Finally joined the 1700's club at an old fur trade post. water and sand detecting.

[cadmaster]

Prior to this weekend my oldest find was a 1914 fish scale, but considering that I started metal detecting on May 27 this year and where I live is fairly new 1860’s I don’t have much to complain about.

I am using a modified Tesoro Cutlass II uMax. Mods were replaced a couple of caps to increase depth and waterproofed the unit. Works quite well generally in shallow water even fully submerged. I don’t plan on using it submerged very often but I like the option.

The water levels on the lake where I live are extremely low this fall and on Friday I decided to check out the public beach where there is an island that was a late 1700’s to 1821 fur trading post. I got out there and there was sand everywhere and very little water so I figured score! I detected for about 6 hours over 2 very cold days and did quite well. Finds included 18 musket balls, 4 period rings, one modern junker ring, 2 complete buckle frames (one is almost a complete buckle) and one half buckle frame, 8 period buttons of various types, hand cast buck shot that may be period, one lithic scrapper, one copper arrowhead, one partial period cufflink, one lead net weight, numerous clay pipe fragments, one period pendant, one knife blade and one jack knife. For modern site finds I recovered a 1938 Canadian nickel, several shot shell brass and several rifle and pistol brass casings all dating from 1920-1940.

The weather was cold and the hands suffered between being wet and cold by the end of each trip I could barely feel my fingers, but it was worth it as I can say with confidence now that I am in the 1700’s club which is a big jump from being in the 1900’s club LOL!

Metal detecting on the island is prohibited as it is private property, but with so much lake bottom exposed due to low water levels I did very well.

There was some archaeology done on the site several times during the 1990’s and most of the finds are typical, except for the fur trade rings and buckles.

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Congratulations on the coins and relics!

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Wow very cool old stuff love the old Jesuit rings .
Gary

 

[Brother Al]

Congratulations! We don't often see newbies score 1700 era finds. You sir/ madam are off to a great start!

 

[pepperj]

Congrats on the recoveries, you did really well in the relic division.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on a nice assortment of finds

 

[cadmaster]

Thanks! I knew that site was good and I researched the heck out of it. I also read the archaeology report for the island and a little common sense and I knew where the canoes would land and depart. it just made sense to detect where I did. I hope to get out there many more times before the waters rise in spring (with a little luck).

 

[cadmaster]

here are some of the photos that did not upload correctly.

 

[deershed]

Big score in the relic department, I'd take a day like that any day.
Congrats!!

 

[DocBeav]

You are into some awesome old stuff! Hope you get a shot at more!

 

[A2coins]

Wow great and welcome to tnet That's enough to get ya hooked!!!! Great coins and relics great stuff for a display case Thanks for the cool post!!!!!

 

[cadmaster]

Wow great and welcome to tnet That's enough to get ya hooked!!!! Great coins and relics great stuff for a display case Thanks for the cool post!!!!!

I was pretty much hooked before I even got the detector, but day two detecting I found a $1300 gold chain so I was addicted from that point.
so far this year about $400 in coin, 1 gold chain, 3 gold rings, 1 silver chain, 2 silver rings, 2 silver pendants, 2 silver bracelets, 1 silver charm. 1914 fishscale, 1917 half penny, 1920 penny love token.........

 

[cadmaster]

Last day out and only a couple of recoveries

Too much darn ice and snow so the season is over, but I did get a couple of things today.
found 2 copper/brass Indian tinklers (no jokes please)LOL
A piece of lead that looks like a partial sphere, has clean edges do it was made that way. oh and one small flat button with broken shank.
a piece of iron that looks interesting, but no idea what it is. one side has been cut as the edge was very clean.
missing one small calibre musket ball no idea where that went. also recovered some modern lead pellets, modern .22 casing and slugs. and the usual junk.

Generally it was a disappointing trip, but still fun. I was hoping beyond hope that I could still access the whole area and score another big one, but unfortunately 1/2" ice every where but the channel and right near the channel and 2-3 inches of snow on top of that made it hard. I ended up spending more time breaking ice and moving it around than detecting. visibility was fairly good near the channel so I was within 3 feet of it but did did not venture closer and I could cover the are with out standing on dangerous ground.