]

Nice find congrats

 

[against the wind]

A lot of good information in this post.
Congrats on your find