Colonial Spanish finds today from Colombia (the country)

[perdidogringo]

Hi all,

My girlfriend and I searched a great spot today that was once a colonial Spanish village near where I live in Colombia. I'm hoping for some help with a couple of our finds. This colonial town was in existence from the early 1600's to the late 1800's and I was totally psyched about the opportunity to detect it. Please see attached photos. The highlight and "find of the day" was made by my girlfriend with her Garrett Ace 250- a Spanish cob! It's a small one, found about 6 inches down- either a 1/4th real or perhaps a 1/2 real. We're trying to date the cob but it looks like it might be difficult to do as it is worn (if anyone has any ideas about the age or how to identify we'd really appreciate the feedback!).

I found an 1856 Nueva Granada (pre-Colombia) silver 1/2 decimo with my AT Pro. Unfortunately, it isn't in the greatest shape either, but I'll take it! We also found a cool colonial buckle, what looks like a cooper or bronze ring (can anyone verify if this is a ring- seems flimsy to be a ring), and an assortment of odds and ends like bullets, parts of spoons, 12 or so more modern coins from the last 100 years, etc. We're hoping to get back soon to see what else we can un-Earth. This spot has tons of potential as it doesn't seem to have been detected before! Thanks for looking!

 

[smokeythecat]

Nice!

 

[Steve in PA]

I bet there are some great finds to be made in Colombia, especially Spanish colonial stuff. Congrats to your girlfriend on the cob.

By the way, here is an interesting Colombian button I found on a Civil War battlefield in Virginia. It says COLOMBIA LIBERTAD. I have been told it is an 1820s Colombian Army button. I believe the English manufacturer must have had some surplus which he sold to the Confederates because I have heard of a couple others found on Civil War sites in Virginia and Georgia.

 

[cache finder]

Nice finds! So what kind of site is this? Fields? Construction?

 

[DigIron2]

killer oold cob. I would flip if I ever found one. Good luck with your new hot spot, very likely there is some gold laying around there somewhere too?--HH

 

[trapperart]

Very nice finds congrats, good luck with the site

 

[perdidogringo]

Thanks everyone for the feedback on the finds! Hoping to return to the site in about a month.

Steve- I know the British Legions fought under Simon Bolivar from 1819 to about 1825 to help liberate Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru from Spain. It would make sense that your "Libertad Colombia" button is from this era. Those countries then briefly formed "Gran Colombia", which fell apart soon after. The region of Colombia/Panama subsequently became "Nueva Granada" for a time before changing to "Colombia". Then Panama pulled out in 1903 with a lot of help of the USA and the promise of a new canal across the isthmus.

Cache Finder- this site is now pasture-land, which makes for great detecting! Nice, soft dirt, and minimal trees and roots. The only inconvenience is an occasionally cow patty! Totally ideal conditions compared to where I normally hunt- in the jungles of Panama.

 

[Reelsnrods]

Really lovely finds. Congrats!

 

[Scrappy]

Great find. A cob is a very difficult find in the U.S. So from what I see is your coin has been clipped and worn pretty good. But it looks like a "waves and pillars" variety cob (1650's - ? ). Perhaps a Potosi mint. Try and post it in the Spanish cobs section of the forum for an ID from the experts.

Congrats

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[perdidogringo]

Might have identified the cob

Just a quick update with some information I received today from the Coin Community website about the cob pictured in the first message. It appears the cob is a "medio" or half real cob of Philip V from the first half of the 18th century from South America and most likely the Potosi Mint. I found a similar 2 real coin on Ebay with a similar cross (see below). Thanks everyone for your help.