Big Bird Button, Gunflint, and a couple other finds

Steve in PA

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
9,575
14,086
Pittsburgh, PA
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I haven't been doing much digging over the last two weeks. Weather, family commitments, a sore back and a lack of good places to go have conspired against me :dontknow:

I went to a spot on my old high school sweethearts parents property where I have recovered a number of IHPs, a few LCs, a lot of buttons including several large tombacs. I have hit this place hard over the years, but there is so much trash, and there are still decent targets to investigate.

My first keeper was a large tombac. Came out nice and silvery :goldcoin:
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Then I got a signal, pulled out a piece of iron cooking pot, stood up to recheck the hole and wrenched my back somehow. I could hardly stand up straight, but there was still a good signal in the hole so I fought through the pain to recover this large, dandy size stork or pelican button wedged straight up and down between two rocks. I am not sure what caused it to get eaten up, would have been nice if complete.
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Last week end I got my brother to help me with a little experiment at an 1830 - 1860s tavern site. I have recovered a half cent, a large cent, a two cent, a flying eagle, two fatty IHPs, and a seated dime from the tavern period, along with an SLQ, barbers, mercs, V and buffalo nicks, and IHPs from later activity on the same site. I was at the point where I had found just about everything within my detectors range, But I knew there were deeper targets in certain areas, so the plan was to cut the sod, and roll it back to expose deeper stuff. We made the cuts in the turf to expose an 8 x 4 foot area, but after exposing half of it we started into it.
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I eyeballed an 1883 IHP and my brother eyeballed a nice gunflint, but it was raining and the work was greater than the reward so we stopped.
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This little 4' x 4' area was full of period ceramics and I save the colorful pieces to put in a display case.
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Here is a completed display I put together
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Last edited:
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Steve in PA

Steve in PA

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
9,575
14,086
Pittsburgh, PA
🥇 Banner finds
4
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, XP Deus, Equinox 600, Fisher 1270
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Why do these thumbnails show up at the bottom of my post? This started yesterday.
 

releventchair

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May 9, 2012
22,242
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Looks like a French amber flint!

Congrats on the finds.
Yes , pics postings have been wonky on the site recently.
 

Elvis

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Jan 8, 2007
1,108
1,125
Lafayette, Georgia
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Tesoro and Nokta Simplex+
Garrett Pro-Pointer AT
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Awesome finds!!!!
 

pa-dirt_nc-sand

Silver Member
Apr 18, 2016
4,231
14,615
South Western PA
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Nice finds Steve! Definitely found a colorful assortment of pottery shards. Makes for a nice display piece. When I did a couple digs last year with the university Archies they were most excited with the pottery, then rusty metal, then least interest for them were the silver coins.
 

Lost Signal

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Mar 5, 2019
642
2,280
Lowcountry SC
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Yeah, I like that pottery display. I've got to start saving more pieces, so I can try that.
 

ToddsPoint

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Mar 2, 2018
5,205
12,166
Todds Point, IL
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The gunflint is French...material is called Grand-Pressigny. Very famous high quality source. Gary
 

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Steve in PA

Steve in PA

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
9,575
14,086
Pittsburgh, PA
🥇 Banner finds
4
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, XP Deus, Equinox 600, Fisher 1270
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The gunflint is French...material is called Grand-Pressigny. Very famous high quality source. Gary
I knew it was French, didn't know the source name. It's even common to find these French material gunflints on British F & I War encampments in my area.
 

SC Keith

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Aug 25, 2010
678
1,415
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Nice assortment of ceramics and display. Love that amber flint it’s a cool find. I wish I had saved more ceramics over the years for a nice display!
 

erfranks

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Mar 3, 2021
809
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Cape Coral, Fl
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Nice Saves, that is some cool stuff. fun little hunt.
 

8Reales

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Dec 16, 2015
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Baltimore
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Awesome pieces bud
Really love that button
 

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Steve in PA

Steve in PA

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
9,575
14,086
Pittsburgh, PA
🥇 Banner finds
4
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, XP Deus, Equinox 600, Fisher 1270
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Looks like a French amber flint!

Congrats on the finds.
Yes , pics postings have been wonky on the site recently.
Thanks Relevent!

Awesome finds!!!!
Thanks Elvis
Nice finds Steve! Definitely found a colorful assortment of pottery shards. Makes for a nice display piece. When I did a couple digs last year with the university Archies they were most excited with the pottery, then rusty metal, then least interest for them were the silver coins.
Thanks Thad.
Yeah, I like that pottery display. I've got to start saving more pieces, so I can try that.
Thanks. You should be able to get some nice pieces from the sites you hunt.

Nice assortment of ceramics and display. Love that amber flint it’s a cool find. I wish I had saved more ceramics over the years for a nice display!
Thanks Keith. I showed a girl a picture of this display and she wanted to buy one.
Nice Saves, that is some cool stuff. fun little hunt.
Thank you sir!
Very cool finds!! I do love those French gun flints!!!!
Thanks. This site was primarily active during the percussion era, so it was a little surprising to find this flint.
Awesome pieces bud
Really love that button
Thanks. The button is different for sure.
 

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Steve in PA

Steve in PA

Gold Member
Jul 5, 2010
9,575
14,086
Pittsburgh, PA
🥇 Banner finds
4
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, XP Deus, Equinox 600, Fisher 1270
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Looks like these french flints spread all over the world! I like it! :icon_thumright:
Here is a group from a military site that saw activity during the French and Indian War and later during the Rev War. Several French ones in this grouping. Also a larger Brown Bess flint from a British French and Indian War encampment.
 

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Dougie Webb

Sr. Member
Jun 14, 2019
399
692
Stone Mountain, Georgia
Detector(s) used
Fisher F5
Garrett Ace 200
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Great stuff! Although I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed, as I thought you meant you'd found one of these:

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