Dug some nice 1600s buckles today

[Bill D. (VA)]

My 1600s mill site has still not been planted so I was able to squeeze in another 3 hour hunt today. As usual, the quantity of finds was minimal, but I did get a couple of nice early buckles. The large spectacle buckle (40x28 mm) with rounded ends and trefoil sides was an obvious but surprising find. I also managed to pull out a couple trapezoidal buckles including one that was complete. Top that off with 2 more buckle pieces, 3 buttons, and a couple of matching leather adornment items with hooks, and it wasn't a bad day at all. I was hoping to find that 25th colonial silver for the season, but it looks like I might not get to that milestone as almost all the fields down this way are now off limits due to planting. But I might get one more shot at this site if I act quickly.

 

[Westfront]

Great buckle! Congrats! I knew you get some more out of these field!

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Very nice!! Looks like a sweet site

 

[Wildcat1750]

That larger buckle looks like the soil treated it well!

 

[joeyfresh]

Nice! I know you showed your old silver coin collection but I would love to see your buckles too. Work on that in between writing your four hundred magazine articles

 

[CRUSADER]

Its always nice to get them whole like that!

 

[VERMONTIS]

Nice buckle and everthing else!!!

 

[vpnavy]

Nice finds Bill D. (VA)!

 

[mangum]

Awesome buckles! Just one of those would make my day!

 

[Steve in PA]

Love that larger buckle Bill. That slick patina makes me think it might be bronze. The smaller buckle is nice too.

 

[birdman]

Bill,those buckles are fantastic. Really nice saves!

 

[Jeff H]

That spectacle buckle is outrageous !

 

[Valley Ranger]

Great saves!

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Working toward your 25th colonial silver coin? You have some quality sites. Those complete buckles are wonderful finds!

 

[John_Deere]

Dang, great finds! Congrats and HH!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Love that larger buckle Bill. That slick patina makes me think it might be bronze. The smaller buckle is nice too.

Thanks Steve. According to my reference book the large spectacle buckle comes under the category "Cast copper-alloy double loop sub-oval buckle: c1600-1720".

 

[metalev4]

Awesome buckles Bill! More there I would say including that piece of silver

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Working toward your 25th colonial silver coin? You have some quality sites. Those complete buckles are wonderful finds!

Thanks Silver Tree Chaser. The only Mass. silver I have is a cut piece from a NOE-11 pine tree shilling. Still looking for my first whole one. And if I'm fortunate enough to find #25 this season it will also be my #150 overall. I've been fortunate the last 2 years to have gotten into some really nice sites, and have 39 colonial silver coins to show for it. Gonna be hard to repeat that next season, but that's what I said a year ago and look what happened. BTW - how many of those Mass silvers have you dug?

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice! I know you showed your old silver coin collection but I would love to see your buckles too. Work on that in between writing your four hundred magazine articles

Dang Joey - you're asking for the impossible. I have stuff spread out all over the place and mostly grouped by site, so it would be difficult to pull all my early buckles, e.g., for a group shot. The same holds true for coins or any other type of artifact. You're gonna have the same problem soon as the size of your collection is really accelerating.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Thanks Silver Tree Chaser. The only Mass. silver I have is a cut piece from a NOE-11 pine tree shilling. Still looking for my first whole one. And if I'm fortunate enough to find #25 this season it will also be my #150 overall. I've been fortunate the last 2 years to have gotten into some really nice sites, and have 39 colonial silver coins to show for it. Gonna be hard to repeat that next season, but that's what I said a year ago and look what happened. BTW - how many of those Mass silvers have you dug?

Bill-

The short answer is only one, as seen for my avatar, a Noe-14 Oak Tree Shilling. I found it back in 2006. I had it slabbed (which I kind of regret) by NGC with a Very Fine details rating. It has only the slightest wear, no gouges or scratches, and a nice strike. I've considered taking it out of the slab, but for now I'll just concentrate on getting a 2nd Mass silver coin. I had a recent stroke of luck and came very close to another Mass silver coin last week. I don't post as often as I should. I'm mostly a lurker, but I will starting posting up some recent finds soon and provide a longer answer. The age and quality of my finds have been improving somewhat since last year. I hunt almost exclusively for colonial-period finds.