Civil War Era Militia Sword Belt Buckle and Large Copper Coin (KGIII?)

[NorILdigcollector]

I went out to a new site today that is about 1/4 mile from another site in the same field that I have been finding a lot of early 1800s coins. I had just discovered this spot on the way back to my car a week ago so I decided to check it out today. The best find that I made was the belt buckle piece. It is broken but at least the best part is still there. I need to get back out to find the rest of it. I was pretty excited when I pulled the plug and saw the eagle staring back at me about 6" down. I thought the copper was junk at first until I started cleaning it and started to make out a head profile. I think it is a King George III penny from 1806-1808 which would make it my oldest coin yet. I have no idea how it ended up in a field in Illinois.

 

[jewelerguy]

cool

 

[oldmxrat]

Neat finds, congrats!

 

[Digger RJ]

I went out to a new site today that is about 1/4 mile from another site in the same field that I have been finding a lot of early 1800s coins. I had just discovered this spot on the way back to my car a week ago so I decided to check it out today. The best find that I made was the belt buckle piece. It is broken but at least the best part is still there. I need to get back out to find the rest of it. I was pretty excited when I pulled the plug and saw the eagle staring back at me about 6" down. I thought the copper was junk at first until I started cleaning it and started to make out a head profile. I think it is a King George III penny from 1806-1808 which would make it my oldest coin yet. I have no idea how it ended up in a field in Illinois. View attachment 2034120View attachment 2034121View attachment 2034122View attachment 2034123View attachment 2034124

Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Gare]

Nice finds Nice Pictures Thanks for sharing. How did you find these spots ? Methods ?

 

[NorILdigcollector]

Nice finds Nice Pictures Thanks for sharing. How did you find these spots ? Methods ?

I look at old maps that I find online and compare them to modern maps. Other than that it is a lot of footwork. Since the old maps are hand drawn, not everything lines up quite exactly with the modern maps and satellite imagery. Some of these sites very little to no physical evidence left, other than what is in the ground, since they have been plowed over for more than 100 years.

 

[billb]

Congratulations on your beautiful recovery

 

[NorILdigcollector]

Tried cleaning up the coin and buckle piece a little more. From my research the buckle is a militia sword belt buckle dating to 1840-1855.

 

[Gare]

I look at old maps that I find online and compare them to modern maps. Other than that it is a lot of footwork. Since the old maps are hand drawn, not everything lines up quite exactly with the modern maps and satellite imagery. Some of these sites very little to no physical evidence left, other than what is in the ground, since they have been plowed over for more than 100 years.

Thanks for explaining. For me some times these work and some times they DON'T

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Excellent !!!

 

[JeffInMass]

Great finds- Congrats!!

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

I went out to a new site today that is about 1/4 mile from another site in the same field that I have been finding a lot of early 1800s coins. I had just discovered this spot on the way back to my car a week ago so I decided to check it out today. The best find that I made was the belt buckle piece. It is broken but at least the best part is still there. I need to get back out to find the rest of it. I was pretty excited when I pulled the plug and saw the eagle staring back at me about 6" down. I thought the copper was junk at first until I started cleaning it and started to make out a head profile. I think it is a King George III penny from 1806-1808 which would make it my oldest coin yet. I have no idea how it ended up in a field in Illinois. View attachment 2034120View attachment 2034121View attachment 2034122View attachment 2034123View attachment 2034124

great saves! really love that buckle

 

[Merf]

I went out to a new site today that is about 1/4 mile from another site in the same field that I have been finding a lot of early 1800s coins. I had just discovered this spot on the way back to my car a week ago so I decided to check it out today. The best find that I made was the belt buckle piece. It is broken but at least the best part is still there. I need to get back out to find the rest of it. I was pretty excited when I pulled the plug and saw the eagle staring back at me about 6" down. I thought the copper was junk at first until I started cleaning it and started to make out a head profile. I think it is a King George III penny from 1806-1808 which would make it my oldest coin yet. I have no idea how it ended up in a field in Illinois. View attachment 2034120View attachment 2034121View attachment 2034122View attachment 2034123View attachment 2034124

Nice finds. Congrats