IRON Brigade--Old Silver and Copper

[BuckleBoy]

Hello All,


Since the weather was going to be decent yesterday (above freezing and not snowing or sleeting), I decided to meet up with Coinmaster2db for a bit in the afternoon to hunt for the Good Stuff.

He had an old spot that he wanted to try, in an area where there was a really old spring house in a cow pasture. Well, we met up and got digging. Here's a photo of the spring house.







We hunted for a bit, and dug a few keepers...then I got a really Fine signal and popped out a silver thimble (2nd one in Kentucky for me). That built a fire in us to see what else was there. Then I dug a tombac button, which was a great sign of the age of the place.

Pretty soon I got one of those Silver uMax Large Copper signals. I called coinmaster over to enjoy the moment with me:















The coin looked a little small to me, so I was already thinking it might be a Braided Hair type--but when I got it home and cleaned it, there was another reason it was small...

Anyhow, we kept digging right until dark (about 3 hours), and it was a really fine haul for "The House Whisperer" and I. Lots of variety in the finds, and a few interesting surprises. I got a flat piece of bent-up metal that looked like a name plate, and when I carefully restored it it was indeed a name plate from a business in Indiana. When I dug the clover-shaped piece below, my first instinct was to run around in circles, dancing and yelling "Corps Badge!" (but it was not to be). The relic is cool though, but it is probably a decoration. Not too many things come out of the ground that are clover-shaped.

I also got a piece of the typical brass clock frame--but this one had the winding key in the back of it. So that's my first one of those, out of several dozen dug. The suspender clips were all of unusual manufacture. Also bagged a few musketballs and another large tombac button. Here is a photo of the finds before cleaning and restoration. The crumpled up name plate is in the middle, below the harmonica reed plate. I was happy that the restoration on that item turned out so well.











And after:











The clock frame with the key still attached:







The silver thimble. Quite a beauty.







And the Large Cent was an 1846. I am telling myself that the edges have crumbled away because of a defective planchet rather than 150 years of cow urine... She's not pretty, but she puts me 1 copper away from my 2009 goal of 20.











If the weather holds later on in the week, I will try to get out again. Until then, Happy Hunting and Best Wishes.



-Buckles

 

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[Hill Billy]

Congrats on almost reaching your goal of 20. If anyone in the group could do it, it would be you. You look like you had a good day hunting as always.

HB

 

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[Colonial Copper Zeus]

Keeping my fingers crossed and wishing you to hit the big 20 copper total.
Chris

 

[Sniffy]

Awesome relics you have there!

 

[BuckleBoy]

One of the things I've always wanted to find is a sterling
thimble. . . those are very cool

Great hunt & happy Holidays

watercolor,


They are out there. I used to think I'd never find one. I'd dug many brass ones but never a silver one. But then last year my luck changed, and I dug one last year and then this one on Monday. Keep digging. They can't hide from your searchcoil forever.

That cellar hole looks STELLAR my friend Some very cool finds there; that large cent has some "character" to it too Do you have maps of that area and if so do they show the home that use to be there?

Josh

Josh,

This homestead was not on any maps of the area. We have started to use other methods to locate them, with much success. We just get permission to search land now--and then track down sites that we have no records of. The homeowner of course clued us in to this one because he knew about the springhouse--but the other two sites on the property that we found he had no clue about.

Beautiful site, great pics, and a first-class haul... great post, Buck! Congrats on the LC and the silver thimble. I wonder if that can be reshaped back to normal without cracking?

That spring house foundation looks like the early stonework I see round these parts.

Rusted,

I would love to try and restore the thimble, but I am worried that it would end up looking worse than before. Most of the items I restore are made of brass and relatively flat (or need to be flat at the end of the process).

Sweet finds again. Not to stir it up but the clover...2nd corps?
These badges exist in nearly endless variations and were jeweler made in small numbers.
http://howardlanham.tripod.com/linkgr5/link207.html

That's what I thought when I dug it, but I am certain that it is not a corps badge now. Probably an early decoration.

 

[dneyedli@res1.mts.net]

Looks like another great hunt. I would have got a slight rush from that clover shaped decoration also. It almost looks similar to serpent side plate except threefold. I wish I was digging right now. It's been almost two weeks since my head has been filled with the beeps and chatter from the 1266. Kinda quiet around here. You will find numbers 20 and 21 yet. Looks like the weather is holding out.
Keep posting nice finds like this. It helps keep me away from that insane political forum!
Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Ironman!]

Congrats on #19 BB! I have no doubt after following your posts that #20 will be coming soon enough!! Looks like your finds span a few years that the spring house was there.

Merry Christmas!
Ironman

 

[Don in SJ]

Another good post Will, glad to see you get the 19th one and hopefully the #20 goal coin will be found before end of year. Silver thimbles are a super nice find, wish I could find more of them, but guess the poor man sites I hunt is the reason for so few of them compared to normal ones..

I see there is now a 2009 Finds section posted, but hopefully both of us are not done yet for 2009..........

Don

 

[Brian(upstateNY-Central Fla.)]

Very nice finds and hope ya get that #20 and an extra too put ya over

 

[tymcmurray]

Looks like a pretty good hunt! Way to get 'em in in between the bad weather!

 

[romeo-1]

That's a nice thimble...I'm still looking for a silver one!

