Rainy Day Treasure Hunt: Antique Silver Buckles & 1773 Virgina Half Penny

[JustOneMorePlug]

I've been working nonstop overtime for the past few months and haven't had much time to do anything. I finally had a day off, but of course it was raining, so I decided to take a little trip and check out an antique store. I'm glad I did!

I picked up these two silver buckles for $60 total.

The stock buckle was what initially caught my eye sitting in a display case. I picked it up and looked it over, but at first I was actually going to pass on it because I thought it might be a reproduction. Then I noticed another buckle barely poking out from underneath another item in the case
I asked to see it and was immediately impressed by the craftsmanship. Between the construction and the maker's marks, I was pretty confident that one was genuine. It appears to have been made by Minshull & Latimer of Birmingham, England, and the hallmarks date it to around 1897-1898.

I ended up buying both, figuring that if one was genuine, there was a decent chance the stock buckle might be as well.

When I got home, I was able to examine the stock buckle much more closely and found a JM maker's mark. After doing some research, I found a very similar mark associated with Joseph Moulton, a silversmith from Newburyport,
Massachusetts, who worked during the
1700s.

From what I've been reading, Moulton was a well-known early American silversmith. So theres always the possibility it's not genuine or its a reproduction. It has been heavily polished at some point. Any thoughts on its authenticity?

The rain finally stopped, so later I decided to get out and do a little metal detecting. I went back to an area where I've previously found Civil War relics and ended up finding
this coin. Its about the size of a quarter.

It's pretty toasted, but I can make out what appears to be a bust on one side and a cross on the reverse. I believe it's a 1773 Virginia half penny! Finding that after the two buckles was definitely the icing on the cake!

Thanks for looking!

 

[ToddsPoint]

Buckles are beautiful!

 

[pepperj]

Those buckles are top shelf material any day, good buy.
Well done on the copper recovery as well.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Well done !

 

[UnderMiner]

Those buckles are stunning! They look way too well made to be reproductions so I would rest with confidence in their legitimacy if I were you. The first seems to have been repaired at some point, to my eye two of the prongs on the 1890's buckle appear to be replacements as they are tinged yellow. This is an old repair likely using brazing wire in the early 20th century. As for the 18th century buckle, it has a specific level of crudity you can only see when looking closely at 18th century silver, the carefully hand-hammered unevenness of the silver is not easily reproduced with modern forgers using machine tools.

 

[Silvermonkey]

I've been working nonstop overtime for the past few months and haven't had much time to do anything. I finally had a day off, but of course it was raining, so I decided to take a little trip and check out an antique store. I'm glad I did!

I picked up these two silver buckles for $60 total.
View attachment 2263137View attachment 2263139The stock buckle was what initially caught my eye sitting in a display case. I picked it up and looked it over, but at first I was actually going to pass on it because I thought it might be a reproduction. Then I noticed another buckle barely poking out from underneath another item in the case
I asked to see it and was immediately impressed by the craftsmanship. Between the construction and the maker's marks, I was pretty confident that one was genuine. It appears to have been made by Minshull & Latimer of Birmingham, England, and the hallmarks date it to around 1897-1898.View attachment 2263138

I ended up buying both, figuring that if one was genuine, there was a decent chance the stock buckle might be as well.

When I got home, I was able to examine the stock buckle much more closely and found a JM maker's mark. After doing some research, I found a very similar mark associated with Joseph Moulton, a silversmith from Newburyport,
Massachusetts, who worked during the
1700s.View attachment 2263140
View attachment 2263141View attachment 2263144
From what I've been reading, Moulton was a well-known early American silversmith. So theres always the possibility it's not genuine or its a reproduction. It has been heavily polished at some point. Any thoughts on its authenticity?

The rain finally stopped, so later I decided to get out and do a little metal detecting. I went back to an area where I've previously found Civil War relics and ended up finding
this coin. Its about the size of a quarter.
View attachment 2263143View attachment 2263142
It's pretty toasted, but I can make out what appears to be a bust on one side and a cross on the reverse. I believe it's a 1773 Virginia half penny! Finding that after the two buckles was definitely the icing on the cake!View attachment 2263150

Thanks for looking!

I'd say you did very well! Both of those buckles are quite lovely. You did a great job spotting them. Also congrats on the farthing. That coin continues to elude me.

 

[philber]

On the buckle you date as 1890's, if you look under the far right hallmark (the lion type symbol), there appears to be initials SXM? and a date of 1706. I doubt Serious XM was operating back then, but maybe they were jamming to Rock Me Amadeus long before we knew!

