I hunted a house last night built in 1946. All along the front of the house I kept getting BEATIFUL quarter hits. I checked each to be sure it was not a bottle cap and they were not. When pinpointing they were small, coin sized targets so of course I had to dig them. However, mine were not sterling silver cane toppers. Mine (all 16 of them) were roofing nails with those round flat pieces on the end. Not a single quarter clad or otherwise.
I love your sterling cane topper.