- Mar 30, 2020
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- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
In the time since I began metal detecting a year and half ago, I started reading historical texts which have given me insights into the colonial, federalist, and Jacksonian periods. These periods cover the artifacts I successfully hunt for on eastern long Island, NY. These books help to explain the what and why. I feel it has helped me to get my head into the game. I do have a background as a professional archaeologist and have always loved the study of history in general.
I'm halfway through David McCullough's "John Adams," the excellent Pulitzer Prize-Winning biography from 2001. Before that, I read Ron Chernow's epic "Washington, " another Pulitzer Prize-Winner written in 2010. Before that, Chernow's "Hamilton written in 2004. And before that, Jon Mecham's "Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power" 2013 and his "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House," another Pulitzer Prize-winner written in 2009. All fantastic and well-written tales which have connected me closer to our country. (In hindsight I would have read them in different sequence). Next up are books on Madison, Monroe, and Franklin.
I also have some good reference texts in Ross Whitehead's "Buckles 1250 - 1800;" Q. David Bower's "A Guide Book of the United States Mint: Colonial, State, Private Territorial, and Federal coining Facilities;" and Hume's "A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America." I own Simon Schama's breathtaking and expansive hardcover three volume set "A History of Britain" with the complete companion 15 hour boxed DVD set of programs which aired on the BBC.
If any of you have must read recommendations along similar lines I would like to hear about them. Especially something of the first New England Puritan settlers which first landed in my area during the mid-1600's. Their few numbers and spartan lifestyles have made them elusive, but I can sense their presence.
And of course I am always learning from my fellow members on TNet. Teach me you have. Combined with over a 1,000 hrs. each swinging first my White's Spectra V3i and then my Nox 800, getting to know local soils and typical area artifacts. Recently when I was showing a small group of friends some finds, one of them called out: "grave robber!" To which I quickly relied: "No sir, I am not a lawyer." Besides, I was merely showing them some Georgian shoe buckles, what I affectionately call colonial flat tires. This a sport, a journey of sorts.
Along with some surprises. Such as finding a beautiful GW Inaugural Button and at the time not realizing what I had found. Reading Chernow's "Washington" I now realize what a God-like figure of his time George was (first term anyway). Finding a NY Mercantile Exchange penny then afterwards reading about the fate of the First Bank under Jackson. Finding a well-worn 1774 Spanish one real next to my home and now understanding why it was lost there. Discovering many KG I, II, III half pence nearly worn slick resulting from a scarcity of hard currency and reliance on the barter and ledger systems of commerce. Uncovering a beautiful Machin's Mills counterfeit and afterwards reading Hamilton, learning of the timing and importance of upstate NY to the US Constitution. A general scarcity of manufactured goods and raw materials. And how my early US large cents are nearly worn smooth resulting from the first mint struggling to produce enough coinage for this country's exploding population. Among many other finds and their reasons.
So knowing all of this I venture into the woods for 6 to 8 hours at a crack fully realizing that I may never find anything on that trip. In the field in my head I am already thinking out where my next hunt will be. I kick the snow aside - only frost will stop me. I touch history and it touches me.
I'm halfway through David McCullough's "John Adams," the excellent Pulitzer Prize-Winning biography from 2001. Before that, I read Ron Chernow's epic "Washington, " another Pulitzer Prize-Winner written in 2010. Before that, Chernow's "Hamilton written in 2004. And before that, Jon Mecham's "Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power" 2013 and his "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House," another Pulitzer Prize-winner written in 2009. All fantastic and well-written tales which have connected me closer to our country. (In hindsight I would have read them in different sequence). Next up are books on Madison, Monroe, and Franklin.
I also have some good reference texts in Ross Whitehead's "Buckles 1250 - 1800;" Q. David Bower's "A Guide Book of the United States Mint: Colonial, State, Private Territorial, and Federal coining Facilities;" and Hume's "A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America." I own Simon Schama's breathtaking and expansive hardcover three volume set "A History of Britain" with the complete companion 15 hour boxed DVD set of programs which aired on the BBC.
If any of you have must read recommendations along similar lines I would like to hear about them. Especially something of the first New England Puritan settlers which first landed in my area during the mid-1600's. Their few numbers and spartan lifestyles have made them elusive, but I can sense their presence.
And of course I am always learning from my fellow members on TNet. Teach me you have. Combined with over a 1,000 hrs. each swinging first my White's Spectra V3i and then my Nox 800, getting to know local soils and typical area artifacts. Recently when I was showing a small group of friends some finds, one of them called out: "grave robber!" To which I quickly relied: "No sir, I am not a lawyer." Besides, I was merely showing them some Georgian shoe buckles, what I affectionately call colonial flat tires. This a sport, a journey of sorts.
Along with some surprises. Such as finding a beautiful GW Inaugural Button and at the time not realizing what I had found. Reading Chernow's "Washington" I now realize what a God-like figure of his time George was (first term anyway). Finding a NY Mercantile Exchange penny then afterwards reading about the fate of the First Bank under Jackson. Finding a well-worn 1774 Spanish one real next to my home and now understanding why it was lost there. Discovering many KG I, II, III half pence nearly worn slick resulting from a scarcity of hard currency and reliance on the barter and ledger systems of commerce. Uncovering a beautiful Machin's Mills counterfeit and afterwards reading Hamilton, learning of the timing and importance of upstate NY to the US Constitution. A general scarcity of manufactured goods and raw materials. And how my early US large cents are nearly worn smooth resulting from the first mint struggling to produce enough coinage for this country's exploding population. Among many other finds and their reasons.
So knowing all of this I venture into the woods for 6 to 8 hours at a crack fully realizing that I may never find anything on that trip. In the field in my head I am already thinking out where my next hunt will be. I kick the snow aside - only frost will stop me. I touch history and it touches me.
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