1700s House: Draped Bust Cent, Indian Head Cent (1865), and Flat Button

[Erik in NJ]

A couple more keepers from the side yard of this property. Last weekend I got a beautiful signal that I thought might be a silver dime and out popped my second Draped Bust Large Cent. I can't seem to get a date off it yet, but the scans show that there's something there. Any guesses?

Along with the gold brooch I found there today, I first dug another flat button (not yet cleaned for fear of losing the backmark) and an 1865 IH cent that seems to have seen very little circulation when it was dropped--all of the details are very clear. I applied a coat of bees wax and it looks much nicer than the scans show.

 

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[granthansen]

Great finds Erik. Gotta love when a short hunt produces like this. And on a balmy December day!

 

[detroitdigger]

Awesome finds!!!!!!!

 

[wheatfinder13]

That's a great find

 

[NJLargeCent]

Great stuff, Erik! Lots of detail on that older Indian. Hope that property continues to give.

 

[nsdq]

nice finds, ,,,, i guess is 1803 or1809

 

[FoundInNC]

Beauty of a large cent. I vote 1802. The Indian is really nice as well. Great job on a 200 year old copper!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Great finds Erik. Gotta love when a short hunt produces like this. And on a balmy December day!

It was nice weather for detecting yesterday in our area, huh? Unlike today The days are getting so short now it's tough to get in any time at all on the weekends. Let's hope for some more dry, balmy weather.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Great stuff, Erik! Lots of detail on that older Indian. Hope that property continues to give.

Thanks NJLC! There's still more ground there to cover and I have a feeling that that property is still hiding some goodies

 

[Erik in NJ]

Beauty of a large cent. I vote 1802. The Indian is really nice as well. Great job on a 200 year old copper!

Thanks brother! It was a thrill to dig a second Draped Bust cent this fall/winter. This is the oldest IH cent I've found on this property. Too bad about the pitting from our rough soil as it must have been dropped ca. '65.

Best, Erik

 

[wheatfinder13]

Nice find

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice coin diggin' there Erik. I also like that gold broach you posted elsewhere. That yard is full of surprises, and hopefully you're not done with it just yet. Good luck!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Nice coin diggin' there Erik. I also like that gold broach you posted elsewhere. That yard is full of surprises, and hopefully you're not done with it just yet. Good luck!

Thanks Bill! This yard has definitely yielded a number of nice finds. Would be a wonderful candidate for the kinds of excavations you do as I have dug some beautiful pottery shards and there are many hand forged nails and such that I have happened across. Let hope we get some more balmy weather here in NJ going in January so we can still get out and dig. It's actually a treat to still be able to get out even though the days are short. Any idea on that gold brooch I dug in terms of use and timeframe?

Best, Erik

 

[fishstick]

CONGRATS on the Draped Erik!! No matter wat year it is I bet was an AWESOME feelin to find.. Your SMOKIN bro!! HH

 

[BuckleBoy]

Great finds. That 1865 is a Beauty!

 

[GAOldsman]

Always a good day to pull out the large copper HH

 

[Michiganne]

Congrats on another sweet copper and nice IH, Erik. Glad you're still getting out.

HH

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Thanks Bill! This yard has definitely yielded a number of nice finds. Would be a wonderful candidate for the kinds of excavations you do as I have dug some beautiful pottery shards and there are many hand forged nails and such that I have happened across. Let hope we get some more balmy weather here in NJ going in January so we can still get out and dig. It's actually a treat to still be able to get out even though the days are short. Any idea on that gold brooch I dug in terms of use and timeframe?

Best, Erik

Erik - I got looking at your "broach" again. I'm no expert at all when it comes to dating jewelry items like that, but if I had to hazard a guess I'd say late 1800s. But I might be way off as it could be much newer than that. Also, I hadn't paid attention before to those 4 eyelets on the broach. After making that observation it doesn't appear to me that this is an item that would be worn as a piece of jewelry, and it would seem to be more in line with something that was attached to the lid of a jewelry or music box, or an ornament of some sort. Does that make any sense? On another note, do you have any clues as to where the old privies or trash dumps might be on that property? If you don't have a probe you need to get yourself one as you seem very interested in pit digging. Good luck and keep me posted on your progress ..... Bill

 

[Erik in NJ]

Erik - I got looking at your "broach" again. I'm no expert at all when it comes to dating jewelry items like that, but if I had to hazard a guess I'd say late 1800s. But I might be way off as it could be much newer than that. Also, I hadn't paid attention before to those 4 eyelets on the broach. After making that observation it doesn't appear to me that this is an item that would be worn as a piece of jewelry, and it would seem to be more in line with something that was attached to the lid of a jewelry or music box, or an ornament of some sort. Does that make any sense? On another note, do you have any clues as to where the old privies or trash dumps might be on that property? If you don't have a probe you need to get yourself one as you seem very interested in pit digging. Good luck and keep me posted on your progress ..... Bill

Hi Bill, Thanks for your feedback on the "brooch." The item is fairly light due to the fact that it's been cast as a hollowed form (see photos of reverse) and the eyelets are fairly delicate (hollowed on the reverse as well) and I'm assuming this was to keep the weight of this item to a minimum. I don't think the eyelets would have been sturdy enough to support the torque of a screw. I think the eyelets are the answer to what this item is. They appear as though they may have been used to sew the item to a piece of cloth. Possibly light chains may have been attached, but I don't see any tell-tale wear marks from a metal chain being attached and it would have required two chains so I'm not sure how it would have been worn. And again there's the issue with the delicate eyelets. It's definitely an enigmatic item. Could it have been used as ornamentation on a horse--like some sort of fancy rosette? I'm hoping that someone can provide a more definitive ID soon.

Re the privies or trash dumps...no idea yet. As I explore the property more and speak with the current owners they might be able to shed some light on that. I have sifted dirt before for the local Historical Society and really enjoyed finding an array of interesting non-metalic items this way. Hopefully we can chat soon about this.