Don in SJ
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After my first fall hunt last week produced just a 1818 Large Cent and no relics I needed a hunt that produced at least one decent relic.
This year, 2010 has been one of my best years for old coins, but one of the worst for "special" relics. Well the hunt yesterday finally gave me one I that I really like.
I started out at the Tallyo cufflink site from two years ago, that has been somewhat good for many hunts, but the finds are petering out now, but I did find one little plain flat cuff button and a complete frame buckle, either knee or shoe, the size and the spindle location seems to contradict each other on determing for sure. But I was happy to at least get a full frame. ( I lean towards it not being a shoe buckle)
I decided to quit hunting early, after only a little more than an hour and started my 20 minute walk back to the truck, but instead of walking back directly on the dirt road, I decided to walk into the woods and walk parallel to the road, but about 50-100 yards uphill in the regular woods.
This section of woods was logged in the 60s and some areas are quite free of underbrush and I had hopes of stumbling across a unknown homestead, since this has worked in the past. About 5 minutes into the exploration I spotted a rather nice size depression in the ground, but there were only a few scattered iron hits, and I assumed the depression must have been a result of the 1960s logging operation. But about 20 feet further uphill I saw a smaller depression and as I headed towards it, the iron hits started to get more frequent.
I had no idea still, if this was an old cabin site or just ground disturbance from logging, until I got my first diggable signal and out popped a button snap like object. Now I had hopes, just as I dug the object my Battery dead warning started sounding, so I stopped, changed my battery pack and as soon as I turned it on, and put it to the ground, I got a good high signal, possible copper coin! Nope, it was the back part of a Blowhole button, rather thick one at that. Now I knew it was in fact a homestead at one time. So I started a very thorough search and was rewarded with a Large 35mm design flat button and a few unknown hunks, but then I got a decent reading and out pops the broken section of an old trigger guard.
I really wanted to get an old coin, figuring with what I am finding, and occupation was most likely of a very short duration, that any coin found would be 1790s or older. But, no coins were found. Now, the find of the day, as I was combing the area just before quiting I got a funky good reading and happily a small oval cufflink appeared. It was rather uneventful looking but I know once they are cleaned, they usually have a design on them, and this site is only 5 minutes walk from where I got my similar sized Tallyo button.
Upon cleaning all the finds, I was more than pleasantly surprised to see a design starting to appear on the cufflink, at first I thought it was two initials for some reason, but once the final dirt was removed by the peroxide, a beautiful old sailing ship was staring at me!
I have seen this style before, and always wanted one for the collection, just like I wanted a Tallyo/Tallyho/Tallio cufflink. I looked on IP's Best Finds post of Cufflinks and there is a similar one there, with the flag going in the opposite direction!
Another surprise when cleaning was to be had when I noticed on the gun part, there appears to be a imprinted mark on the underside, I wonder if it is a makers mark? That might help ID what type of gun or at least the era of the gun if I can find out.
Oops, forgot to add the cleaned photograph of the 35mm flat design button, hard to see but in additio to the notches around the perimeter it also has several concentric circles on it.
Overall, a nice little short hunt, and a return trip to this small new site will be in my future.
Don
This year, 2010 has been one of my best years for old coins, but one of the worst for "special" relics. Well the hunt yesterday finally gave me one I that I really like.
I started out at the Tallyo cufflink site from two years ago, that has been somewhat good for many hunts, but the finds are petering out now, but I did find one little plain flat cuff button and a complete frame buckle, either knee or shoe, the size and the spindle location seems to contradict each other on determing for sure. But I was happy to at least get a full frame. ( I lean towards it not being a shoe buckle)
I decided to quit hunting early, after only a little more than an hour and started my 20 minute walk back to the truck, but instead of walking back directly on the dirt road, I decided to walk into the woods and walk parallel to the road, but about 50-100 yards uphill in the regular woods.
This section of woods was logged in the 60s and some areas are quite free of underbrush and I had hopes of stumbling across a unknown homestead, since this has worked in the past. About 5 minutes into the exploration I spotted a rather nice size depression in the ground, but there were only a few scattered iron hits, and I assumed the depression must have been a result of the 1960s logging operation. But about 20 feet further uphill I saw a smaller depression and as I headed towards it, the iron hits started to get more frequent.
I had no idea still, if this was an old cabin site or just ground disturbance from logging, until I got my first diggable signal and out popped a button snap like object. Now I had hopes, just as I dug the object my Battery dead warning started sounding, so I stopped, changed my battery pack and as soon as I turned it on, and put it to the ground, I got a good high signal, possible copper coin! Nope, it was the back part of a Blowhole button, rather thick one at that. Now I knew it was in fact a homestead at one time. So I started a very thorough search and was rewarded with a Large 35mm design flat button and a few unknown hunks, but then I got a decent reading and out pops the broken section of an old trigger guard.
I really wanted to get an old coin, figuring with what I am finding, and occupation was most likely of a very short duration, that any coin found would be 1790s or older. But, no coins were found. Now, the find of the day, as I was combing the area just before quiting I got a funky good reading and happily a small oval cufflink appeared. It was rather uneventful looking but I know once they are cleaned, they usually have a design on them, and this site is only 5 minutes walk from where I got my similar sized Tallyo button.
Upon cleaning all the finds, I was more than pleasantly surprised to see a design starting to appear on the cufflink, at first I thought it was two initials for some reason, but once the final dirt was removed by the peroxide, a beautiful old sailing ship was staring at me!
I have seen this style before, and always wanted one for the collection, just like I wanted a Tallyo/Tallyho/Tallio cufflink. I looked on IP's Best Finds post of Cufflinks and there is a similar one there, with the flag going in the opposite direction!
Another surprise when cleaning was to be had when I noticed on the gun part, there appears to be a imprinted mark on the underside, I wonder if it is a makers mark? That might help ID what type of gun or at least the era of the gun if I can find out.
Oops, forgot to add the cleaned photograph of the 35mm flat design button, hard to see but in additio to the notches around the perimeter it also has several concentric circles on it.
Overall, a nice little short hunt, and a return trip to this small new site will be in my future.
Don
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I would be back at that small cabin site. A Blowhole button could indicate that this site dates to the 1750s or earlier. 
Sounds like the kind of day yours turned out to be. Nothing like the wind in your sails and going forward in this wonderful hobby. Congrats in finding something that you always wanted to.
