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.
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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

B|lker

Hero Member
Apr 3, 2006
673
37
Raleigh, NC
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Ace 250 And
Garret AT Pro
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Awesome finds and banner. :thumbsup:
I`ll bet you just wanted to dress up like Indians. :laughing9:

B|lker
 

lairmo

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2009
2,952
4,890
SW MO
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bula said:
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.
Actually, there were quite a few small battles and large "skirmishes".....

Tim, if you don't mind me asking...SWMO...Carthage/Newtonia/Granby/Springfield/or Pea Ridge area? no details..just round-a-bout area?....
 

pepperj

Gold Member
Feb 3, 2009
38,048
141,639
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Big congrat's on the plate, and the Banner. :notworthy:
 

{Sentinel}

Silver Member
Jan 11, 2007
4,739
286
Virginia
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Yes, a very RARE plate INDEED! I have heard of these and seen photos in the relic books but never have I known anyone that has dug one so that makes you the first! :icon_thumleft: :wink: :wink: :wink: CONGRATS!!!!!!!
 

DigginThePast

Gold Member
Dec 31, 2008
10,706
86
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Great plate. :thumbsup: Congrats on the find and for making the banner. Great way to round out the year!
 

HEAVYMETALNUT

Silver Member
Dec 8, 2008
3,465
2,982
CT
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Primary Interest:
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awesome! thats sweeet!!!!!!!!!!!!!congrats on the banner!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:
 

OP
OP
tsgman

tsgman

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Sep 13, 2005
2,139
30
Springfield, Missouri
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Yammy Elf said:
Great find!

Although...I am a little confused on who dug the plate :icon_scratch:

In less than five minutes he has a rare US plate!
Exactly what I said, he had the plate five minutes after putting the ash on his face, Not me, John. Maybe a few folks didn't read the story and assumed I dug it? I clearly pointed out that John found it, sorry about the confusion anyway. I posted it because he was not able to do it. I am as proud of him as I would be myself if I had dug it. Not sure how else I could have worded it?
 

OP
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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.
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kuger said:
Awesome find!You dont see them in that shape very often either!Could you post a picture of the 1850's Tongue....I would love to see that!

Here is a picture of the 1850's Eagle Tongue Plate John dug. They are smaller than what I thought they were.
 

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kuger

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Nov 6, 2007
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Great find!Thanks for recognizing that as a PRE-Civil war piece.They were,made for the Calif.Gold Rush,and are often mistakenly referred to as Sash buckles(which they were not,I have many period pictures of miners wearing them as utility belt buckles,even though the stamped variety as your example is were "flimsy",they often came with a pair of trousers and elastic cloth belt.I have never seen one on a sash)also often referred to as Militia,maybe in small cases,however as stated they were manufactured for the throngs of miners heading to the gold fields.In that your piece was found back east is also very interesting as very few are dug anywhere else but Calif.It is likely someone whom had been active in the "Great Rush",returned home to fight the "Great War".The stories that little guy could tell!!!
Here is a similar one to yours from my collection
 

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BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,132
9,696
Moonlight and Magnolias
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Is your buddy John a member of TreasureNet?
 

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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.
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Buckle Elf said:
Is your buddy John a member of TreasureNet?

I guess he isn't, I see the problem now, it's about the little made the banner deal under my box on the left. Seems like it is a real big deal and I see the problem with that. I didn't realize that would happen and I will be requesting it be removed. Not sure why it even went down that way? I will see if John can get signed up so it can be straightened out. Sorry for the confusion, I was just trying to get him some recognition and let everyone here see a really rare piece of history, lol. It's all good and I will see that order is restored.
 

OP
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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
kuger said:
Great find!Thanks for recognizing that as a PRE-Civil war piece.They were,made for the Calif.Gold Rush,and are often mistakenly referred to as Sash buckles(which they were not,I have many period pictures of miners wearing them as utility belt buckles,even though the stamped variety as your example is were "flimsy",they often came with a pair of trousers and elastic cloth belt.I have never seen one on a sash)also often referred to as Militia,maybe in small cases,however as stated they were manufactured for the throngs of miners heading to the gold fields.In that your piece was found back east is also very interesting as very few are dug anywhere else but Calif.It is likely someone whom had been active in the "Great Rush",returned home to fight the "Great War".The stories that little guy could tell!!!
Here is a similar one to yours from my collection

Thanks for the additional info Kruger, I appreciate it. Yours is a really nice one, thanks for posting it.
 

nova treasure

Bronze Member
Mar 2, 2008
1,726
453
Kentucky
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tsgman said:
Buckle Elf said:
Is your buddy John a member of TreasureNet?

I guess he isn't, I see the problem now, it's about the little made the banner deal under my box on the left. Seems like it is a real big deal and I see the problem with that. I didn't realize that would happen and I will be requesting it be removed. Not sure why it even went down that way? I will see if John can get signed up so it can be straightened out. Sorry for the confusion, I was just trying to get him some recognition and let everyone here see a really rare piece of history, lol. It's all good and I will see that order is restored.

It is a definite banner/Lifetime find, I do hope that your Friend will be able to get it reposted as a banner find.

Nova Treasure
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
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nova treasure said:
tsgman said:
Buckle Elf said:
Is your buddy John a member of TreasureNet?

I guess he isn't, I see the problem now, it's about the little made the banner deal under my box on the left. Seems like it is a real big deal and I see the problem with that. I didn't realize that would happen and I will be requesting it be removed. Not sure why it even went down that way? I will see if John can get signed up so it can be straightened out. Sorry for the confusion, I was just trying to get him some recognition and let everyone here see a really rare piece of history, lol. It's all good and I will see that order is restored.

It is a definite banner/Lifetime find, I do hope that your Friend will be able to get it reposted as a banner find.

Nova Treasure

Sorry My Fault.
I Received a Bunch of Banner reports
& PM's Requesting it.
Scanned the Post & Requested Better Pics.
Then Posted it.
Needless to say I Will be Reading & Triple Reading
before any new Banners go up :tongue3:

Even if he were to sign up today it was found
before he was a Member. Banner Worthy Find.
But Not Banner Find unless Found by a Full Member who
has been here awhile.

Jeff
 

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