Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings Ones a Mystery!

ANTIQUARIAN · Aug 8, 2011

Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Went back to an 1870's school site for a short 2 hour hunt today. The school has recently undergone some upgrades to the playground area and felt there should be some coins to find by now! Found $1.55 in change, another gun trigger and what I thought to be a bullet! :icon_scratch:

The bullet turned out to be an old brass tire valve extension with cover! :laughing7:

The second part of my hunt was spent in the back section of the old schools field. I started by hunting around some of the old trees and made some interesting finds. :thumbsup:

I think I found my first harmonica reed? :dontknow:

I also found two rings, one is very obviously a junk skull ring, the skull ring cleaned up nicely . . . but the other one has me puzzled! :icon_scratch:

It's heavy, has no markings on it and appears to be either made of lead, white gold or platinum! $:-\$ I'm thinking I might take it to a jewelers and get it tested, that is if it's not too expensive! :laughing7:

Any thoughts about what this ring is made of would be appreciated! :thumbsup:

Thanks for looking and have a good week everyone! :hello:

Dave

ModernMiner · Aug 8, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Yep, that's a harmonica reed. Congrats on the rings. Looks like a neat spot Dave. :thumbsup:

-Dug-

MaineRelic · Aug 8, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Tungstun carbide is used for rings and wedding bands too Dave ! Looks similiar so a posibility to look into ! Happy hunting ! M.R.

ANTIQUARIAN · Aug 8, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

ModernMiner said:
Yep, that's a harmonica reed. Congrats on the rings. Looks like a neat spot Dave.
-Dug-

Thanks for confirming that for me Doug! :thumbsup:

I appreciate your help.
Dave

MaineRelic said:
Tungstun carbide is used for rings and wedding bands too Dave ! Looks similiar so a posibility to look into ! Happy hunting ! M.R.

I've never heard of that type of material being used for rings before? :icon_scratch:

I wonder if this is a fairly recent thing? Would there not be some type of a makes mark on it? I'll have to do some on line research to find out more about tungsten carbide rings.

Thanks M.R.! :icon_thumright:

Happy Hunting to you also,
Dave

"Tungsten carbide can now be found in the inventory of some jewelers, most notably as a primary material in men's wedding rings. When used in this application the bands appear with a lustrous dark hue often buffed to a mirror finish. The color is more similar to that of hematite than to that of platinum. The finish is highly resistant to scratches and scuffs, holding its mirror-like shine for years. Although it is possible to inlay precious metals, woods, and other materials, these are less scratch-resistant than tungsten carbide."

Mr Tuff · Aug 8, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

nice hunt!! MR TUFF

ANTIQUARIAN · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Mr Tuff said:
nice hunt!! MR TUFF

Thanks Mr T! :icon_thumright:

Dave

steelheadwill · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Good to see your finds! Congrats on your first of many harmonica reeds :wink:

That ring is cool & unusual.
it looks to be covered with dings, I believe Tungsten carbide is extremely hard & would not display like that.
Any metals buyer will test it for free...
Best Digs to You!! :thumbsup:

Rick (Nova Scotia) · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Tungsten carbide IS extreamly hard, it is used for cutting tools to cut steel on lathes, and milling machines. try to scratch it, if it is carbide you will not be able to scratch it with anything short of diamond.

Also looks quite "pitted" I think that rules out precious metal. I did say "think" so don't be upset.

I like finding live rounds, don't ask me why, I just do.

That is a nice looking site, you could find anything there.

Good luck out there.

jerseyjack · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

That ring looks like it could be the metal they call German silver or nickel silver ? Maybe silver plated at one time ? I'm just guessing, it's really chunky for a ring, maybe gold plated to pass off as a fake ?

suprdave · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

hay its another ring find thats the best part right. Suprdave

EagleDown · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

While looking at the photo of the "mystery ring", I noticed what appear to be remnants of threads on the inside upper edge. (Which brought to mind,) while in the Navy, during the 50's, some sailors would take large Titanium nuts and using a file, would take out the threads, then round it, in lieu of a wedding band. After it was polished, it looked pretty good, though a little darker than white gold. Anyway, quite often, you could see a little of the threads left, as they only filed the inside down until it fit their finger. I'm not sure if it would pit like that one though. :dontknow:

Thanks for posting an interesting find and HH!!!!

