Nothing terribly exciting, but some sites still producing

[Ray in CA]

It's been a couple weeks since I last posted, as I didn't really have much to show for it. But these latest finds are the result of two separate sites. The first set of photos come from the SLQ lot, which is still producing some interesting things every time I detect it.

#1 & 2 - A very small chinese coin, about the size of a half dime. I'm hoping someone can ID it for me. After I cleaned it I went to dry it off with a towel and SNAP! it went in half. Doggone it! Didn't realize it was so fragile.

#3 - Looks like an old family photo from the 70s set in a medallion of sorts. The wheatie is there for size comparison.

#4 - A 1928 Buffalo and three wheaties, the earliest being 1917.

#5 - An old Singer aluminum thimble.

#6 - A crucifix made of pot metal and a cross icon made of copper. The latter looks to be very old, and probably dates to the original owners of the house that sat on this lot.

#7 - An old bullet in great shape. Hoping someone can ID this for me too.

 

[Ray in CA]

The second site is another school. I actually went over there to detect the tot lot and noticed that old houses were standing across the street. I reasoned to myself that perhaps at one time there were houses on the school side as well, and that they may have been demolished to make the school. Started detecting the school yard and found a couple wheaties, one from the forties and the other from the fifties. Realize I may have been right about this spot I kept at it, and after a few clad quarters I got a nickel signal, which turned out to be a 1911 V nickel! It's not in great shape but at least the date is readable. About 10 minutes later I found the sterling silver ring, which looks to have got whacked by the mower at some point in time.

I went home and immediately checked the Sanborn maps. No sign of old homes being built there. I then checked some links on the history of the city, and sure enough I found a picture of the school that was probably taken around the turn of the century. The old schoolhouse was replaced by the modern one, but that schoolyard has always been there and hopefully should produce more old coins in future detecting sessions.

HH,

Ray

 

[ivan salis]

the bullet looks to me like it is a transition type --from a cartridge of the blackpowder cartridge era ==(post civil war 1865 until the smokeless powder cartridges come on the "american" scene about 1899 / 1900 -- the us armys last blackpowder type guns was used in the spanish american war -- the black "puffs" from firing gave away the americans location to the spanish who were using smokeless powder and mausers (getting folks killed)-- teddy roosevelt saw it and when president called for a better rifle for the troops that lead to the ---springfeild 30 -06 ---one of the all time best bolt actions ever--- whos action was basically stolen from the mauser and who's cartridges used smokeless powder )-- once the smokeless rifles arrived --they drove the older blackpowder style guns unto retirement rapidly

bullets from blackpowder arms were much slower than the later smokeless ones were so they depended a lot on "mass" impact (size and weight) to kill -- later much faster smokeless bullets tend to be smaller in size and caliber , than the smokeless ones are .

 

[vanoldschool]

Ray That Thimble is kick ass, still looking for my first, sweet v nickel and Buffulo too

 

[wingmaster]

great finds congrats.

 

[Detectingfreak]

Awesome job on the hunting!

 

[Aquila]

Great finds, congrats!

 

[allen]

good job on all of those nice looking finds !!

 

[tomharris76]

WTG Ray, I was starting to wonder what happened to you.

 

[intimer]

it's super cool you can see the picture so well.

 

[Ray in CA]

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

Ivan, that's some good info on the bullet. A lot more than I was expecting. Thanks!

Now, if only that little chinese coin can be identified.

Ray

 

[gunntekk1]

that bullet is a modern day black powder bullet and it does not have that white patina that older bullets have

hh
gunntekk1

 

[MarkinIa]

Here is a site that might help you to ID your coin.

http://www.seaeaglecoin.com/

I would start in the " Qing Dynasty " section. good luck.

 

[ivan salis]

most older lead bullets from the blackpowder era --will have a whitish tone to em from oxidation while in the ground but depending upon the soil conditions that is not always the case . - however I agree , it could be a modern made lead "blackpowder" rifle type hunting round .

 

[Ray in CA]

Thanks Mark!

I found the coin on that site, second from the bottom on this page: http://www.seaeaglecoin.com/guangxu1.html Apparently it is a Qing Dynasty, Guang Xu Tong Bao coin minted between 1875 and 1908.

I've found a lot of chinese coins but none this small, which is why it kinda stumped me at first.

Ray

Here is a site that might help you to ID your coin.

http://www.seaeaglecoin.com/

I would start in the " Qing Dynasty " section. good luck.