First Time Out 2007 / Need Help

[LJ]

I went out this morning to a park near an old CW battle site. Found nothing special.....clad, odds & ins. I did find this round ball looking thing that I thought might be a round from the battle. Can anyone idetify this for me? Anyway, I had a good time out there digging.

Also, how do you get these coins shiny again? Is it possible?

LeJeuene

 

[KenPa]

Can't help you with the round thing but thats alot of clad

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

Lotta diggin and some cool finds. Rock tumbler for a little while for the clad. Don't need 'em shiny to give 'em to the bank. Just clean.....The 'ball' is too small for me to see. Can you take alarger pic. Weight equivalent, approximate size, color, material possibly? Glad you got out.. GL

Laater...

 

[Danimal]

A lot of folks use a rock tumbler with usually a small amount of aquarium gravel, a shot of dishsoap, maybe some lemon juic and let er rip for a few hours

 

[Ridley]

Nice collection there.

To clean the coins without a tumbler try this...
Separate the pennies out. Take a plastic bottle (Gatorade bottles work). Toss in the quarters and dimes, add a few tablespoons of vinegar and salt. Then add a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. Fill the bottle just over the top of the coins inside with hot water and shake.

Do the same with the nickles and pennies. Make sure not to combine pennies with anything else. They turn all the other coins copper color.

Strain the coins under hot water and repeat the process until they shine to your satisfaction.

The other method involves risk. Simply insert the clad into a vending machine and press coin return. Don't tell ANYONE I told you about that. The risk is that sometimes the vending machine won't give you change back and you're stuck with an over priced bottle of Dr. Pepper.

Good luck!


Ridley

 

[DigMO]

Looks like you've been busy!Nice bunch of clad.Can't tell what the small ball is either.Glad you got out.

 

[EARTHWORKS]

Good job! looks like alot of work.

 

[LJ]

Okay, here is a close up of that ball. Let me know what you think it is. Thanks alot.

LeJeuene

 

[Don in SJ]

I'd be calling that a musket ball, do not know age frame though, but by the size and shape from your photo I will say yes, it is a round ball fired from a gun.

Nice that you got out and made so many finds.

Don

 

[LJ]

Don....you really think it is

You just made my day!!!! I had my fingers crossed thinking that was one. Wahoooooooo!!!! I am going back there tomorrow morning!!

LeJeuene

 

[Danimal]

looks like a large caliber ball to me as well!!
Congrats on your first old ammo!

 

[Stormtrooper154]

Awesome Day! Congrats on the musket ball!

 

[Moonshadow]

This recipe for cleaning your coins works like a charm. He's my pics to prove it. Make sure you wear gloves though....makes your fingers GREEN

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tablespoon of Table salt, ( Fully leaded not LOW Salt )
Enough DISTILLED white vinegar to cover the coins well,
A PLASTIC Scouring pad, NOT a metal one. ( The sort you use to wash the dishes i.e. a Brillo Pad )
& a bit of ELBOW grease.

TECHNIQUE:
Place Salt and Vinegar into an old Glass or plastic shallow bowl or pot.
Make sure the salt is totally dissolved by stirring well.
Place coins or jewelry in the solution for around 1-2 hours. ( Some items might not need as much time & others may need a bit longer, but DON'T over do it. )
Check the items and give a little scrub every 15 minutes or so with the Brillo pad. The coins will have a dull finish to them but that goes when you scrub.
Put items back into the solution until all the crud is gone then scrub & rinse well with fresh running hot or warm water and then Dry.
and HEY PRESTO.!! you have nice clean coins or jewelry.

NOTICE.!! VERY IMPORTANT.!!
If you have a coin or piece of jewelry that you know or think is Valuable, Then DO NOT use this method.
You may take away alot of the value.

Hope this helps................Moon

 

[Don in SJ]

Here are some for comparison if it helps, but I am fairly certain by your photo it is a round ball/musket ball.

Don

 

[doyboy]

You had a nice haul there! That is a musketball you found in that park. I would have to say that it dates around the 1860s. Happy hunting and have one hell of a time manana!

 

[Moonshadow]

Let me add this too............I only soaked my coins for about 1/2 hour. If they were still dirty after that, just pop them back in as long as needed. Also, make sure you rinse them really well......the salt will make them green again if you don't. If you had alot of clad like I did.....it does take a while cause you are scrubbing each coin. But I had over 100.00 worth, so it was worth my time and effort.

HH,
Moon

 

[Mirage]

Nice collection there.


The other method involves risk. Simply insert the clad into a vending machine and press coin return. Don't tell ANYONE I told you about that. The risk is that sometimes the vending machine won't give you change back and you're stuck with an over priced bottle of Dr. Pepper.

Good luck!


Ridley

LOL. Try first with a nickel. Then you can walk away only a dirty nickel out.

Nice bunch of Clad. That is a decent haul. It's been a while since I've gotten that much. Good job.

Mirage

 

[LJ]

Don - Wow....that is alot of musketballs. Thanks for posting that picture for comparison. Now that I see that, I feel a whole lot better about the one I found being a musket ball too. That is so cool. I think that is the oldest thing that I have ever found MD'ing.

Doyboy - That is about the time frame I was thinking too.

LeJeuene

 

[Moonshadow]

I've done the vending machine thing too.....shhhhhhhhhh

Moon

 

[TreasureTales]

Congrats on all the clad and the musketball. Carry a few little things in your treasure hunting gear: a magnifying glass, a magnet and a pocket knife. If the musketball is lead (as it should be), it will not stick to a magnet and it will be easy to nick with the blade of a pocketknife.

Hope we see more of your finds from your hunt on Sunday.