My first post and it is a GOOD one!!!

[shack24]

I am new to TN and I have only been detecting for about 6 months now. This was my first really good find and to be honest it kind of spoiled me. After graduating college my family and I were staying with my wife's family in SE Missouri. I had an old worn out Garrett Gtax 500 and was walking back from looking for clad in a local park when I got a loud signal next to a ditch. I pulled this beauty out but could not see any details but my heart was racing. It wasn't very deep and sadly the machine that dug the ditch years ago probably pulled it up for me but also crushed it. Still, seeing that eagle emerge as I had it under the water was enough to hook me for good! I have found a lot of other neat items that I will have to photograph and post.
It is a Pattern 1851 Eagle Sword Belt Plate. Identifying this plate was as exciting as finding it! I am using an Ace 350 but with some recent finds I am looking to upgrade to a $600-ish machine so if you have any recommendations I would love to hear them! Thanks for looking and HH!

-Jared

The last two pics are what it would have looked like in great shape.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Great find and definitely restorable!

I'd PM "Sentinel" (Josh) if I were you and ask him for "Roland's" email address. I think Roland is based in Virginia and purportedly does amazing work at a reasonable price.

Best of luck to you and welcome to Tnet Jared!

Dave

 

[Shark27]

Now that's an awesome relic, regardless of the condition. Great Find!

Shark27

 

[NOLA_Ken]

great find! welcome to the madness.....I mean hobby

 

[Tuberale]

Terrific find, and welcome to TNet!

I am more interested in where you found this than what it is, although that is certainly a good part of the post as well.

I suspect more good finds may be along ditches and banks of waterways. But along roads would be another good spot to detect if you can stand the debris tossed. Among that debris along roads can be bags of cash thrown by drugsters to escape being caught with incriminating evidence. At least one brown paper bag of money was found close to me, and awarded to the finders when no one stepped forward to claim the cash. As I recall, had over $15,000 in it, all bills.

 

[IAsoldier]

Welcome to Tnets best sight ever for stuff thats been lost and now found. If your going to do a up grade I was told go for a Minelab Explorer II or SE pro around 600-800 bucks on Ebay. Or the best one out there is the E track by Minlab to 1500 buck. PS good looking buckle

 

[artzstuff1]

Great first post!!! awesome buckle.,, if I was going to upgrade, and lived around possible civil war sites ,, I would upgrade to a tesoro vaquero , or tejon,, life warr. ,no nonsense beep and dig,,!!! ,,, just my 2 cents.

arthur
wayne
co.
il.

 

[cntrydncr1]

that find will be hard to beat!! I think I'd have it straightened out and I've also heard that Roland is awesome.

 

[colorado14ers]

wow!!!! epic find!!! wtg and welcome to t-net!

 

[TerryEastTexas]

Welcome. An amazing find.

 

[Curious The George]

Great find and welcome to TreasureNet.

Find my post: It's Bent But What The Hay!-*Restored Photo Added*

Scroll down the photos I posted and look at the condition of the buckle I found. Then look at the last photo down after Roland Frodigh restored it. He is quite talented. Do a web search for, Hallowed Ground Restorations and take a look at some of his work.

 

[garthbfan169]

WTG shack that is awesome!!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Very vice find indeed

If you want to upgrade to a 600.00 or below machine, let me suggest these.

Minelab Xterra 505

Fisher Goldbug

Teknetics g2

 

[sekypaleo]

That's a great find! I have been hunting for 30 years and I will tell you my current machine (Teknetics G2) is the best detector I have EVER used....and it does just fine on deep silver coins too...even though labeled as a gold/relic detector. Bill

 

[underarock]

Welcome to TNet and great find! I would not have known what those guys were if not for tnet and to be honest would probably go in my junk box . Tnet continually fuels my MDing fire and inspires me to get back out there and dig. Who the hell knows what your gonna find. Everyday I check the finds and say wow! anyways welcome and happy diggin'

 

[Nutriasub]

Amazing find, and its in great shape!!!

Congrats!

 

[jjg70]

Welcome to the forum. Great find