Early Christmas present, a very rare solid brass US plate!

tsgman

Bronze Member
Sep 13, 2005
2,139
30
Springfield, Missouri
Detector(s) used
Minelab 705, Fisher Gold Bug, MXT, Etrac, CTX 3030, GPX 5000, Troy Shadow, CZ20, Excal II, Tesoro Stingray, AT Pro.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My buddy John and I were digging a fire and trash pit Sunday when I plucked out a chunk of ash. I told him that if he would mark some ash of his face he will have good luck. I was taught this by Jimmy Good {JL} at the last DIV. Jimmy told me than that I would dig a clay pipe if I marked my face with the ash from the soldiers fire pit. I know this sounds crazy but I did! It was probably under a hour later and a clay pipe rolls out of the dirt.

Well I told my buddy John this and reminded him that the last time he marked his face he dug a 1850's Eagle tongue plate! He reluctantly marked his face with the charcoaled ash and I did the same. In less than five minutes he has a rare US plate! This plate has the stippled or dimpled area on the background of the plate between the US. The plate is also solid brass and has all the hooks intact.

The plate is listed in the Howard Crouch book on page 194 I believe. It looks really nice and he barely rinsed it off, I'm sure after he gives it a gentle cleaning and wipes it down with some mineral oil it will look even better! We went ahead and finished that hole with a few neat suspender buckles and a few marbles, all sorts of buttons. John also dug a neat bone handled fork that has a spade emblem in the bone handle. This means I will get back a plate I gave him not long ago. I had dug two US plates here and I told him I would give him the next one I dug if he hadn't dug one yet.

There was a condition that when he digs a plate here than I get that plate back from him, lol. There have been now four US plates, One breast plate, one Eagle tongue plate and one Martingale dug here so far. You can bet we will be back there soon. That plate was not that deep but there is just so many nails, and iron scrap that we never heard the signal! We have been hunting there since 2005 and are always amazed at our finds we dig. We never did actually ever turn on our detectors yesterday! Hope y'all had a great weekend!
 

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Upvote 1

pitdiggers

Full Member
Feb 16, 2009
178
0
Northern Virginia
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT, Shadow X5, Tesoro Cibola, Minelab XTerra
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
wow this is a banner item! Never seen one dug only seen them in the books!! Congrats
 

S

seger98

Guest
Congratulations on a banner find, beautiful piece of rare history.
 

jrsherman

Sr. Member
Oct 15, 2008
438
2
Tulsa, OK
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75 LTD, F75, Minelab Excalibur 1000, Etrac
More awesome recoveries Tim and John!!!!

DCMatt, those look like doll arms to me, but Tim will have to confirm that!
 

CMDiamonddawg

Silver Member
Oct 14, 2009
4,498
974
Jersey Cape
Detector(s) used
Fisher 1265X & CZ-7
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Cool story ,Great Mojo type karma ,with the ash ritual and keep one of mine till you find one yourself. Deserves a Christmas banner vote with that rare early Christmas gift :thumbsup:
 

Deno

Bronze Member
Dec 22, 2008
1,368
31
Fern Creek Ky
Detector(s) used
XLT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Sweet find. The next field i hunt i am going to try rubbing a little dirt on my face.
 

bula

Hero Member
Mar 13, 2008
606
3
southern utah
Detector(s) used
White MXT
Can I go with you the next time, Im sure it will only take me about 4 days to get there. Nice finds, the only way I might find anything like that would be to head east as I think there was only one battle west of the mississippi.
 

OP
OP
tsgman

tsgman

Bronze Member
Sep 13, 2005
2,139
30
Springfield, Missouri
Detector(s) used
Minelab 705, Fisher Gold Bug, MXT, Etrac, CTX 3030, GPX 5000, Troy Shadow, CZ20, Excal II, Tesoro Stingray, AT Pro.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
DCMatt said:
Great buckle!

Are those carved bullet chess pieces in one of your pics? I've seen a few (never dug one) but none like that. Those are pretty fancy.

DCMatt

Hey Matt those are arms from a porcelain doll.
 

Bavaria Mike

Gold Member
Feb 7, 2005
8,340
177
Bavaria Germany
Detector(s) used
Minelab XT70, Fisher 1280, Garrett Ace 250 and MH5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Awesome plate and worth several boxtop$! I want one, LOL. HH, Mike
 

OP
OP
tsgman

tsgman

Bronze Member
Sep 13, 2005
2,139
30
Springfield, Missouri
Detector(s) used
Minelab 705, Fisher Gold Bug, MXT, Etrac, CTX 3030, GPX 5000, Troy Shadow, CZ20, Excal II, Tesoro Stingray, AT Pro.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am posting another photo for Jeff and Pa to use for the banner.
 

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Nana40

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2005
11,486
280
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
MXT
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well Merry Christmas you two and pass the ashes! :icon_pirat: :D What a fantastic find! Heck, all those finds are super. And gotta love all them buttons..esp the black one with the 'X'. Excellent hunt!!! :notworthy:

Nana :wink:
 

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