A Couple Oldies - Western Indiana

bcbirdman · Apr 7, 2026

Over the weekend, I went back to a very old homesite location that dates to the late 1700s and early 1800s. I'd found a 1776 spanish 2-real coin there last year. I've pretty much hunted it out, but managed two cool finds this time: a pewter button with checker pattern and shank missing/holes punched from 1700s likely and an unfinished pistol-sized round ball with sprue still attached!

eman1000 · Apr 7, 2026

bcbirdman said:
Over the weekend, I went back to a very old homesite location that dates to the late 1700s and early 1800s. I'd found a 1776 spanish 2-real coin there last year. I've pretty much hunted it out, but managed two cool finds this time: a pewter button with checker pattern and shank missing/holes punched from 1700s likely and an unfinished pistol-sized round ball with sprue still attached!

Awesome, I've only heard of a couple Spanish coins recovered in Indiana. A co-worker of mind found on the surface while hunting for arrowheads. I personally haven't broken into the 1840's yet. If I could make my way further south towards some of the earlier settlements, I think my odds would increase. Those are definitely some older relics for sure!

bcbirdman · Apr 7, 2026

eman1000 said:
Awesome, I've only heard of a couple Spanish coins recovered in Indiana. A co-worker of mind found on the surface while hunting for arrowheads. I personally haven't broken into the 1840's yet. If I could make my way further south towards some of the earlier settlements, I think my odds would increase. Those are definitely some older relics for sure!

Thanks! I think your best bet to get into 1700s-1810s era in Indiana would be go south and near major rivers. My oldest and best find ever was a 1747 spanish 2-real coin found not far from the Wabash River (my profile pic). I think probably from fur trade days! Don't know if I'll ever top it.