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

Those buckles are top shelf material any day, good buy.
Well done on the copper recovery as well.

Thanks.

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

Those buckles are stunning! They look way too well made to be reproductions so I would rest with confidence in their legitimacy if I were you. The first seems to have been repaired at some point, to my eye two of the prongs on the 1890's buckle appear to be replacements as they are tinged yellow. This is an old repair likely using brazing wire in the early 20th century. As for the 18th century buckle, it has a specific level of crudity you can only see when looking closely at 18th century silver, the carefully hand-hammered unevenness of the silver is not easily reproduced with modern forgers using machine tools.

Thanks for your insight!

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

I'd say you did very well! Both of those buckles are quite lovely. You did a great job spotting them. Also congrats on the farthing. That coin continues to elude me.

I didnt know what to expect when I first found it. Im just glad it wasn't a crusty 1970s quarter...lol

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

On the buckle you date as 1890's, if you look under the far right hallmark (the lion type symbol), there appears to be initials SXM? and a date of 1706. I doubt Serious XM was operating back then, but maybe they were jamming to Rock Me Amadeus long before we knew!

🤣 I saw that as well. It got me at first. im not sure why it's there.

 

[oldmxrat]

Very good buys I would say, congrats on them and the coin recovery!

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

Very good buys I would say, congrats on them and the coin recovery!

Thanks!

 

[PenguinDetectsCA]

On the buckle you date as 1890's, if you look under the far right hallmark (the lion type symbol), there appears to be initials SXM? and a date of 1706. I doubt Serious XM was operating back then, but maybe they were jamming to Rock Me Amadeus long before we knew!

I know that song!! So good

 

[Florida Finder]

I've been working nonstop overtime for the past few months and haven't had much time to do anything. I finally had a day off, but of course it was raining, so I decided to take a little trip and check out an antique store. I'm glad I did!

I picked up these two silver buckles for $60 total.
View attachment 2263137View attachment 2263139The stock buckle was what initially caught my eye sitting in a display case. I picked it up and looked it over, but at first I was actually going to pass on it because I thought it might be a reproduction. Then I noticed another buckle barely poking out from underneath another item in the case
I asked to see it and was immediately impressed by the craftsmanship. Between the construction and the maker's marks, I was pretty confident that one was genuine. It appears to have been made by Minshull & Latimer of Birmingham, England, and the hallmarks date it to around 1897-1898.View attachment 2263138

I ended up buying both, figuring that if one was genuine, there was a decent chance the stock buckle might be as well.

When I got home, I was able to examine the stock buckle much more closely and found a JM maker's mark. After doing some research, I found a very similar mark associated with Joseph Moulton, a silversmith from Newburyport,
Massachusetts, who worked during the
1700s.View attachment 2263140
View attachment 2263141View attachment 2263144
From what I've been reading, Moulton was a well-known early American silversmith. So theres always the possibility it's not genuine or its a reproduction. It has been heavily polished at some point. Any thoughts on its authenticity?

The rain finally stopped, so later I decided to get out and do a little metal detecting. I went back to an area where I've previously found Civil War relics and ended up finding
this coin. Its about the size of a quarter.
View attachment 2263143View attachment 2263142
It's pretty toasted, but I can make out what appears to be a bust on one side and a cross on the reverse. I believe it's a 1773 Virginia half penny! Finding that after the two buckles was definitely the icing on the cake!View attachment 2263150

Thanks for looking!

You killed it! What a beautiful buckle

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

You killed it! What a beautiful buckle

Thanks!

 

[Almy]

All great but as a coin person I especially like that Virginia copper.

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

All great but as a coin person I especially like that Virginia copper.

I ended up finding it on my way back to the car. It was getting dark, so I didn’t get a chance to look at it very closely or search the area any further. I honestly wasn’t expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. I can’t wait to get back out there and see what else might be hiding nearby!

 

[Mr. Digger]

Great antique store and metal detecting finds! We lived in Newburyport before we moved to a nearby town here in Mass years ago. The old Towle Silversmith building was right at the end of our street (condos and offices now). The Towle founders Anthony Francis Towle and William P. Jones begin their silversmith partnership in the 1800's after apprenticing under the Moulton family (who as you confirmed, dated back to 1690).

 

[JustOneMorePlug]

That’s really interesting! I had no idea how much silversmithing history came out of Newburyport. Thanks for sharing!