Found today: someone's ball and chain

[Rustic]

So I'm detecting that remote home site and getting a loud signal from my detector so I dig my hole and I'm probing in the hole, trying to find the target, but I'm having trouble getting to it as there's a curved, solid rock in the side of my hole, making everything difficult. Decided to dig out this danged rock and get it out of the way, but got quite a shock as it emerged a sphere. At first I thought it was a cannonball until I saw the attachment to it.

It is heavy I'd say at least 30 pounds, so I'm guessing it's mostly lead, but the super interesting twist is that whoever made it, looks like he tried to decorate it by putting coins on the surface. Unfortunately I can't make any of them out though.

Then I had to decide if I should leave it where I found it, cause it's so heavy, but I finally decided to hump it out in my backpack, which was no fun.

When I got home with it, my 80 year old father takes one look, and without missing a beat says "that there's the ball and chain your mother gave me.."

But seriously, he thought it might have been used as a weight to close a gate of some sort, which squares perfectly with where I found it, next to the stonewall which delineates the homestead.

Also came across the neat, lightning-struck white pine, which must have burned for a couple days to get all hollowed out like that.... beautiful. No other notable finds today.

Thanks for looking and best of luck,
Cynthia

 

[seekerGH]

Will be very interested to see the coins cleaned up.

 

[kingskid1611]

That is really interesting. Can you clean them coins up, at least I hope they are coins. Congrats on the exploring opportunity in your day.

 

[trapperart]

That is really cool congrats

 

[Rustic]

Will be very interested to see the coins cleaned up.

Unfortunately the coins are melted onto the lead ball, cannot be removed, and from the looks of them there will be no id possible...

 

[Molewacker]

Good Going on a interesting recovery !

You said the coins are melted onto the lead ball - perhaps the lead was melted onto the coins

Anyone know with melting points of lead and older coins? I can melt lead with a soldering iron but not a silver quarter -

 

[Gridwalker306]

That's a pretty interesting find, definitely a cool relic. Strange to have the coins melted onto it, makes it even more of a conversation piece.

 

[Rustic]

Good Going on a interesting recovery !

You said the coins are melted onto the lead ball - perhaps the lead was melted onto the coins

Anyone know with melting points of lead and older coins? I can melt lead with a soldering iron but not a silver quarter -

Yes, that's definitely possible. I actually have no idea how he managed it... besides the coins, I see old nails, too, sunken in the lead. How is a ball of molten lead made? How is the shape kept round without flattening out as it cools? It's as if he had a ball of play dough and he stuck things in it and on its surface, but how is that possible with hot lead? It's so heavy, maybe I'll weigh it on the bathroom scale to be sure. When I said 30 pounds, that was my estimate...

 

[1637]

just cool,
brad

 

[ScubaDetector]

Now that is an interesting conversation piece . Strange.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Bizarre find to say the least....very cool!

 

[Mifarmer]

I hope you rechecked the hole because to me it looks like it's missing a few coins!
Kyle-

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very cool relic, probably has an interesting history!

 

[Fixitdave]

Looks like had a braided cable hooked to the chain maybe a small wrecking ball cool find

 

[Chizzy]

Definitely a unique find with some family history.........!!
Hope it cleans up well for you. It would make one heck of a door stop............

 

[U.B.]

Gotta love your dad's comment. That is an interesting find for sure. Does a magnet stick to those coins? From your pictures, it looks like their on the opposite end of the eye. Keep hunting that site, and good luck!