New site produces Buttons, Coins, Apothecary Weight

[Steve in PA]

Located a new site on Sunday, a small house site in a hayfield. The site appears to date from about 1790 to 1825. The grass around here is starting to grow fast, and conditions would have been better a month ago, but I did find a few things. I got a couple coppers – one a Draped Bust LC with a date that is a little tough to make out but I’m leaning toward 1800, the other is a 1795 Liberty Cap. I also found an odd copper ball that measures 1.17 inches and weighs 115.2 grams. The item I am most interested in finding more information on is the scale weight. I haven’t had a chance to research it very much yet. It appears to be an Apothecary weight. But it could be a coin weight although I think it’s too heavy for any coins that would have been circulating. It weighs 48.6 grams.

Here is my take from the first 3.5 hours:


Here are the large cents. Unfortunately the details aren't very crisp.


Here are several views of the weight. I would be interested in knowing what the markings represent.


Thanks for looking. Hopefully I'll get some silver next time.

 

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[tinpan]

Hi, Apothecary is measured in a liquid oz Based firstly based on a 'wine oz' and changed to a imperal oz liquid by the british in 1826 and then controlled in 1878 while the Americians continued use the wine oz. The difference?

 

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[Z.K.]

Really nice finds. I love that in the midst of liberty cap and draped cents the focus is on weight and measurement systems from 200 years ago.
I HAVE FOUND MY PEOPLE!

 

[Steve in PA]

Really nice finds. I love that in the midst of liberty cap and draped cents the focus is on weight and measurement systems from 200 years ago.
I HAVE FOUND MY PEOPLE!

LOL I think the coins of 200 years ago are pretty well understood and we see enough of them posted. The weights and measurement systems from 200 years ago are not so well understood and we don't see these weights posted all that often.

 

[cjon455]

Great finds Steve, sites like that don't turn up all that often, hope ya get some more from there!

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on some very nice finds

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Good job Steve, new sites are great.

 

[DownNDirty]

Those items have ben frequently discussed here on T-net and other forums. They turn up frequently on late 18th / early 19th century sites. They were mounted in conjunction with a decorative bracket to form a strap guide, presumably used on saddles.

See this old post for a discussion on the subject
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/94940-any-ideas-what-brass-item.html

Here is the one I found, at an 18th century home site

 

[DownNDirty]

Steve is correct. These are back plates that are part of a 2-piece strap guide. An elongated U-shaped front face would sit on top of these plates and they were joined together with iron pins which easily corrode explaining why these artifacts are never found complete. Below is an example of what a 2-piece strap guide might look like.

View attachment 1438191

After seeing your picture I realized I had found one of the raised pieces at the same site (an early to mid-18th century home site). I took it out and low and behold it's an exact match to the oval piece. Thanks Bill!

 

[CRUSADER]

After seeing your picture I realized I had found one of the raised pieces at the same site (an early to mid-18th century home site. I took it out and low and behold it's an exact match to the oval piece. Thanks Bill!

View attachment 1438429

Really? I thought we all knew...lol

 

[against the wind]

Thank you guys, this post has been very educational.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

After seeing your picture I realized I had found one of the raised pieces at the same site (an early to mid-18th century home site). I took it out and low and behold it's an exact match to the oval piece. Thanks Bill!

View attachment 1438429

Wow - that's amazing you were able to match those up - nice going! I've found many of these pieces over the years, multiple from some sites, but have never been able to find any matches. I did find 2 cut pieces of Spanish silver that matched up, though, which was probably even more of a longshot. That'll never happen again ....

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Awesome finds. And great research to save these relics and coins. I found an identical brass ball in Sewickley Hts this Spring. My hypothesis on the ball is that it is from the Allegheny Arsenal, Civil War era used for grinding black powder. I bet some of the hundreds of workers brought some balls home for their kids as toys.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[vpnavy]