🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Possible militia plate super crusty plate brass

[bonepicker]

Every time I find a rectangular piece of brass this size I hang onto it, in hopes that it could be a early militia plate.
Dug this yesterday in the area I have been finding my 1850’s coins.
Its badly bent and looks like it may have had clipped corners. Super corroded. I brushed some off and I’m seeing a line on it. Gona have to do some aggressive cleaning to get any more details. I used to have Sydney Kerksis book and maybe my mind is playing tricks, but that line looks familiar. Anyone have any ideas, or ever seen a early militia plate with that line type decoration on it. Probably have to vinegar soak to get any more detail.

 

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[ARC]

Looks more like copper to me from pictures.
IF it is... its more likely sheathing from roof

 

[TORRERO]

I think anyone who has done much digging over the last 30+ years has found stuff like this, and its just copper sheet metal, If you think it might be more, get a rubber mallet and hammer it flat and put it in vinegar or something to get the crusty stuff off, and see if there is anything else visible on it... Belt Plates and buckles are made of quality materials and hold up a lot better than this type of thing.. You can rest assured that that is NOT a plate of any kind ... IMO.

 

[bonepicker]

I think anyone who has done much digging over the last 30+ years has found crap like this, and its just copper sheet metal, If you think it might be more, get a rubber mallet and hammer it flat and put it in vinegar or something to get the crusty shit off, and see if there is anything else visible on it... Belt Plates and buckles are made of quality materials and hold up a lot better than this type of thing.. You can rest assured that that is NOT a plate of any kind ... IMO.

I never said it was anything special, but I just wanted a few opinions. So if I do think its something special I should hammer it with a mallet? OK sure thing.

 

[ARC]

I think anyone who has done much digging over the last 30+ years has found crap like this, and its just copper sheet metal, If you think it might be more, get a rubber mallet and hammer it flat and put it in vinegar or something to get the crusty shit off, and see if there is anything else visible on it... Belt Plates and buckles are made of quality materials and hold up a lot better than this type of thing.. You can rest assured that that is NOT a plate of any kind ... IMO.

Agreed.

IF it were any type of buckle or the likes... it would not be in that condition... even if slawed by a mower / bushwacker.

 

[bottlecap4u]

I we've all found stuff like this, with the corrosion, appears more copperish than bronze or brass. I usually clean it first, then if i think it has some fancy to it, attempt to bend.

 

[TORRERO]

I never said it was anything special, but I just wanted a few opinions. So if I do think its something special I should hammer it with a mallet? OK sure thing.

Just to straighten it out, basically when I find stuff like this, the way I see it... its in such poor condition that no matter what I do to it, it can't make it worse.. so just to see if it's anything, try to get the bent stuff out flat, (where you can see the whole picture) and then try cleaning it with something so if there is anything there you will be able to see it..
Occasionally these things might be a tag off of something and they will have writing on them, but like I said, they are so damaged already, there is little possibility that you will damage it more by trying to see if there is anything..

 

[pepperj]

Heat annealing it will make it less likely to crack.
Poor recommendations of pounding the shit out of something because it might be something.
Remember a person can never go back once they've done it.
It might be a plate off something else, historical in nature.
But take a bit of time heat and gently unfurl the metal.

 

[pepperj]

I think anyone who has done much digging over the last 30+ years has found crap like this, and its just copper sheet metal, If you think it might be more, get a rubber mallet and hammer it flat and put it in vinegar or something to get the crusty shit off, and see if there is anything else visible on it... Belt Plates and buckles are made of quality materials and hold up a lot better than this type of thing.. You can rest assured that that is NOT a plate of any kind ... IMO.

Nice that you have such a high opinion of other folks post up.
I've also seen some not stellar recoveries yet to dish the recoveries calling the crap or shit is uncalled for.
Then again you probably believe that you're of a higher standard when it comes to recoveries,
than most diggers.

 

[TORRERO]

Nice that you have such a high opinion of other folks post up.
I've also seen some not stellar recoveries yet to dish the recoveries calling the crap or shit is uncalled for.
Then again you probably believe that you're of a higher standard when it comes to recoveries,
than most diggers.

I'm a veteran Sailer and my words are a bit salty at times, I'm sorry if it came across that way, it was not my intention.. Only talking about personal experience with flat copper sheeting.. let me update the wording.. because it wasn't meant that way... I only used it that way because when I dig stuff like that, its usually what it turns out to be. My Apologies..

 

[TORRERO]

pounding the shit out of something

ha ha ha ... don't think it was me advocating for that type of brutality... I simply said to try to straighten it out to see if there was something on it.. Heating might be the best option if that is available, but I don't have a way to do that.. so it was just a suggestion to try to flatten it out so you could see if there was something on it..

 

[pepperj]

ha ha ha ... don't think it was me advocating for that type of brutality... I simply said to try to straighten it out to see if there was something on it.. Heating might be the best option if that is available, but I don't have a way to do that.. so it was just a suggestion to try to flatten it out so you could see if there was something on it..

Copper annealing can be done in an oven even.
Plumber's soldering torch.
Crème brûlée torch even.