Help Identifying

[AuggieDog]

Hello. While detecting on a southern New Jersey beach a couple weeks ago, I dug this up at about six inches. I believe the sand on the beach was replenished over the spring. It is quite heavy. I believe it is bronze, but not sure. It appears to be hammered but not sure.

Thanks,

 

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[ropesfish]

Looks bronzie to me. I believe it to be a bronze spike.
It looks like it has had some corrosion, like most of the shipwreck bronze fasteners. (86+% copper, 12% tin and a little bit of some other stuff.)
We found one the other day about 20 inches long and as thin as a good sized pencil, of course we had to dig about 3 feet in the sand to get it, 19 feet underwater.
Nice beach find!
Congratulations!

 

[AuggieDog]

Thanks Bill! I appreciate you input. Is there any way to possibly date how old the spike is?

Thanks again,
Frank

 

[FriscoT06]

Beautiful spike!

 

[ropesfish]

Thanks Bill! I appreciate you input. Is there any way to possibly date how old the spike is?

Thanks again,
Frank

I do not know of any way to accurately date bronze spikes, other than by context. Bronze spikes of both round and square section were used from the as far as I know. I asked Capt Kym when he wandered by a few minutes ago and he agreed. I even took a peek into the excellent "Ships' Fastenings: From Sewn Boat to SteamshipBy Mike McCarthy" and failed to find any enlightenment.
I would, however, hazard a guess that has more to do with the condition of the surface of the fastener and the erosion/corrosion/oxidation processes that have deteriorated the copper in the spike and say that it is pre-1875ish. Could be 1575, but I'd lean towards 1775-1875. Please be advised that this is a straight-up WAG. (Wild Arsed Guess).
Still a nice spike.