Patriot Relics
Silver Member
Hey guys,
Was invited out for a hunt with the Carolina Silver mafia and a few Yankees from PA earlier this week here in the lowcountry. While the finds started out modest, perseverance always seems to pay off. Vino struck first with the Deus digging an early 18th century buckle. While targets were few and far between, Alan's site certainly had some age to it. My first target seemed unassuming- a rusty piece of deep iron that I dug out of boredom more than anything, but I'm certainly glad I did. Only after careful bursts of electrolysis did I realize that I had dug, one of my earliest buckles to date. (The example is a similar iron buckle dating from the Late Medieval or post medieval period). It does have a similar look with a square plain frame and an iron pin wrapped round the bar.
Here's a similar example excavated in the UK:
Nearby I managed an interesting oval/octagonal cuff with slight remnants of a long lost image/inscription. I've dug octagonal cuffs from the mid 1700s and oval cuffs from the early 1800s, but this one has me stumped. Perhaps a late 18th Century transitional design?
Close ups:
My favorite digs came late in the day, as they usually do, after most of the group had headed home. Working my CTX around thick overgrowth I came upon a clearing with tall grass...likely unswingable prior to the recent SC freezes. Leveraging the weight of the CTX, I started compressing the overgrowth to get as close as I could to the ground. Sure enough the familiar sound of a 2 piece button under the coil. Reached down, pulled the plug and to my astonishment a solid 1830 SC militia button (Schuyler H&G/ New York) definitely a bucket list button. Only a few feet away a got another slamming signal- 1810-1832 General Officer Staff Button, with nearly all gold gilding intact (Extra Rich)!
Here are the IDs from Albert's book
Needless to say I was on cloud 9- just wish the guys had hung around to see it. A few other modest digs rounded out the hunt: tombac button, flat button, .52 dropped 3 ringer, buckle fragment, and harmonica reed. All in all another outstanding day in the lowcountry.
Thanks for looking and feel free to weigh in
Was invited out for a hunt with the Carolina Silver mafia and a few Yankees from PA earlier this week here in the lowcountry. While the finds started out modest, perseverance always seems to pay off. Vino struck first with the Deus digging an early 18th century buckle. While targets were few and far between, Alan's site certainly had some age to it. My first target seemed unassuming- a rusty piece of deep iron that I dug out of boredom more than anything, but I'm certainly glad I did. Only after careful bursts of electrolysis did I realize that I had dug, one of my earliest buckles to date. (The example is a similar iron buckle dating from the Late Medieval or post medieval period). It does have a similar look with a square plain frame and an iron pin wrapped round the bar.
Here's a similar example excavated in the UK:
Nearby I managed an interesting oval/octagonal cuff with slight remnants of a long lost image/inscription. I've dug octagonal cuffs from the mid 1700s and oval cuffs from the early 1800s, but this one has me stumped. Perhaps a late 18th Century transitional design?
Close ups:
My favorite digs came late in the day, as they usually do, after most of the group had headed home. Working my CTX around thick overgrowth I came upon a clearing with tall grass...likely unswingable prior to the recent SC freezes. Leveraging the weight of the CTX, I started compressing the overgrowth to get as close as I could to the ground. Sure enough the familiar sound of a 2 piece button under the coil. Reached down, pulled the plug and to my astonishment a solid 1830 SC militia button (Schuyler H&G/ New York) definitely a bucket list button. Only a few feet away a got another slamming signal- 1810-1832 General Officer Staff Button, with nearly all gold gilding intact (Extra Rich)!
Here are the IDs from Albert's book
Needless to say I was on cloud 9- just wish the guys had hung around to see it. A few other modest digs rounded out the hunt: tombac button, flat button, .52 dropped 3 ringer, buckle fragment, and harmonica reed. All in all another outstanding day in the lowcountry.
Thanks for looking and feel free to weigh in
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