1666/1750 Home Site - A Few Nice Finds, Including a Very Old Button! Need Help...

[grasshopper]

Hey everyone,

I have not posted in a while because I haven't been hunting much lately. Mostly due to a lack of promising locations...

Anyways, a few months ago, I casually mentioned my MDing hobby to a friend of mine at school. She proceeded to inform me that she lived in a house built in 1666. Needless to say, I was extremely interested. I have made some nice finds over the years, especially at homes from the late 1700s. But that's about as old as they get around here.

I took a trip to her house today with high expectations. I was dreaming of finds I could potentially pull out of the ground at a house this old. I got there and found out that the existing house was constructed around 1750, but the original one-room structure was documented to have been built in 1666. That no longer exists, but the foundation was once connected to the side of the current house.

Within 5 minutes I had a loud coin signal. After 15 or so minutes of digging I had about 30 memorial pennies in my pocket. Too bad they weren't older....

Next, I found the button in the first couple of pictures. I have found many old buttons over the years, but none that look as old as this one. It's pretty worn, and I can't make out any details. The shank, however, is still attached, and looks nothing like what I have found before. Looks very old to me. I am guessing (but not sure) that the button may be pewter. It rang up lower than other buttons I've found...I would greatly appreciate any information you guys can offer on it's age.

I then found the 1890 Indian Head, followed by the other button. This one looks like it lost the front part, and may have been re-purposed....it has two holes punched through.

After I went through the yard, I took a break and did it all again, at different angles. Managed to pick up the little suspender buckle, 1935 merc, and the 1900 Indian in pretty nice shape. I scratched her face by accident

Although I was somewhat happy with these finds, if I told you I wasn't disappointed, I would be lying. I was expecting some earlier stuff but everything I found was really deep. Like memorials at 5-7 inches. So I'm wondering if the old goodies are too deep for me to find. The old button was only a few inches down, but probably because it was above some roots. Ended up with like 50 pennies, a few modern quarters, dimes, and nickels... along with a ton of other random stuff.

Thanks for reading!!!!

 

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[Threshold]

Great finds! Ill take silver any day.

 

[ATpro5]

Nice early pewter button. I think I can almost make out a number on the front which would make it a regiment button .. possibly 41?

 

[: Michael-Robert.]

Nice finds. Keep looking there is more to find there.

 

[Old Dude]

Like you, my oldest home site disappointed me too. I guess our imagination just makes our goals so high, we set ourselves up to fail. Maybe the place was detected before your friend obtained it? Or maybe the people just had to be so frugal, nothing was wasted and any possessions were closely guarded and not lost? Who knows? I bet your finds would more than please you if found at a well hunted park, lol.

 

[park pirate]

Very good finds..

 

[vpnavy]

 

[screwynewy]

Can't help with the pewter button - too bad its so rough. The other button looks like the back half of a early blow hole button.

 

[beez0404]

That's a great day of detecting in my book. Congratulations!

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Nice hunting grasshopper ! The choice stuff is below all those modern targets and iron ,

a few more hunts should get some 1700's relics , so keep searching that old ground .

 

[WHADIFIND]

Not hunting because of a lack of "promising" places is the first mistake. First rule is that treasures are never where you think they're going to be, it's where you find them. AND, you are NEVER going to find them, if you are waiting for some "promise". We all need a break and as far as that's what you're doing, that's ok.

But, think of it this way. Ben Franklin was on his way back to Philly from somewhere's out west. As he galloped along, his purse string came undone and it fell from his belt while he was riding across the 3rd base coaches box of the Middle School's third diamond, the one near the woods and the stream. Along which he camped not more than 10 feet away under what is now the tennis court.

Catch my drift? We just don't know everything that went on in ANY patch of ground. Maybe the last owners of the old place were archeologists? Detectorists? Just plain lucky? Or maybe, some hunt by night pirates came through for years before it was sold to your friend? LOL

Get out there! Find it!!

Thanks for the story!

 

[Daddyd2x]

That looks like a good day to me!

 

[grasshopper]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I know there has to be some old stuff there, just have to find some time to get back and dig it up!!

ATpro5, I don't see any writing on this button at all. Perhaps it was just the angle/lighting of the picture I took. That would be awesome though!!

Screwynewy, I did not know about blow hole buttons. This button looked more modern to me at first, but I now realize it could be quite early. Thanks for pointing that out.

And WHADIFIND, I totally see what you're saying! My "lack of promising locations to hunt" basically means that there are plenty of potential old places near me, but I really don't like asking strangers for permission. I also hate hunting in public places where I can be seen by other people more than anything else...still not sure why.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[leddel]

The other button looks like the back half of a early blow hole button.

agreed the front half separated and you most likely left the front half of it in the hole , they are very thin and can be difficult to find even with a detector . go back over the hole and you might find it .

 

[treblehunter]

I'm at that point, I'm sick of asking, knocking on doors, and finding nothing old at a very old sites. I'm taking a little break, going to hunt the beach for awhile. I'm going back to one of our hot spots, Sun. or Mon. Take my time, go slow and dig everything that makes a peep. Other then that, I'm taking a break from the door to door vacuum salesman. No lie in the last two months I bet I knocked on 100 doors, I have come to find out that most people in NJ are very rude people that do not like to be bothered. They just don't understand our plight!

 

[Ahab8]

I'm at that point, I'm sick of asking, knocking on doors, and finding nothing old at a very old sites. I'm taking a little break, going to hunt the beach for awhile. I'm going back to one of our hot spots, Sun. or Mon. Take my time, go slow and dig everything that makes a peep. Other then that, I'm taking a break from the door to door vacuum salesman. No lie in the last two months I bet I knocked on 100 doors, I have come to find out that most people in NJ are very rude people that do not like to be bothered. They just don't understand our plight!

I have been hunting rivers with great history lately. I'm tired of trashy foundation sites. I've located a couple of fort sites from the 1700s and a 1700s ferry sites. So far I'm having great success at these and there's not a lot of trash. Beautiful scenery too and usually a nice breeze to keep the bugs away. The rivers were after all the highway of the 17th and 18th centuries. Good luck out there all

 

[relicmeister]

You are fortunate to have the opportunity to hunt such an old home. Go back whenever you can, and keep your expectations
on the low side. Any well or trash pit?

 

[david680]

Not hunting because of a lack of "promising" places is the first mistake. First rule is that treasures are never where you think they're going to be, it's where you find them. AND, you are NEVER going to find them, if you are waiting for some "promise". We all need a break and as far as that's what you're doing, that's ok.

But, think of it this way. Ben Franklin was on his way back to Philly from somewhere's out west. As he galloped along, his purse string came undone and it fell from his belt while he was riding across the 3rd base coaches box of the Middle School's third diamond, the one near the woods and the stream. Along which he camped not more than 10 feet away under what is now the tennis court.

Catch my drift? We just don't know everything that went on in ANY patch of ground. Maybe the last owners of the old place were archeologists? Detectorists? Just plain lucky? Or maybe, some hunt by night pirates came through for years before it was sold to your friend? LOL

Get out there! Find it!!

Thanks for the story!

LOL, excelent. I broke into the 18th century that way a few weeks ago. Softball field probably 40 years old. Dug a Spanish colonial cut quarter of a 8 reales, last three digits on it, 1794. Would have never have expected it there. An inch down too. Passing up opportunities because they don't look promising can be leaving it for someone else. Comes in with a load of fill dirt, somebodies lucky pocket piece, or there was more history to the site than anybody knew of. If you've got spare time, give it a try.