 

[ModernMiner]

BB,
Congrats on #19. Come on 20!!!
As far as, "Pretty soon I got one of those Silver uMax Large Copper signals." I've only been lucky enough to hear that signal once.
Love that silver thimble, and you did a great job on the name plate.
Congrats,
Doug

 

[Dman]

Congrats on the nice finds. I like the thimble and large cent.

 

[pepperj]

Sweet looking thimble, are you going to restore it to it's former glory?

 

[BuckleBoy]

Some more great finds BB!!! As you know, my last name is Robertson and the C.J. Robertson on the tag was....no relation. Did a dump truck run over that lamp? That's the way most of them look. I've found several thimbles over my 14 years of searching for CW relics but never a silver one. Good luck on #20 copper and I feel confident you will find it. HH Buddy.

LOL, I think a dump truck ran over that Large Cent. I think I will only have a hunt tomorrow, and perhaps a few hours on Friday to find #20. Then the weather is getting cold again, so that means more frozen ground. But either way, it's been an outstanding year on Coppers for Kentucky. I only got 2 silvers this year--an 1850s half dime this spring and a washington quarter while out hunting with my mentor in Virginia this summer. So if it came down to it, I'd rather have an old silver than #20.

But no complaints from me. Any belt plate year is a good year.

It could be although this looks like an earlier piece...if i'd have dug it here I would think that it would date to the late 1700s-early 1800s era. As you know, the girl scouts use the clover as well also and have some pretty cool little clover badges that could almost have you thinking: 2nd Corp

I am now thinking that the clover shaped item might be early 1800s and furniture-related.

The picture showing the remains of the spring house was great. It looks like a great site.

I recovered an identical name plate as yours here in Denver so far as construction and stamping, and I think mine dates to the 1870s or 1880s. I found mine along with two smaller rectangular brass tags with matching initials, and so I believe they were used on luggage or trunks.

Thank you for the kind words, my friend. I believe that is the correct era for the name plate. The span of occupation for this site must have been early 1800s through close to the turn of the century, judging from the piece of the sewing machine attachment (ruffler) and late date suspender clips in the photo above. The thimble also strikes me as a Victorian-Era item.

Great old site and cool finds. Inspiring.

Thank you for the reply. Inspiration is a major factor of the experience at this forum. I love the sharing of finds and inspiration that occurs here.

Really great finds! I would love to have a day at a spot (civil war era) like that .... maybe someday ! Can't wait til you go back and post more pics! THANK-YOU FOR SHARING!

I don't know much, but I do feel like I have a good handle on the CW era spots here. If you're ever in Olde Kentucky, give a holler.

Great post. That spring house is a nice one. I see where it looks like it caved in beside it. Nice coin and insitus look forward to seeing it go thru your master cleaning process.
Good hunt guys and good luck on that last coin for your goals.
TnMountains

Tn,

That is about as good as the coin is going to get. It seems a little crumbly ("little" is an understatement). So I will keep the detail like it is now rather than clean it further and risk it. I like posting in situ photos, because those are the photos that get my blood pumping when I read others' posts. It makes me feel like I am right there with them, sharing the moment of discovery.

Great post Buckleboy! nice ole foundation with a big tree in the middle of it with some sweet finds coming out...

Thank you, Patriot! It's good to have you on the forum. We will all benefit from your experience, and the inspiration of seeing your finds.

Congrats on almost reaching your goal of 20. If anyone in the group could do it, it would be you. You look like you had a good day hunting as always.

HB

HB, after you called me and told me about that BEAUTIUFL 1820s Large Cent you found, all I could think about was finding a copper. Thank you for the inspiration, the friendship, and the quality partnership over the years. It means the world to me. And Congratulations on finding your Oldest American Coin. If I have my way, we will be pushing that record back two more decades for you in 2010.

Keeping my fingers crossed and wishing you to hit the big 20 copper total.
Chris

I will certainly try, my friend. It's been a great year either way--for all of us here, and for all of you up North. The year-end posts wil be a monument to all of our hard work, good fellowship, and great adventures this year.


Cheers,


Buckles

 

[Des from down under]

you know buckle boy, that made far better reading than the local paper because ..a, it is something i am totally interested in and b..you put it together well...all the best from n/z...and crack a bottle on the 25th ..des

 

[TreasureGuy25]

Wow, that area looks like very promising and has already proved to be! Nice finds!

 

[JimBeHuntin']

Nice stuff BB ... especially the sweet thimble and LC!

 

[Kyle PA]

Way to go, Buck, on your 19th large copper for the season. You have been dominating the fields of KY like the Colts and Saints are dominating the NFL right now!

Before the year ends, you'll get your 20th copper with a piece of Spanish silver on the side! Go get 'em, Buck!

Kyle

 

[JerV3]

Nice finds man.

I dug 3 or 4 of those name plates this yr. They were all folded up and destroyed. I was able to bend them all back out. They are nice relics. What is the deal though with trying to destroy them. Did they do this when the name changed? I wondered why they tried to make them not recognizable.

HH Jer

 

[hikeinmts]

Nice 19th..... Beautiful location, that reminds me of my grandfather's place in eastern Oregon. Behind the house, but it was
a dug into the side of a hill.....used as a cooler for milk, butter, apple cider, etc. And the snakes loved it.
Did I see a Chinese holed coin? If you could give me a closeup of the front and back, I would i.d. it for you.
Have you dug down into the hole? Have to be careful, but just might be a bunch of stuff under the dirt. And, don't forget
the sides of the place. My grandfather used the sides almost as much as he used the bottom of his spring house......keep us posted.