IRON Brigade DOUBLE ISSUE!

BuckleBoy · Apr 5, 2009

Hello All,

Went out on Friday and Yesterday with Rodeo Recon for little diggin. The first site we got permission for had been bulldozed in the past for an irrigation system, and there weren't many keepers left. Rodeo found a piece of stoneware or two in a fence row, and he started pounding the fence row. He managed to get Shield Nickel #7 for my team and I since last March.

I got a little skunked at that site, but I walked up the hill to what I thought was a schoolhouse site hoping for an IH or two. Ended up with a handfull of aluminum tokens...a few from a business on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville, and a soap token. Unfortunately, they had "the rot" pretty badly.

We then went on to the next spot, an old housesite in a cornfield. Got permission from the owner and got swinging. When we got out there, we both had a hunch that the site would be on a rise towards the back corner of the field, and right up above the creek. We got iron blips when we started up the rise, so we knew we had our spot. Pretty soon the finds started coming--and Man, were they early!

First off, musketballs, spoon pieces, suspender clips, and a toe tap came up. Then Rodeo flagged me down to come over and see somthing. He had a Beautiful Tombac button in the hole:

Now, buttons like this are seldom found in the sites that we hunt (the sites are a few decades too new)--and in fact, during this last year, nobody on my team has found a large, decorated tombac. So this is a first for the area we're in.

We kept hunting the place hard. It was a pretty spot when the wind wasn't whipping us. (It was a cold day Friday here--in the 30s in the morning and windy...but Saturday was 65 and sunny. Go figure. ::)

)

I managed to get a couple old tools, then locked on a nice brass signal. To my Total surprise, it was half of a Colonial Era buckle! I might expect that type of find in Virginia--but Never here.

Here it is, after cleaning:

I also managed a ball button, which ended up being decorated. I also think I got a clock hand. (When I found it I started jumping up and down and yelling to Rodeo "You'll never guess what I found--a Colonial Sperm!"

(He thought I said "spur" :P)

So there were some surprises when we got the finds home. One of the weird things is the bent spoon which rodeo recovered. I feel like it was intentionally bent--this is no work by the plow. It is too symmetrical. Rodeo also found that he had a piece of a ramrod channel too. :thumbsup:

We kept angling for coins, knowing that any coin find would be Very early. But our visions of half reales and capped busts were not to be--this time. :wink:

Here are some of the buttons we found. If anyone can tell me anything about the age of this style of button with the "nipple" in the middle of it, I'd be very appreciative.

And here are all the finds, after cleaning:

And the tools I dug, which I think are pretty cool. Hammer head and a lathing hatchet.

And we saw this tree that was grown together. Weirdest thing I've ever seen as far as trees go. Maybe it's a Treasure Sign. :wink:

Photos from yesterday's hunt appear in the first reply below:

BuckleBoy · Apr 5, 2009

So yesterday the weather was much nicer. We'd pounded Friday's spot to death, and gone an hour and a half without a signal between the two of us... so we decided to let it rest a year and ask to detect it again when it is cut beanfield this fall. So we headed off to a new spot. Ended up getting no answer at the door, so as we were driving by a spot I saw a truck with bales of hay in the field and had an idea. It was a spot that the neighbors would not tell us who owned the land, and were quite rude. So when I saw the truck there on the farm I figured I'd go to the horse's mouth for permission. Here's what I posted back in June about the first experience with the neighbors across the road and this site:

BuckleBoy said:
It had been a slow morning. We'd heard the word "No" a few times--one of which was from a real A-Hole. I'd asked the guy if he knew who owned the property across the street and he simply said "Yep." (In trying to track down the property owner, this type of answer was NO help to us!) So then I chatted with him for a second, and he asked what we wanted. I told him about our hobby, and the types of things we usually find, and he then said that the property was "pretty much off limits" At that point, I asked if he knew where the owner lived so that I could ask him in person the guy said "He don't live in town, but I don't think he'd want ya'll tramping across his land." (I then knew that this dude had no intention of helping us at all!) And then this jackarse added "I own all of this down to the corner opposite his land, and then on down from the corner all the way to the next road, and I wouldn't want ya'll tramping across my land either." I thought about saying "I didn't ask permission to set foot on YOUR property, A-HOLE!" but instead I thanked him for his time, got into the car, and drove away. Steam was ROLLING out of my ears!!! Fellow Tnetters, I WILL find out who owns that property, get their name and number, track them down, knock on their door, get permission, and start hunting right across the road from A-Hole's House! We might just pitch a tent and camp there, wake up the next morning, and keep hunting!!

