Iron Ball of Mystery

[UnderMiner]

It weighs 3.7 pounds and has a diameter of approximately 3.10 inches. I think it's a grinding ball, but it looks alot like a cannon ball doesn't it? Of course if it was a cannon ball it would be contemporary to the war of 1812 and Revolution. I don't think it is that old. Likely a grinding ball from a 20th century mill or something. It appears to be made of cast steel or cast iron - it has faintly visible seam lines and a sprue mark. Not really treasure, but it was the only significant find I made today.

 

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[gollum]

Looks like its a ball from a "Ball Mill" for grinding ore into powder.

Mike

 

[trapperart]

Cool find

 

[OBN]

I can always expect the unexpected when opening your post! Always a lesson for me...

 

[A2coins]

Would be awesome if it is a cannon ball.

 

[fmrUSMC_0844]

Looks like its a ball from a "Ball Mill" for grinding ore into powder.

Mike

Thats exactly what it looks like. Im at work now and there are tens of thousands of them going through our ball mills right now!

 

[Old Dude]

I hope yours turns out to be something better than my ball used by concrete truck drivers to break up dried concrete in the trucks lol!

 

[UnderMiner]

I hope yours turns out to be something better than my ball used by concrete truck drivers to break up dried concrete in the trucks lol!
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If you search Ebay you will see tons of these trying to be passed off as cannon balls. Many fools are probably tricked into paying $30+ for one even though they're likely worth about 80 cents.

 

[sutphin]

MAN WHERE DID YOU FIND BABE RUTHS BASEBALL . I THOUGHT WAS A SHOT PUT FOR A SMALL PERSON....

 

[against the wind]

A few more and we can get a game of bocci going.
Congrats

 

[lookindown]

BB from a 1942 Red Ryder...they made things heavy duty back in the day.

 

[UnderMiner]

BB from a 1942 Red Ryder...they made things heavy duty back in the day.

Yes, nothing says play time like a "miniature" 200-pound deck gun filled with the childish amount of only 1 pound of gunpowder. Kids would chase each other around their front yards back then firing 4 pound balls of iron at each other at 1,000 fps, and at the end of the day come inside with only a few light bruises. Those were the good old days.

 

[Icewing]

Looks like a cannon ball to me, but I've never found a cannon ball, so what do I know. I did drive a concrete truck back in the day and never heard of using steel balls to knock dry concrete loose.