Great day at new colonial site. Spanish cob and 1/3 cut of big Dutch coin!

[gwdigger]

Got out for a half day on a new site - a large set of fields on a local river. I thought a little field directly on a small creek coming from the river would be the place to start. Nothing. Not even a stray relic. I wandered around the woods line and came off the higher area and started to see shell. My detector started to pick up iron so I knew something was coming. Found a small button, then a piece of cut lead and then the ornate buckle. After finding the buckle I figured anything could come up here. Weird how some of the older sites are in the low areas and not on the hills. One section, where I found the 1/3 cut Dutch coin, is so loaded with iron my detector blanks out. I can read PARVAE on the cut piece. May be a silver rider but its got a lot of corrosion on it. Found a halfpenny and the Philip V cob on the outer edge of the site. Some neat cast buttons and relics came out. I plan to go back for a few hours on Friday. Can't wait!

 

[Mackaydon]

If the denomination of the PARVAE coin is in question, that may be determined by tracing a complete circle for the circumference of the coin, measuring its diameter in mm, then comparing to other coin denominations of know diameters.
Don..

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[Talondale]

Some good digs there. I especially like the Spanish cob! I always wondered myself why the good sites are always below a hill instead of on it.

Maybe they didn't want to haul water up a hill or dig a well twice as deep to reach water level. Perhaps also high exposed areas were more exposed to weather whereas low level areas were more sheltered from the weather and wind? If the area was really heavily wooded the elevation wouldn't offer much in security because your vision was blocked by trees so you couldn't see enemies approach. Inversely you now would be visible to all around and possibly put in more danger. Just my guesses.

 

[joeyfresh]

Did research put you on to that spot? Did you know there was a 17th century site there? I would be itchin' to get back there too but maybe your approach to wait until after bean is the smarter thing to do. That way you can probe around and dig test pits without too much of a problem. Good luck man!

 

[gwdigger]

Did research put you on to that spot? Did you know there was a 17th century site there? I would be itchin' to get back there too but maybe your approach to wait until after bean is the smarter thing to do. That way you can probe around and dig test pits without too much of a problem. Good luck man!

I was detecting another site where I had gotten permission from the owner. While hunting the farmer showed up to cut in some drainage channels and came out to see what i was up to. After we talked for a bit he offered up 2 farms and this is the 1st one I've tried. When the farmer explained where this site was I went to google earth and then compared it to the old maps. My jaw dropped when I saw where it was. This is only the 1st corner of the field and its huge and borders both sides of the 1/2 mile lane leading to the river. I tried the most obvious spots 1st and it paid off but there is another back side also bordering the river. Maybe I'll get lucky again.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

You are truly onto a sweet spot, those coins are off the charts for sure. My only hope is that I can end the season off half as good as that. I wish you all the best tomorrow and will be watching for your post.
Congrats,
ZDD

 

[gwdigger]

I used my finger nails and nail file to get some of the corrosion off the 1/3 cut. It seems to be an old counterfeit but I now have no doubt it is a Dutch ducaton or 'rider' as they were called.

Top coin:

mcsearch.info - The medieval & modern coin search engine

You can see the A of CONCORDIA followed by the lions back left foot then RES PARVAE

On the flip side I can make out parts of CONFOE and can easily see BELG. Also some of the small arms emblem.

Counterfeit but still a neat find.

 

[gwdigger]

Talked to the farmer this morning by phone. Although he said he didnt care if I went today its raining so its just not going to be a metal detecting adventure and now with each day the wheat gets ever taller. Especially with all this warm weather and rain. Thats it on this site for this year. But the good news is that he confirms they will be planting soybeans there next year with no cover crop afterwards - so I have the run of the place. I even have the ok to take my screens and excavate (Bill, I will be messaging you for pointers here - hope you dont mind?). So, next year will be a blast one way or the other - or both.

This farmer is a great guy and can open up some other areas just by word of mouth so I think I hit the jackpot for new sites. I've been to his dads farm years ago and its just south of a town established in the 1680s. There are so many fields down there and I've never been in them. That river has thousands and thousands of acres of untouched sites! I remember from his dads back door being able to see a brick plantation house built in the 1690s facing the river.

I still have his other farm to try too. Its just cut over beans all winter. There likely wont be one of these kind of sites there but I know there we're houses in the field because my old atlas shows them and the roads today are exactly the same as they were in the mid 1800s at least. 300 acres. Will post a new thread if worthwhile.

 

[Dirt.Hound]

great job on the cut coins... but my favorite is that buckle! such a beautiful patina on it... a real stunner! great hunt, congrats!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Talked to the farmer this morning by phone. Although he said he didnt care if I went today its raining so its just not going to be a metal detecting adventure and now with each day the wheat gets ever taller. Especially with all this warm weather and rain. Thats it on this site for this year. But the good news is that he confirms they will be planting soybeans there next year with no cover crop afterwards - so I have the run of the place. I even have the ok to take my screens and excavate (Bill, I will be messaging you for pointers here - hope you dont mind?). So, next year will be a blast one way or the other - or both.

This farmer is a great guy and can open up some other areas just by word of mouth so I think I hit the jackpot for new sites. I've been to his dads farm years ago and its just south of a town established in the 1680s. There are so many fields down there and I've never been in them. That river has thousands and thousands of acres of untouched sites! I remember from his dads back door being able to see a brick plantation house built in the 1690s facing the river.

I still have his other farm to try too. Its just cut over beans all winter. There likely wont be one of these kind of sites there but I know there we're houses in the field because my old atlas shows them and the roads today are exactly the same as they were in the mid 1800s at least. 300 acres. Will post a new thread if worthwhile.

Sorry you had to make that decision to close out the site for the year, but I think you made the right choice. There's no telling what you might get into in other areas of that property, or at other sites the farmer might be able to get you permission for, so its not worth taking the risk and potentially damaging the relationship. Down here Dan and I go the extra mile with some of the big farmers who have allowed us to hunt their expansive properties, and regularly give them artifact displays and even send Christmas cards with a small restaurant gift certificate. They really appreciate those little things, and it helps to ensure we can continue to hunt on their land. And by the way, please don't hesitate to drop me a note if you need any help on sifters, research, or anything else colonial related. Good luck getting into another hotspot real soon ..... Bill

 

[TNGUNS]

Wow...... some killer finds.

 

[H-2 CHARLIE]

I hope you are retired , with alot of extra time to GO HUNTING

 

[Ahab8]

Feel confident in the fact that you made a great decision and can be raring to go next year. It's really easy to get caught up and ruin a good thing. This also will allow your relationship to grow stronger with the property owner which could be a very valuable resource. And better yet you might make a great friendship with him and that can be priceless. Feel good about this all the way around and best of luck next year.