Scratching At The Surface

ShovelinDave

Hero Member
Jul 11, 2009
619
847
North Carolina
Detector(s) used
Bandido 2 - umax, Garrett Ace 400, Garrett AT Pro, Garrett AT Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Howdy Folks, this time last week we were in the negatives with single digit highs for a couple days. Miss Winter had made her presence known. It started to warm up around the weekend-40's and I haven't been out detecting for at least three weeks. Too long of a time for me. I've had my eye on a piece of property for a while now. Out in the country and in the fields. My favorite place to be of course. I had to venture over to Illinois to a small town for the permission. Luckily they were home and permission granted. The interest in the small 50-acre field, two old homesteads.

I make my way to the field. As I'm getting out my gear, I'm checking out the field as to where I think it was. I start walking in the direction, with the detector on, when I start picking up iron in the ground. Look around and see bricks and pieces of pottery. As I get closer I'm now getting a lot of iron... iron overload to be exact. I figure I'll take it slow and easy because I have a good four hours to kill. I start griding off the area when I get a decent target. Put the shovel to the ground and step on it and wham, it goes down about an inch or two... lol. Onto plan-B. Walk around and search for decent targets that are only a couple inches in depth. The day turned out better than what I thought it was going to. I did find a couple first or bucket list items. I personally don't like to use the term "Bucket List" because I don't plan on dying. There were several surface finds, which made it even easier. I Love it when a place calls you and it produces some decent relics. Well, those as to which you can get. I can't wait to get back there. Hopefully, there is more good to be found. I'll let the pics tell the rest of the story. Thanks for stopping by and good luck to you when you decide to venture out. SD

My first clay marble(maybe Geman). My first Tombac button. Second clay marble. One and only coin I found-1892 v nickel. Stoneware jug handle.
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Small hatchet. Small bell. Brass thimble. Small buckle. The piece of a handle to a spoon or fork.
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Four buttons total-can't make out the backmark on the one. The last one has something on the face but can't make it out either. Maybe scratches from being in the ground.
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From hunts in late December and early January. I'm thinking it's a pewter spoon bowl??? Old Historic Hotel fork.
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digging440yrs

Gold Member
Dec 5, 2012
5,946
4,410
UPSTATE NEW YORK
Detector(s) used
1970 COMPASS-
WHITES SILVER EAGLE-
WHITES DFX, 4X6DD COIL, 6X8DD COIL, 950 COIL, 10X12SEF COIL-
GARRETT PRO POINTER AT, GARRETT AT PRO , MINELAB EXPLORER SE with 8.5x12.5 Cors coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Awesome hunting spot !! Some nice early stuff - pound that spot :occasion14:
 

ken135

Full Member
Sep 24, 2017
206
322
Indiana
Detector(s) used
F75LTD, G2+, Tesoro Mojave & Bandido 2 micro-max, Deep Tech GG & X
Primary Interest:
Other
SD - Nice finds at your new site. Congrats on your "first" items. I love finding clay marbles.

Later
 

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
20,682
40,649
Maryland
🥇 Banner finds
10
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
XP Deus II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Judging from the backmark on the button and the blue and white "spongeware" pottery, and the ax I think your site has at least a 74 year occupation to it, late 18th century to around maybe 1880. Go attack the high iron areas and work outward to get the coins for firm dating. Looks like a gold mine to me.
 

fishstick

Silver Member
Oct 28, 2012
2,639
6,705
Indiana
Detector(s) used
Fisher F5, T2SE, F2 for the boys, XP Deus
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Anytime you can pluck pieces out of the ground the 1st of Feb in our neck of the woods is a win win my friend!!! Myself and a few buds went out this weekend and it took 3 days to get over the aches and pains. CONGRATZ on the finds bud......
 

OP
OP
ShovelinDave

ShovelinDave

Hero Member
Jul 11, 2009
619
847
North Carolina
Detector(s) used
Bandido 2 - umax, Garrett Ace 400, Garrett AT Pro, Garrett AT Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
SD - Nice finds at your new site. Congrats on your "first" items. I love finding clay marbles.

Later
Thanks Ken...it's taken me a couple years. Surprisingly the Mrs has taken a shine to them also.
Judging from the backmark on the button and the blue and white "spongeware" pottery, and the ax I think your site has at least a 74 year occupation to it, late 18th century to around maybe 1880. Go attack the high iron areas and work outward to get the coins for firm dating. Looks like a gold mine to me.
Thanks Smokey, I really appreciate you taken a minute to share your thoughts on the site. Good information is always helpful when learning. SD
Anytime you can pluck pieces out of the ground the 1st of Feb in our neck of the woods is a win win my friend!!! Myself and a few buds went out this weekend and it took 3 days to get over the aches and pains. CONGRATZ on the finds bud......
Thanks fishstick, to tell you the truth I was surprised the ground was frozen. When you have a hobby that involves walking and digging holes... aches and pains are part of it :laughing7:. How did you make out on your hunt?
 

fishstick

Silver Member
Oct 28, 2012
2,639
6,705
Indiana
Detector(s) used
Fisher F5, T2SE, F2 for the boys, XP Deus
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Just a handfull a flat buttons but I'll take it. When my fat a$$ standing on a shovel only gets 3" in the ground you know it's gonna be a hard day digging. The worst part about it is not being able to reach the good targets and some of them I know were Keepers!!!
 

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