Calling Cannonballguy, 9 lb’er?

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Deep (12”) metal detecting find about 20’ in front of a pre 1860’s cellar hole, wooded area of Pittsburgh.

Wasn’t sure if it was just a blob of rust, but pictures show that a solid sphere emerged when the rusty shell was chipped away.






On my bathroom scale with readout to tenth of a pound it is exactly 9.0 lbs. Tape measure between 2 blocks exactly at 4”. It is perfectly round, and I don’t see any seams or fuse spot.

Cannonballguy, what is your opinion? Shot put, mill ball or Cannonball? Thx!

 

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[A2coins]

That is so cool hope it is that would make a loud sound going in the ol bucket Well done

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Pa-dirt_NC-sand wrote:
> On my bathroom scale with readout to tenth of a pound it is exactly 9.0 lbs. Tape measure between 2 blocks exactly at 4”. It is perfectly round, and I don’t see any seams or fuse spot.
> Cannonballguy, what is your opinion? Shot put, mill ball or Cannonball? Thx

In your first photo, the ball looks out-of-round from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock. So I was going to say it's a Mill-ball. However, you report that it weighs precisely 9.0 pounds... and it measures exactly 4.0-inches in diameter. That puts it within the very narrow range of specifications to be a Colonial Era 9-Pounder caliber Solid Shot cannonball. Congratulations on finding your Colonial era or War-of-1812 era cannonball! (Civil war era ones were very slightly larger and heavier, at 4.1" in diameter and weighed 9.14-pounds.)

Edited after posting to add:
As helpful information, I should mention that ever since the late-1800s, Mill-balls (a.k.a. rock-crusher mill balls) have been made of steel, not simple cast-iron like civil war and earlier cannonballs. So here's an important ID-clue. Steel is typically about 10% heavier than the same size of cast-iron object. Thus, a 4.0"-diameter cast-iron ball would weigh 9.0 pounds, and a 4"-diameter steel ball would weigh about 9 pounds 14 ounces.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

This has to be a Banner vote - beautiful, rare, piece of history!

 

[A2coins]

nice great ID CBG

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Pa-dirt_NC-sand wrote:
> On my bathroom scale with readout to tenth of a pound it is exactly 9.0 lbs. Tape measure between 2 blocks exactly at 4”. It is perfectly round, and I don’t see any seams or fuse spot.
> Cannonballguy, what is your opinion? Shot put, mill ball or Cannonball? Thx

In your first photo, the ball looks out-of-round from 9 o'clock to 12 o'clock. So I was going to say it's a Mill-ball. However, you report that it weighs precisely 9.0 pounds... and it measures exactly 4.0-inches in diameter. That puts it within the very narrow range of specifications to be a Colonial Era 9-Pounder caliber Solid Shot cannonball. Congratulations on finding your Colonial era or War-of-1812 era cannonball! (Civil war era ones were very slightly larger and heavier, at 4.1" in diameter and weighed 9.14-pounds.)

Edited after posting to add:
As helpful information, I should mention that ever since the late-1800s, Mill-balls (a.k.a. rock-crusher mill balls) have been made of steel, not simple cast-iron like civil war and earlier cannonballs. So here's an important ID-clue. Steel is typically about 10% heavier than the same size of cast-iron object. Thus, a 4.0"-diameter cast-iron ball would weigh 9.0 pounds, and a 4"-diameter steel ball would weigh about 9 pounds 14 ounces.

Thx Cannonballguy!

 

[relic nut]

This has to be a Banner vote - beautiful, rare, piece of history!

I agree! Know that we have a positive ID from our in-house expert. Great historical find congratulations!

 

[GaRebel1861]

I think it's a banner find as well. Here's a vote coming your way. Good luck!