Well, as it turns out, I asked the owner about the pasture there, and he was a really great guy. I didn't mention the neighbors to him. So we got out on the site. Meanwhile, the neighbors drove by about 10 times!

(When the owner came back to see how we did, he brought his wife with him--and they walked out in the pasture to talk to us. The neighbors must've been watching the whole time, because they whipped out of the driveway when they saw him pull up, and stopped to talk to him. I wasn't within earshot, so I didn't hear what was said... but after he talked with us a bit more, he gave us permission for two more sites!

Anyhow...so we got out on the site. It looked like it would be an easy one. But we hunted, and we hunted... I went back to the car to check some of my research again, and rodeo said that he was going to eyeball the fence row for any signs. He came back with a Big chunk of stoneware pottery. So we got back in the pasture and hit that area hard...but again, nothing to be found. So I went back up into the pasture a bit, where I'd had one or two iron blips and dug a piece of farm junk earlier. And pretty soon, I'd found a doorknob.

I called rodeo over, and the Real Hunt began. We got a pewter spoon handle, a few buttons, and the like. I found a piece of a candlestick. I started gridding the site, but evidently picked a bad side to grid, because I didn't turn up much. Then rodeo called me over. I could tell he was excited. And here's what I saw:

A Beautiful 1826 LC layin in the dirt. :thumbsup:

Naturally, we both started hunting with the Fever. Here's a photo of Rodeo from a trip back from base camp. It was a beautiful spot, and the weather was incredible.

Everything was Deep in this pasture--around the 8-10 inch range, which made it difficult for us to find the goodies with the taller grass in clumps. (It is a site that we will be returning to). But I got a decent signal. When I dug down, I saw a flash of BIG COPPER!

This one ended up being the Oldie for the day--an 1818 LC. 8)

After a few buckles and another button, I got another decent signal. I thought it might be a large piece of cooking pot with a massive halo, but when I opened up the plug I knew it was non-ferrous. Another scoop of dirt, and I saw Big Copper AGAIN:

This time it was the new kid on the block--an 1832 LC.

When we got back to the car, we spread our finds out. It is a rare hunt in an area this age to get three coppers in one hunt. (Keeping in mind that most of our sites date from the 1830w or 1840s, and Very few of our sites are older than 1800.)

So we were quite pleased with the finds:

(Rodeo took his 1826 for cleaning, so I did not photograph it close-up and cleaned.) But here are my finds, after cleaning:

Best Wishes,

Buckleboy

allen · Apr 5, 2009

you guys rocked in those hunts...
congrats on those great looking finds... :thumbsup:

RPG · Apr 5, 2009

Another great hunt. That tree is in the form of a "H" as in "Here" as in "Dig Here".

Thanks for the story and pics.
Randy

Woodland Detectors · Apr 5, 2009

Maan, the things you find. Very nice

Marc(NB) · Apr 5, 2009

you've got an awesome site to hunt!!

lairmo · Apr 5, 2009

Congrats on an awesome hunt!!!
Glad to see you got permission from the neighbor of the arse!!!
Beautiful finds!!!

River Rat · Apr 5, 2009

Fantastic finds, excellent pics :thumbsup:

If only that tree could talk...bet many a courting couples sat there.

:wink:

RR

John (Ma) · Apr 5, 2009

Awsome finds and pictures!

Lowbatts · Apr 5, 2009

I'd sure like to tell you guys that you guys rock, but you know it already!
Great digs!

VOL1266-X · Apr 5, 2009

Great finds and research as usual BB. I'm glad you did not get into a confrontation with the butthead neighbor. He was apparently the type who would let you hunt and demand everything you found back. People like that want to appear that they have control of land they don't own. Makes them feel important and all relic hunters will run into that type if they hunt a lot. Great coins and more HH.

