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

[tsgman]

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!

 

[jgas]

Man I wish we had such finds up here in Indiana.....Nice find. Banner stuff right there. jgas

 

[allen]

We should all be that lucky to find
an awesome CW relic like that !!
My vote is in for it to be on the banner !!!

 

[pitdiggers]

wow this is a banner item! Never seen one dug only seen them in the books!! Congrats

 

[hodge]

its often said on this forum that we brits are lucky to be able to dig 'oldies', but this is something i'd love to find. Well done

 

[seger98]

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

 

[Trond]

FANTASTIC...

 

[jrsherman]

More awesome recoveries Tim and John!!!!

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

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

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

 

[gimifermagooskie]

You've done well man! Congratulations, you are on to something with the ashes. I'll vote for you!

 

[Deno]

Sweet find. The next field i hunt i am going to try rubbing a little dirt on my face.

 

[bula]

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.

 

[cntrydncr1]

Fantastic hunt! Congrats on the nice belt plate.

 

[tsgman]

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.

 

[pokerdad911]

You should really turn that nice find into a belt buckle.

 

[Bavaria Mike]

Awesome plate and worth several boxtop$! I want one, LOL. HH, Mike

 

[tsgman]

I am posting another photo for Jeff and Pa to use for the banner.

 

[Nana40]

Well Merry Christmas you two and pass the ashes! 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!!!

Nana

 

[whynot]

Beautiful plate! Ashes it is from now on....
-whynot

 

[VOL1266-X]

Congratulations Gentlemen on a well deserved BANNER!!!!!

 

[allen]

congrats on making the banner !!!