Civil War and Cut Spanish Silver

[JBnNC]

I went to a couple of new CW sites this past weekend and got a nice variety of relics including a couple of eagle buttons, a j-hook, and several bullets. While cleaning everything up I got a nice surprise finding a Bormann fuse under plug.
I knew that one of the spots had an earlier structure on it since I was finding old brick pieces and flat buttons, but I was still very excited and surprised to see a piece of cut silver pop out. I hope someone can help with an ID on the silver...and also the two disc shaped objects. Thanks, JB

 

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[Tony in SC]

Good finds you got some good spots. I'm curious about the coin.

 

[toasted]

Probably 10:1 or more quarter cut Pistareens found vs your half cut

 

[louisianaman]

Nice finds

 

[AJH]

Those are some great finds!

 

[Digger RJ]

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!!!

 

[Blak bart]

Beautiful spanish piece !! Congrats.

 

[birdman]

That's a great day right there

 

[cmthunder]

Nice CW relic and silver

 

[Steve in PA]

Congrats on the cut Spanish
Based on my personal experience, Toasted's ratio of 1 in 10 cut in half is spot on. Only 2 of my 20 cut pieces were cut in half.

 

[Ron P]

Many post always say Civil war, but are they really? Unless you find them in a know battle site, are they not just daily items. People worn parts of the uniform, (pants/jackets, hats) long after the war was over. They also carried the same packs for traveling. And kept and used the rifles for hunting; so many single bullet finds could be attributed to hunting. Have you ever looked at late 1800's pictures, I've seen army belt buckles used on their holsters in a number of pics. I've found a live grenade in a fox hole in Achen, so I know it was from the Hurtengen forest battle, but I also found bullets in farmers fields that were most likley from just hunting...its all context.

 

[JBnNC]

Many post always say Civil war, but are they really? Unless you find them in a know battle site, are they not just daily items. People worn parts of the uniform, (pants/jackets, hats) long after the war was over. They also carried the same packs for traveling. And kept and used the rifles for hunting; so many single bullet finds could be attributed to hunting. Have you ever looked at late 1800's pictures, I've seen army belt buckles used on their holsters in a number of pics. I've found a live grenade in a fox hole in Achen, so I know it was from the Hurtengen forest battle, but I also found bullets in farmers fields that were most likley from just hunting...its all context.

Yes Ron, everything you've said is true and I have found some great single CW items in odd places, however these sites are known CW sites.....so well known that there were 100's of detecting holes that had recently been dug and re-filled. I'm just glad that they left a little for me.--JB

 

[EagleEye1]

Great finds! If you don't mind, this does bring up a quick question that has intrigued me. How come some lead bullets of this time frame are dark and other's are chalky or whitish looking?

 

[JBnNC]

Great finds! If you don't mind, this does bring up a quick question that has intrigued me. How come some lead bullets of this time frame are dark and other's are chalky or whitish looking?

I think it's a combination of the age of the lead and the type of soil or moisture in the soil that causes the differences. I guess fertilizer in farm fields could have an effect as well. I've dug 2000+ CW bullets and 80 % have the whitish look that you mentioned.

 

[Steve in PA]

Great finds! If you don't mind, this does bring up a quick question that has intrigued me. How come some lead bullets of this time frame are dark and other's are chalky or whitish looking?

I have found that the white oxide coated ones come out of cultivated fields and hayfields and a lot of the darker ones come out mature woods that have never been farmed.