Eu_citzen · Apr 5, 2009

WTG BB, very nice stuff indeed! :thumbsup:

pepperj · Apr 5, 2009

Nice hunts, weird looking tree that's for sure. :thumbsup:

ModernMiner · Apr 5, 2009

The Iron Brigade strikes AGAIN!!! :thumbsup:

Great post BB. Awesome story, pictures, and relics.
I forgot what an LC looked like, so thanks for reminding me. :tongue3:

Great coin finds guys, and some super looking buttons too.
That "H" tree is very weird. Never saw anything like that either.
Another successful field hunt. I'm glad you got permission to detect that property. Now the neighbor has steam coming out of HIS eras.

Congrats,
Doug

kuger · Apr 5, 2009

Great post as usual Buck!That tree is crazy!I dont think thats natural? :icon_scratch:

Yea getting permission is that way sometimes!I used to take those "NO's",personal,and really get upset.....it still bothers me sometimes,but thats the way it goes.I have several sites that my own family own that if I could get into would be the most productive sites I have ever hunted but its not happening.I guess if it was easy to get permission there would be no virgin spots?Way to go on the coins,that is awesome!!!

coltdavis · Apr 5, 2009

Nice finds and great post as always! The trees growing together is pretty cool :thumbsup:

also congrats on the LCs im hoping to dig 1 this year :thumbsup:

keep it up and HH

redlined · Apr 5, 2009

Way to go you guys, I'd say a three LC day in this state is a stellar performance! :thumbsup:

I'm glad to see a post from ya Buck, I just knew you guys were finding something cool these last few weeks. I'm expecting you two to pull off a buckle or two(or even three) any day now. Seems like about this time last year you hit the jackpot. Keep on swingin' and good luck........

PA · Apr 5, 2009

hi buckelboy,

very great finds sir. you and buddies did well. why did you want to hunt that pasture? did you research the land?

henry

BuckleBoy · Apr 5, 2009

allen said:
you guys rocked in those hunts...
congrats on those great looking finds...

Thank you so much, my fellow Kentuckian. :thumbsup:

RPG said:
Another great hunt. That tree is in the form of a "H" as in "Here" as in "Dig Here".
Thanks for the story and pics.
Randy

LOL, we swung the detectors around it out of curiosity--but not a peep.

4-H staff said:
Maan, the things you find. Very nice

8)

Marc(NB) said:
you've got an awesome site to hunt!!

Hey, if one of my sites looks good to a Canadian--then I know I've found a good spot. :wink:

lairmo said:
Congrats on an awesome hunt!!!
Glad to see you got permission from the neighbor of the arse!!!
Beautiful finds!!!

Thanks for the reply, lairmo. It felt good to finally get on that spot.

River Rat said:
Fantastic finds, excellent pics If only that tree could talk...bet many a courting couples sat there.

RR

Yes, it does look like it would be a nice seat. And it is in the middle of nowhere... But no merry widows tins were to be found.

John (Ma) said:
Awsome finds and pictures!

Thanks John. I do my best to take good photos of what we find.

Lowbatts said:
I'd sure like to tell you guys that you guys rock, but you know it already!
Great digs!

We try to be modest. :wink:

I just love digging. And I like always trying to improve.

VOL1266-X said:
Great finds and research as usual BB. I'm glad you did not get into a confrontation with the butthead neighbor. He was apparently the type who would let you hunt and demand everything you found back. People like that want to appear that they have control of land they don't own. Makes them feel important and all relic hunters will run into that type if they hunt a lot. Great coins and more HH.

Only once did I ever give a property owner What For. I was a cocky 16 year old, and I can't even say what I told an old man that was very rude to me. To be honest, I'm pretty ashamed of it now. I've been close to losing my cool before--especially when folks seem me as a threat, or a thief, or anything other than a hobbyist. But yes, I'm glad I did not get into it with them--because I'm sure that if I had, they would've called the owner and told him months ago that we were jerks.

But my valuable lesson learned is to never take what a neighbor says and give up. Too many times, folks have said "The owner, Mr. So-And-So, is real mean and wont let anyone back there, not even to hunt."

I won't worry about comments like this anymore. Always get a yes or no from the owner themselves.