1773 George III Halfpenny - UPDATE ON BUCKLE 10/12

[West Jersey Detecting]

First of all I want to apologize for the crappy photos. My digicam seems to have bit the big one (this is the third one to die on me.), so I tried to scan these finds as best as possible with a scanner. Ironically, I found a Canon Elph SD750 camera and ordered a charger for it last night. You read that right. I found it when I was getting out of my car last week! I put it on Craigslist, but no one responded.

Well It has been some time since I have posted here. I started a new job a few weeks back and I have not been able to get out detecting. I finally did get a chance to get out and try my new 4x6 DD coil this morning. I decided to go back to a site that I have worked over pretty well over the last few years, so I wanted to check out the trashy areas with the new coil. I have cleaned the site out pretty well, so I spent a couple of hours with only a few old buttons, until I swept the coil over a tight spot I must have missed with the bigger coils. I got a nice 78 VDI reading at 4 inches, and dug the 1773 George III halfpenny. It looks a lot better in person than it does in the scans. I promise I will post pics when I get one of my cameras working again.

I also found the other item which is very intriguing. I think I have seen something like this posted not long ago, but my memory escapes me. The whatisit is made of brass and has a handshake on top, an all seeing eye in the middle with rays extending out. Under the eye is what appears to be a fox. On the left is three chain links. On the right is a cutting shears (?) the bottom tabs both have skeleton keys on them. Could it possibly be some type of fraternal organization? The site was once a Quaker meeting site, 225 years ago. Please HELP ID THIS!!!

(UPDATED THE PHOTOS on July 11, 2011)

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

Nice Georgie!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

OK--I am going to REVISE my guess on that clip. I now believe it to be JACKSONIAN. The handshake design appears on a Jacksonian button from the 1820s or so, and so does the fox. This may also give Don in SJ some insight on the age of his clip of the same design.


I hope this helps someone ID the item posted above.


You can probably find a photo of both buttons in a good button book.



Regards,



Buckleboy

 

[Dman]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

Great finds.
Dman

 

[cam9457]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

That is a sweeeeet find!

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

OK--I am going to REVISE my guess on that clip. I now believe it to be JACKSONIAN. The handshake design appears on a Jacksonian button from the 1820s or so, and so does the fox. This may also give Don in SJ some insight on the age of his clip of the same design.
I hope this helps someone ID the item posted above.
You can probably find a photo of both buttons in a good button book.
Regards,

Buckleboy

BB

The patent on an identical buckle is dated 1850 (See Don's reply, above), but perhaps the buckle type was in use prior to the patent? Most of my finds from the site date 1770's-1850, so I guess it would be possible that it is older. I will check my button book for the Jackson button.

Thanks for the help!
Neil

 

[IAsoldier]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

Still a cool find WTGM

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: 1773 George III Halfpenny

Still waiting for the charger/battery for the camera I found. It takes one day from Cali to NJ, but it has taken 5 days to get one town over from the sorting center

I found some more info on the suspender buckle symbols. It appears to be from a branch of the Independant Order of Odd Fellows, however I am still at a loss regarding the fox and keys. The IOOF was started in the USA in 1821, in Baltimore MD and had lodges in 6 cities incluing Philadelphia by 1840. By 1850 there were numerous branches including NJ. Here are a few related pics:

 

[PANNONIAN]

Very nice finds Neil! Congrats! Love the buckle to. Pannonian

 

[m6 rook]

nice finds,you can't go wrong with that new coil,GO PHILS!