Hunting gold, and got a Surprise !!

[Relichunter1]

I have been nugget hunting seriously for the past 6 years with some fair success and once in a while I would find a relic the prosecutors left behind. These relics compromised primarily of rusty iron, picks, axe heads and shovels. As usual I set out early morning to detect some nuggets when i got this deep tone on my Minelab. I was using my Coiltek 14" mono and I knew by the sound of it that the target was deep. I dug a foot down, than 2 feet..the sound got loud ...but the dirt was compact and hard..virgin ground I thought..another foot down and perhaps a life changing gold nugget maybe? no gold...damn !! After about a half hour of digging..I pulled out a beautiful piece of a 2 piece Naval buckle. The wreath is sharp, as if it was made yesterday...a gorgeous patina to boot. After research, I am pretty sure its a 1840-1850's Naval belt buckle, I could be wrong...as I only found 2 examples of it on line and they were reproductions. I think I have a real treasure here, in a historic perspective. I would imagine this sailor probably came to the gold fields from San Francisco, probably went AWOL and set his course to the Sierras in his search for gold. California just became a new State and joined the Union...and now I hold this buckle in my hand. For me this is as good as GOLD !

 

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[Digger RJ]

Nice Surprise!!! Congrats!!!

 

[A2coins]

That's a great find. Hunting for Gold sounds like a blast also Great find!!!!!!!

 

[Whyme]

That is a really cool find! Congrats!

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find RelicHunter1. Thanks for sharing...

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I hope you checked the hole, there has got to be another half somewhere around there

 

[ecmo]

Congratulations on a beautiful find, that will clean up nicely.

 

[Kray Gelder]

Really nice find! I ran across a few examples, and all list it as 1850 through Civil War. An officer's buckle, it is considered a CW relic. Cool!

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on a great looking buckle.

 

[Relichunter1]

Joe-Dirt, I checked all around...I even put my 18" Coiltek mono on and scanned the area. The tongue part of the belt is a bit smaller but I will keep searching the area..you just never know.

Krey Gelder, I found that same reference on the net...the reason I say 1840's -1850's is because one of the references mentioned that this designed was also used from the 1840's through the 50's. The area I am searching was worked early in the gold rush..1849-through the mid 50's ..prior to this find few years back I found a flintlock pistol and earlier issue dragoon buttons. The pistol was not modified to cap...again this puts the period from 1848-1850's when they started to modify the weapons. Regardless.....its a cool find....hope the other one turns up so its complete.

A2Coins, hunting gold is difficult, extremely difficult...its hard to find good ground..but when you do find a natural gold nugget..its exciting!! I enjoy relic hunting too, but its difficult to think about relics when you live in gold country.

 

[GB1]

nice find now go find the other half

 

[Kray Gelder]

Joe-Dirt, I checked all around...I even put my 18" Coiltek mono on and scanned the area. The tongue part of the belt is a bit smaller but I will keep searching the area..you just never know.

Krey Gelder, I found that same reference on the net...the reason I say 1840's -1850's is because one of the references mentioned that this designed was also used from the 1840's through the 50's. The area I am searching was worked early in the gold rush..1849-through the mid 50's ..prior to this find few years back I found a flintlock pistol and earlier issue dragoon buttons. The pistol was not modified to cap...again this puts the period from 1848-1850's when they started to modify the weapons. Regardless.....its a cool find....hope the other one turns up so its complete.

A2Coins, hunting gold is difficult, extremely difficult...its hard to find good ground..but when you do find a natural gold nugget..its exciting!! I enjoy relic hunting too, but its difficult to think about relics when you live in gold country.

I believe you. Just thought I would throw up an intact example. It's a great find! Congrats.

 

[Truth]

I’m officially sick. Congratulations my friend

 

[Nick79]

Cool find and it's in great shape

 

[washingtonian]

Wow, really neat buckle. Definitely lost by a "prosecutor" ;-P haha. Nicely done!

 

[Reanm8er]

Relichunter you are the man!

Most of the repros I've seen aren't that sharp. It doesn't look like it's ever been polished. Please show us again after cleanup. Also banner!

Good luck and best wishes!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very nice find!

 

[Relichunter1]

Reanm8er, thanks for the nice words, i too was amazed how sharp this buckle is...no wear, the leaf points are sharp. Not sure if it should be cleaned of the patina or not, for now until I hear otherwise from collectors I am not touching it. Not sure if the patina will do it any harm..but looks great as it is.

Costa, thanks...I will let you know if its a 33 or not....I do know the area worked by prosepctors was an early digging...based on previous finds of this area.

 

[Dust Eater]

Great find! Now find that other piece!