My best 9 finds after 17 years of metal detecting

gwdigger

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All finds found on private property with owners permission. These finds represent alot of fun times!

1. A pile of Spanish silver cut pieces and cobs, mostly found one at a time but occasionally I found more than one in a single day. The oldest is undated and then a 1658 and two dated 1658.

2. A so called "Bucks of America" button, from the 1st black regiment of the revolutionary war. There is controversy over the legitimacy of such a regiment but it is surely listed in Albert's book of buttons as such. The shank is intact.

3. Virginia halfpenny - although I have dug others and several state coppers and halfpennies; none of them were in such presevered condition. Its beautiful.

4. RARE 1784 halfpenny - I have read that only some 35+ examples may exist of this coin. More info here:

http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinText/UnattributedCount.html

5. A group of really old and complete buckles - maybe not a great feat for some but I have not had great luck finding complete colonial buckles. I have hundreds of pieces but only a few dozen complete. Mostly found damaged from the plow chewing them up.

6. 1674 dated King Charles farthing - I have found 4 of these but this one was by far the best. (3 came of the same site)

7. 1780ish-1815ish eagle button with only 11 stars - remarkable patina, I have had several offers to buy the thing but I am not interested in selling it. I am told it is rare especially in the condition.

8. George Washington Inaugural button - I understand that its value is based on how many denticles run around the edge. Also its worth more with a shank. I have never counted the denticles. This button was in my collection for years until I figured out what I had!

9. 1652 Massachusetts bay colonies oak tree sixpence - My favorite find! I cant begin to tell you the feeling I had when I dug this in the Spring of 1996. It was dug with 2 Spanish cobs (one dated 1658) and the other from the late 1500s - found on what I have been told was a trading post in the mid 1600s. Absolutely the most incredible spot I ever metal detected. When we discovered the spot on the Chesapeake bay, we knew we had an old site with its hundreds of pieces of clay tobacco pipe strewn everywhere -just didn't realize it was THAT old. My very first signal was a 1500s 1 reale Spanish cob. After a few more visits I found the Mass. coin and thought it was just a Spanish 1 reale but it was something much better! Incidentally I thought it was worthy of an article in the treasure magazines so I tried no less than 3 times to get my finds in an article to no avail. Meanwhile, they published article after article concerning dug buffalo nickels and silver "roosies". Maybe my articles sucked but the finds should have spoken for themselves.

Thats OK...I enjoy them nonetheless...

HH, Gary
 

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Upvote 37
wow! Those are some absolutely beautiful finds!! Congrats, and thanks for sharing!

Love the buttons!! Heck, love it all!! Nice old stuff in great shape!
 

You lucky, lucky bastard! I mean that in the nicest way! ;D
 

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!!!! I would say you had a good run!! Congrats !
 

W :o W!!! Love em all.

;) RR
 

A lot of history nice finds
 

OMG! I am absolutley salivating! Finds like yours are the reason I began metal detecting 1 1/2 years ago. You are my hero, well done!
 

Thanks for sharing your collection....WELL WORTHY of an article in any magazine!! ;)

Congrats on all your incredible finds!! Hank 8)
 

Thanks much for the interest. 17 years ago I was 20 years old and hunted many times every week. Sites are not that easy to find these days, many of my best sites are now sitting under housing developments. Plus I am married with 3 children so its hard to get out even once a month. Glad I was able to get this stuff before it was lost to progress...Like I said, these finds represent alot of fun with friends and family and the smells and sites of nature on those creeks and rivers are forever etched in my mind.

HH, Gary
 

Find the time & get your kids digging for you. Whats the use of having kids if you can't use them. :D

Great collection.

Happy hunting from the UK!
 

Absolutely great finds!

HH

Lonewolfe
 

Those are some unbelievable finds...That took a tremendous amount of digging to accumalate...Alot of times people look at what we have found and think it was easy...I think you will agree..when putting together a collection like that it took many many hours and alot of trips bringing home nothing to finally get over the goodies...
Try to get the kids interested and enjoy them and detecting...Makes life even better,

Congrats on the great finds..
Rusty
 

Amazing digs, gwdigger! Your pictures are gorgeous too. :o

Welcome to the forum. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your finds! :)
 

Fantastic finds, man. You really had a great MD career.
Bob
 

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa :o
 

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