Colonial Hunt

[Hunthicks]

Got back to the last site we hit with The Patriot. Wasn't a superb day find wise for me, but as always, it's good to be outside and digging some old targets. Got skunked in the coin department, but managed a few buttons, couple of large flats with a bit of design and a big pewter. Shoe buckle pieces, pewter spoon pieces. The usual colonial housesite stuff.

 

[Kirk PA]

You had a good hunt in my Colonial book. The shoe buckle pieces always leave me with a smile. I could dig those all day long.

Kirk

 

[romeo-1]

Nice finds Hicks! Looks like you have a really rough French Marines button!

 

[Erik in NJ]

Looks like a damned fine hunt to me! Lots of goodies in there - esp that engraved bracelet...what does it say upon clean up??

 

[Hunthicks]

Nice finds Hicks! Looks like you have a really rough French Marines button!

That's what we thought at first too, but doesn't seem to be, shank is wrong I think. Either way it's old

Looks like a damned fine hunt to me! Lots of goodies in there - esp that engraved bracelet...what does it say upon clean up??

I believe it's MGL and something similar on the reverse. Pretty old, and silver I believe.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Think you're just being modest here.....great finds!!.....please show us all of them cleaned up with closer pics, especially the engraed bracelet! Best, Erik

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

some nice old relics! keep at it! targets like that your gonna get a good button or coin soon enough.we all have our down days with no coins.

 

[Hunthicks]

some nice old relics! keep at it! targets like that your gonna get a good button or coin soon enough.we all have our down days with no coins.

Yup, there were 4 found today, just not by me I think this site has brought 10+ coins so far including a 1786 spanish. There's more hiding there I'm sure. Now to convince the farmer to get the plow out!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

A great hunt in my little book too!

 

[Iron Patch]

You definitely had the chance.... lots of old targets!

If you post a picture of the back I can probably tell you if it's a French Marines or not. The style and condition certainly fits. You do know there was two types of shanks right?

 

[Hunthicks]

You definitely had the chance.... lots of old targets!

If you post a picture of the back I can probably tell you if it's a French Marines or not. The style and condition certainly fits. You do know there was two types of shanks right?

Nope, I didn't. But that's because I'm still a noob. I probably don't even know what the first style shank looks like, just going by memory(Which can be pretty shoddy even at my age!).

 

[Iron Patch]

I'd say that's an early drilled shank example, but I can't say for certain because as many as I have found every intact shank was a wire shank. Considering the front I think you have one.

The Compagnies franches de la Marine, comprised of infantry under royal naval authority, formed the backbone of France's colonial military establishment in North America. While other French regular and colonial units served in the New World, no other forces served continuously or over such a vast territorial expanse. The classic button pattern worn by these troops from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico until the end of the French colonial period was a convex, rimmed, cast brass type exemplified by the specimens shown above. Until the 1730s, these buttons were made with integrally cast, slab-like shanks with drilled eyes similar to those in use by the Spanish military establishment at the time (upper left/Dauphine Island, Alabama). By the 1740s, the drilled eye form had been replaced by a similar form featuring a cast brass rimmed button body with an inverse staple-like copper or brass wire eye soldered or brazed to the button's back (upper right/Mobile, Alabama and Lake Champlain, New York).

http://www.artifacts.org/francepage.htm

 

[Hunthicks]

Looks like a pretty close match, and the site has the potential for that early stuff. From word of mouth about as early as it gets. I'll take it!

 

[The Patriot]

I think you had a great day with that possible french marines and bale seal!!! lots of areas to check out that way yet

 

[Hunthicks]

I think you had a great day with that possible french marines and bale seal!!! lots of areas to check out that way yet

Yup, I think there's a lot of possibility for spring especially!!

 

[Iron Patch]

I think you had a great day with that possible french marines and bale seal!!! lots of areas to check out that way yet

Yup, I think there's a lot of possibility for spring especially!!

There will be nothing left after next week, that's if you two have the guts to take us to a good site. The Patriot knows we don't hold back our best sites and ideas to guests here. I'm kidding because I know he doesn't either, well maybe just one or two.