Eagle

Bavaria Mike · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Cool that you can dig some clad and older finds at the same time, should be some silver in there unless the cherry pickers worked it over, LOL! HH, Mike

HISPAN · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

That scared me !!!!!! :icon_pale:

H

pl8man · Aug 9, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Cool finds Dave . Keep that ring streak going :headbang:

. The skull ring I think was a give away at a movie years ago , I just can't remember what movie it was . I have found 4 of them over the years and Carson always likes to keep them

HH
Glen

littlebill31 · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Really neat stuff!!! I'm trying desperately to get permission at a 1880's school house, now empty on a guys property.

Seabiscuit · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Good finds!

ncsilverspider · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Great finds! :thumbsup:

Lookin · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Nice finds and that is a ring, whatever it is made of! Let us know what it is after visiting the jeweler! This looks like a spot worth working a bit more! HH!

ANTIQUARIAN · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

steelheadwill said:
Good to see your finds! Congrats on your first of many harmonica reeds
That ring is cool & unusual.
it looks to be covered with dings, I believe Tungsten carbide is extremely hard & would not display like that.
Any metals buyer will test it for free...
Best Digs to You!!

Herbie, thanks for the congrats buddy!

I don't think the ring's made of carbide either, definitely shows too much corrosion and damage to the outside. I'll have to take it to a jeweler to get checked out, I don't think it's a precious metal though, something inside me's telling me it's possibly a mixture of silver and maybe nickel. It read at the second highest notch and solid in the nonferrous range when I found it. :icon_scratch:

Dave

Rick (Nova Scotia) said:
Tungsten carbide IS extremely hard, it is used for cutting tools to cut steel on lathes, and milling machines. try to scratch it, if it is carbide you will not be able to scratch it with anything short of diamond.

Also looks quite "pitted" I think that rules out precious metal. I did say "think" so don't be upset.

I like finding live rounds, don't ask me why, I just do.

That is a nice looking site, you could find anything there.

Good luck out there.

Thanks very much for your post Rick! :icon_thumright:

I'll certainly get the ring checked by a jeweler before I toss it in my "junk bucket! :laughing7:

And what's this . . . "you like finding live rounds, don't ask me why, I just do."
What are you crazy man?! :laughing7:

All the best to you man! :thumbsup:

Dave

jerseyjack said:
That ring looks like it could be the metal they call German silver or nickel silver ? Maybe silver plated at one time ? I'm just guessing, it's really chunky for a ring, maybe gold plated to pass off as a fake ?

Hello Jack! :hello:

The idea of it being German silver or nickel silver certainly is a possibility? :icon_scratch:

As I already mentioned to Herbie above . . . "I don't think it's a precious metal though, something inside me's telling me it's possibly a mixture of silver and maybe nickel. It read at the second highest notch and solid in the nonferrous range when I found it."

Thanks for posting,
Dave

suprdave said:
hay its another ring find thats the best part right. Suprdave

Thanks very much Dave! :icon_thumright:

Rick (Nova Scotia) · Aug 10, 2011

Re: Old School Site / Tot Lot Hunt - 2 Rings One's a Mystery!

Quote from Dave

And what's this . . . "you like finding live rounds, don't ask me why, I just do."
What are you crazy man?!

There is some probability...

Well for me anyway they are as rare as gold rings. I see a lot of hunters prize the leads they find, so I like it when I get lead, casing, and power all in one. Have a ton of lead, but only 4 live rounds.

Hope to get out tomorrow, depend on the rain.