One Sweet Blue Saphire

ringfinder · Nov 6, 2006

Hi all, here are my finds for this weekend and today. I found this Blue Saphire pin in a woods way out in nowhere. You just never know what your going to find. The buffalo nickel is a 1937, 2 cent piece 1865, 2 silver quarters 1941 & 1956, Indian head penny 1891, rosy dime 1947, a token and it reads Shoemaker & Spurlock, Good for Five in Trade, a silver bracelet and a Button with a Coon Dog on it, found this at a one room school house today in a field.

What a great weekend, hope yours was just as great, HH, Ringfinder

markgPA · Nov 7, 2006

Wow, what a weekend you had. That is a real nice pin and I love the 2 center. I just found my first one, 1864.
HH
Mark G

Nashoba · Nov 7, 2006

Sweet isn't the word. All great finds but if that stone is a genuine sapphire just think of the possibilities!
It looks to have some age but is in beautiful shape. Dear lord an untreated 10 carat sapphire can fetch up to 45k per carat!
~Nashoba~

ringfinder · Nov 7, 2006

Baron Von De Kalb said:
hmmm great stuff for "way out nowhere"
research was in order here im sure
try not to led the poor new folks into thinking all woods are carpeted with coins and jewelry

DOH

You are so right about research, I do a lot of it. In the winter I try to go to museums and local libraries. I also have many local County Atlases and with them research the townships in each book. My partner and I put on detecting programs for anyone looking for a speaker for the organizations. We have been to retirement homes, Lion club, Museums, schools, you name it, and at all these places we pick up places to hunt. You can't beat the older population for recalling past places that they played as a kid.

Thanks everyone for your replies, I do hope the Blue Saphire is real, but it is so big, I doubt it. But you never know, it is really old and I found it at an old site.

The 2 cent piece is my second one this year, so they will go along with the 2 flying eagle pennies I found this year.

It really has been a good year, but research always pays off.

I do have to admit, I've found ton's of trash.

HH all and good luck in all your adventures. Ringfinder

Thorgrim · Nov 7, 2006

Congrats on your find! I hope that Sapphire turns out to be real.

Postalrevnant · Nov 7, 2006

WOW you cleaned out. Great finds. And yes that is one very sweet blue chunk of a gem.

Congratulations,

Postalrevnant

JerV3 · Nov 7, 2006

Nice finds Ringfinder.

The stone is a nice little piece. Is it set in sterling.

HH Jer

Mona Lisa · Nov 7, 2006

Simply Gawgeous, dawling! :-*

Your research payed off big time, Ring.

Let us know about the saphire.

Spitfire Reddie · Nov 7, 2006

ohhhhhhhh so blue & shiny !

Nice !

The Seeker · Nov 7, 2006

Looks like the Blue diamond from the Titanic!!

Nice finds! WTG

The Gemologist · Nov 7, 2006

Nice finds, i might recommend you look at the metal. Sapphires and most precious gems are mounted in gold or platinum. The area under side the gem is usually open for cleaning purposes and to let light thru. Is the underside of the stone open. check with a magnifying glass and see if the facet junctions are rounded or sharp. Pressed glass will always have rounded facet junctions. You can also check for small bright gas bubbles under the surface. If there are bubbles then it's glass.

A sapphire will commonly have color zoning also, light to dark color inconsistancies. The bottom of the stone is pointed also

Finally if the underside of the stone is flat, and covered with metal or foil it's probably (unfortuately) not a natural sapphire.

Check these out, good luck.

ringfinder · Nov 7, 2006

The Gemologist said:
Nice finds, i might recommend you look at the metal. Sapphires and most precious gems are mounted in gold or platinum. The area under side the gem is usually open for cleaning purposes and to let light through. Is the underside of the stone open. check with a magnifying glass and see if the facet junctions are rounded or sharp. Pressed glass will always have rounded facet junctions. You can also check for small bright gas bubbles under the surface. If there are bubbles then it's glass.

A sapphire will commonly have color zoning also, light to dark color inconsistencies. The bottom of the stone is pointed also

Finally if the underside of the stone is flat, and covered with metal or foil it's probably (unfortunately) not a natural sapphire.

Check these out, good luck.

Thanks for all the things to look for, the stone or glass is in a what looks like silver holder. On the back it has a hole to let light through. But like you said, it is flat and I suppose it really isn't a real saphire, darn it, but I really didn't think it was as big as it is. But it sure is a neat find, wonder how old the piece really is. The place I found it dates back into the late 1800's. Thanks again for all your information.

ringfinder · Nov 7, 2006

lordmarcovan said:
Man, if that's real, then the word "sweet" doesn't begin to describe it!

(Even if it ain't, I'd say it qualifies as "sweet").

Nice digs- I am envious of the 2c piece. Still haven't found my first one, yet, though twice I've watched friends dig them near me.

PS- I like the old sportsman button, too!

Thanks for your comments, I have an update on the Dog Button, it seems that the same button is on E-Bay right now. A fellow found the same button at a C.S.A. Civil War site in Richmond VA. Wow, I never dreamed it was a Civil War button. Thanks for the infomation about a sporstman button, that's what led me to look for it under that name.

HH, Ringfinder

idahotokens · Nov 10, 2006

Nice finds! The Shoemaker & Spurlock token is from Corona, NM according to Kiser's NM book.
John in ID

mlw67 · Nov 10, 2006

Sweet finds! A 2-center is on my 'to-do' list also. ::)

ringfinder · Nov 11, 2006

idahotokens said:
Nice finds! The Shoemaker & Spurlock token is from Corona, NM according to Kiser's NM book.
John in ID

Thank you for the information on the token Idahotokens. Do you know what they used it for, was it like a company token or what? Thanks again for the info. HH< Ringfinder

daytondigger · Nov 11, 2006

Sweet finds, where's the token from?

ringfinder · Nov 12, 2006

daytondigger said:
Sweet finds, where's the token from?

Well of course I found it in Ohio and Idahotokens it's from Corona NM. That's about I know about it so far. Will keep you updated