285 year old cut silver - plus civil war iron, brass and lead . . .

parsonwalker

Bronze Member
Feb 16, 2013
1,491
2,856
Virginia
🥇 Banner finds
2
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Modified GI Mine Detector (In the 60s)
Metrotech (In the 70s)
Tesoro Tejon (Now!)
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I hit my Union campsite, literally right behind the combine.

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Was skunked at lunch and could not BELIEVE it. I have found so much in these fields and it was unbelievable to me that I could hunt for even an hour and not find something. After lunch I thought, "I should go in the woods." But I have VERY RARELY found anything in these woods. My theory is the poachers would stay mostly in the woods over the years to avoid detection, but the open fields around the house are too wide open and easily seen. So I went back to the field. Did much better. A button back, a cuff button whose face dissolved as I retrieved it, and some round balls and a couple of 3-ringers. Once again, I got the nagging feeling to step into the woods (VERY thick) despite my lack of success there in the past. I gave in. Fought 20' into the briars, turned the unit on and lowered the head. Headphones screamed. It was the back of a hodgkis (sp?) artillery shell just 3 inches down. Straightened up to kick dirt in the hole and as I held the machine behind me, another screaming signal. Kicked the leaves away and it was a flat button on top of the ground! Picked THAT up and the machine screamed where I had lowered it. First perfect (thick style) kepi buckle I have found. Bizarre. In a space the size of a bathtub. Pulled a few more 3-ringers and some shell frags.

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Next day I went to an old Colonial homesite. This isn't my kind of hunting, but digging buddy found a piece of cut silver.

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I found an 1876 dime, a pocket watch and some "stuff." I like the CW hunting, but I had a good time anyway!

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Upvote 23
Having never found a single CW related item I would have been thrilled with the first hunt. However, I have yet to find a seated coin so hunt #2 would have suited me just fine!!! Way to go.
 

Awesome finds :icon_thumleft:
 

Great finds! Don't think the woods were there 150 years ago.
 

Two very nice hunts!!!! I to mostly CW hunt but like to mix it up sometimes. Keeps you sharp. I have unexpectedly found CW relics at some of the house sites we have hunted and post CW coins at some of the camps, so you never know what will turn up. That's what I love about digin in dirt. Congrats on some nice finds!!;)
 

You never fail to deliver with great finds.
 

Excellent collection of finds.
Two outstanding hunts.
What did you do with the artillery shell?

Sorry - I wasn't clear; I didn't find a complete shell, just the BACK of a shell. It's pictured upper left in pic #2. You guys are right - you never know . . .
 

Very nice finds PW! Congrats.
 

It's sometime worth exploring the different areas of a site as there might be a pocket of finds like you got. Well done!
 

The shell is awesome. That cut silver is also a real winner and those minie balls are always a welcomed find. What a great rounded hunt
 

Good job on the silver. Seated and cut Spanish are fun to find.
 

Nice finds!! What's the back of the cut silver look like?? Doesn't contain the mint or assayer's initial?? Would be really curious. Just found a 1721 version of the same coin. Wanted to see if they were possibly from the same mint and assayer?? Thanks for sharing. Cheers
 

Congrats to your buddy for that cut silver. And you didn't have a bad day either!
 

Some sweet post coming in lately. You guys did very well...congrats
 

Nice finds!! What's the back of the cut silver look like?? Doesn't contain the mint or assayer's initial?? Would be really curious. Just found a 1721 version of the same coin. Wanted to see if they were possibly from the same mint and assayer?? Thanks for sharing. Cheers

Other side was a fuzzy pic, but here ya go . . .

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Nice finds...don't dig much civil war items up here in Massachusetts...like that seated and cut silver...it also amazes me all the Spanish silver up here is never cut...none of mine or my friends...but I see plenty posted front Virginia and Pennsylvania that are cut.
 

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