A good button day at Ye Old Mill

[Steve in PA]

Got permission to hunt an old mill and house site yesterday. I was a little apprehensive about knocking on the door because I know the farmer had kicked some guys out who had been hunting there previously. And he has a reputation for being a bit of a Hard A$$. But his wife answered the door and said "sure, go ahead" That's music to my ears! I was hoping for a nice colonial coin or large cent, but even though a few of the buttons had me thinking copper, no coins were to be found. I did manage to find a decent number of buttons dating from the late 18th century to the 1830s. I also found a large strap tippet, a couple smashed thimbles including a silver one, and a heel tap. It was a nice day to be out digging.

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Enough targets to suggest that an old coin could be well be there.
As it is you gat a couple of keepers.
A silver thimble has still eluded me, so just that would make a good day for me.

 

[vpnavy]

Great finds Steve! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Steve in PA]

Enough targets to suggest that an old coin could be well be there.
As it is you gat a couple of keepers.
A silver thimble has still eluded me, so just that would make a good day for me.

Rick, I thought the same thing. I should have got a coin among that many targets. The guy that had got kicked out of the place told me that him and another guy found a lot of coppers there. I had been there twice previously, with a neighbor who secured the permission. I did find a 1775 half real the first time I hunted the place.

 

[park pirate]

Nice job on the buttons..

 

[joeyfresh]

Great job on the buttons and silver thimble Steve. Mill sites always have great potential since they were a center of activity. is the mill still standing?

 

[Evolution]

That's a great day. I'll take buttons like that all day long. I agree with Rick. There are enough buttons there to suggest a coin will turn up. Keep hitting that spot.

 

[Steve in PA]

Great job on the buttons and silver thimble Steve. Mill sites always have great potential since they were a center of activity. is the mill still standing?

Joey, there is just a cellar hole and another shallow depression along the mill race where the mill stood. The area is overgrown during most of the year and has been used as a farm dump for years. There is a horse pasture adjacent to the cellar hole and that's where I have made most of my finds although yesterday I made a lot of finds in the overgrown areas. I'm sure there are some good finds hiding among the trash and high weeds.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Steve - those other guys may have found some coppers, but if they missed that many buttons then there are likely to be a few more coins hiding as well. Keep plugging away at that site and hopefully you'll be rewarded.

 

[VOL1266-X]

Really nice Steve. I like those buttons & especially the "geo" button. Great hunt Bud. WTG, Q.

 

[Old Dude]

That's a lot of buttons to add to your collection. I bet more than one of those green disks made you think you had a coin.

 

[Steve in PA]

That's a lot of buttons to add to your collection. I bet more than one of those green disks made you think you had a coin.

LOL, Yes! At the time I took the two "dirt shot" pictures I thought I had a coin, only to remove it from the dirt and find it was a large button!

 

[ModernMiner]

Steve,
Coins or not, that there was an great hunt! Nice flower button.
I'm assuming a strap tippet is that décor piece. I've dug some of those too, but never knew the correct name. Thanks.
Congrats,
Doug
P.S. Did the husband ever come back home when you were there?

 

[AQUA]

Great hunt !!!

You can be sure there is some coins there hiding.....and if not the buttons are good enough !!!!...................often better than coins even though we all love finding coins .

 

[Steve in PA]

Steve,
Coins or not, that there was an great hunt! Nice flower button.
I'm assuming a strap tippet is that décor piece. I've dug some of those too, but never knew the correct name. Thanks.
Congrats,
Doug
P.S. Did the husband ever come back home when you were there?

Doug, Thanks for the comments. The strap tippet/finial is the silver plated shield like piece with the two hooks on the back. They come in various sizes - this one is probably the largest I have dug. They were used on all kinds of leather straps such as reins and other horse related leather straps.

The farmer probably came back. His milk truck was parked by the house when I left, but nobody came to the door when I knocked to show them what I found.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Nice digs Stevie boy

Good to see you diggin that ole PA dirt..

Blaze

 

[Greylock]

That's a great day in my book. I've been to plenty of places where maybe only one or two coins pop up after multiple trips. Keep at it. I'm sure there's something waiting just for you.

 

[1stColonialRegiment]

Awesome finds! If there is a large concentration of buttons there it could have very well been a paper mill back in the day...