IRON Brigade DOUBLE ISSUE!

[BuckleBoy]

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. 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.

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.




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

 

[STH69]

nice finds

 

[BuckleBoy]

WTG BB, very nice stuff indeed!

Thank you for the reply, my friend.

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

For sure. We were walking out of the site when we noticed it.

The Iron Brigade strikes AGAIN!!!
Great post BB. Awesome story, pictures, and relics.
I forgot what an LC looked like, so thanks for reminding me. 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

LOL Who needs a LC when you've got an NC buckle?!! For you, any relic or coin you can imagine--it's only a matter of time. Not "if" but "When" That's the great thing about MDing--and it keeps me in a great frame of mind. Every hunt brings me closer to that "When" for anything I could imagine (and lots of stuff I could never imagine!).

Yes, I was very happy to think that the neighbor was fuming as much as I was last summer. Rodeo and I laughed all the way home about that twist of fate.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Excellent finds!

I have some similar fragments of the "nipple buttons", but I have not found one that is still intact.

 

[mlhudson]

ALL HAIL BUCKLEBOY,
CONGRATES ON THOSE MARVALOUS FINDS COINS, BUTTONS, OLD IRON, YOU JUST GOT TO LOVE IT.....

GREAT JOB ONCE AGAIN,
KEEPA DIGG'IN BUD, YOU GUYS ARE TRUE RELIC HUNTERS HANDS DOWN

MLHUDSON

GOOD LUCK NEXT TIME OUT....

 

[Don in SJ]

A couple of good hunts, nice going on getting three Large Cents, the array of finds was good and typical of your hunts. As far as the button with the nipple, that is I am fairly certain a ornate button from early 1800s. The true "nipple" buttons that I know of are entirely different, they are solid, more round buttons that are very heavy, perhaps lead filled or just plain heavy pewter type material. They are from the 1600s and are found in this area, but not by myself or my son, but my buddy in Burlington County has a few (photos attached) and I have seen them found by the boys hunting in coastal Va.

Don

 

[Bridge End Farm]

great finds

you guys always have good digs

 

[Colonial Copper Zeus]

It's always great to find the largies. Tombac buttons are a favorite of my little club. Congratulations on a successful couple of hunts.
Chris

 

[Nana40]

8) Great post, BB! Congrats on getting the permission on that site. Fantastic finds~

Nana

 

[dfx willy]

what a great hunt! congrats on pissing that guy off. what comes around goes around. willy.

 

[JerV3]

Alot of great finds guys.

Love that pewter button. They are hard to come by. The large cents are really nice to. You got alot of nice history around you. But research is the key and you hold it.

HH Jer

 

[BuckleBoy]

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

You're exactly right. I used to get upset and take the "NO's" personally...but not anymore. And I don't ever think ill of a property owner for saying "NO" unless they are rude in doing so. It's their perogative. They own the land. But if they are unkind or rude, then although I am still peaches and cream on the outside, I am the Seething Gates of Hell on the inside!

All in all I'm not worried. We get 9 out of 10 permissions that we seek for the harvested fields. In terms of woods, we get only 1 out of every 3 or 4. But I understand the reluctance of folks to have two guys they don't know wandering around in their woods all afternoon.

I still think that's a good percentage. And sometimes we go on streaks of 15-18 "Yes's" in a row.

Nice finds and great post as always! The trees growing together is pretty cool also congrats on the LCs im hoping to dig 1 this year keep it up and HH

Thank you for the reply, colt. LC's like to hide in sites that are long vanished. The more of these types of sites you manage to find, the better your odds will be. 2009 is your year.

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

A three LC day in KY is most certainly a rare thing. Our state is not old enough to have much more than 75 or so years of large coppers circulating, at the most. So I was very pleased to see some good finds come up.

Yes, it is almost the 1 year anniversary of our Three Buckle Hunt. I don't ever worry about meeting or beating my totals. Each hunt is a day with limitless possibilities. As long as I bring something old home with me at the end of the day I am happy. To expect more would set myself up for disappointment. Of course, I do as much research as I can--in order to give something special every opportunity to leap into our finds pouches.

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

Thank you, henry. We wanted to hunt that pasture because I knew something that the property owner, neighbors, and others did not know: That my research had led me to an old homesite that was once there.


Best Wishes,



Buckleboy

 

[Detectingfreak]

Very nice finds! You guys keep on pounding those sites!!!

 

[savant365]

Great hunt guys, I am still holding out hope that I will come across a large cent here in NWMO (I can't even imagine finding 3). That tree is really strange, I have never seen a Siamese tree I probably missed it but what was the date on your shield nickel? Congratulations on your finds and thanks for another super post.

HH Charlie

 

[Juanmoretime]

I think the tree is trying to tell you something!!! Great finds, good story!!

Steve

 

[DD-777]

Spectacular finds all around for you and the Brigade my friend! Congratulations on the "Largies" as well...

Hopefully, I'll be heading out this weekend. Lord knows I need it...

 

[BuckleBoy]

Excellent finds!

I have some similar fragments of the "nipple buttons", but I have not found one that is still intact.

Cool! I'd love to see a photo or two of your buttons if you get a chance.

ALL HAIL BUCKLEBOY,
CONGRATES ON THOSE MARVALOUS FINDS COINS, BUTTONS, OLD IRON, YOU JUST GOT TO LOVE IT.....

GREAT JOB ONCE AGAIN,
KEEPA DIGG'IN BUD, YOU GUYS ARE TRUE RELIC HUNTERS HANDS DOWN

MLHUDSON

GOOD LUCK NEXT TIME OUT....

Thanks for the kind words, my friend. I always enjoy your posts too.

A couple of good hunts, nice going on getting three Large Cents, the array of finds was good and typical of your hunts. As far as the button with the nipple, that is I am fairly certain a ornate button from early 1800s. The true "nipple" buttons that I know of are entirely different, they are solid, more round buttons that are very heavy, perhaps lead filled or just plain heavy pewter type material. They are from the 1600s and are found in this area, but not by myself or my son, but my buddy in Burlington County has a few (photos attached) and I have seen them found by the boys hunting in coastal Va.

Don

Don,

Thank you for the information on these buttons. I will now refrain from calling them "nipple buttons" since the Real Nipple Buttons are much older. I was happy to find these, since they were not of a type we usually find. And while the buckle piece is par for the course for a person in the northeast, it is a scarce find in our area. As much digging as we have done in the last 15 months, this is the only example found so far. Thank you again for the help on these.


Best Wishes,


Buckles

 

[artzstuff1]

Fantastic finds!!!! great pictures,,, What else can ya say,,!!!! thanks for the show,,,,
Art

 

[kdismuke1]

GREAT COINS.PICTURES. THE TREE WAS ODD. CONGRATS ON THE FINDS.

 

[Slabman]

Hey Buckles,
Excellent finds!! Do you know if there was any Native American action in that area?
I grew up in a small town in North Dakota, just off of the Arapaho Indian reservation. I've seen trees that were bent into odd angles by the Indians, when the trees were saplings, to mark the direction of their trails, and camp spots. I saw two trees that had grown together in an upside down "V" configuration, and was quite similar to the picture of your tree. I was told that when a young brave took a wife, they would "join" two trees as a sign of a union, and that would be their special spot. Then again it could just be a cool oddity.

Slabman

 

[Tnmountains]

What a great post. Thanks for the journey. You have me biting at the bit for this weekend. Two 1700,s sites one 1800's and possible Cw camp.I am pumped up now just need batteries. Thanks for the inspiration
TnMountains