Smokey mountain mystery

[Awall]

I found this in North Carolina on a mountain with a Garrett Ace 350. It weighs 0.6 oz. and is one and a half inches across. It does not stick to a magnet. It appears to have a profile of someone on it an it looks like there is a letter "A" under and to the right of the profile. The image is raised as opposed to pressed in which makes me doubt it's a seal or that someone pressed something into the lead (if it is lead) any ideas?

 

[coachbedford]

bizarre-- only thing I could think of is a piece of hardened clay that, when it was soft, someone pressed one of those cameo jewelry pieces into it to make an impression. Unless it's lead, which would make more sense if you found it with a metal detector. Someone making their own home-made gambling chip? There's no end to the weird unexplainable stuff that was made over the years.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

bizarre-- only thing I could think of is a piece of hardened clay that, when it was soft, someone pressed one of those cameo jewelry pieces into it to make an impression. Unless it's lead, which would make more sense if you found it with a metal detector. Someone making their own home-made gambling chip? There's no end to the weird unexplainable stuff that was made over the years.

Looks like something in 'sediment' Perhaps chip off a tiny bit at an edge. Or pour a very shallow amount of vinegar in say a bottle cap and stand the edge up in it with a clothes pin holding the piece vertical and see if you can dissolve away the surround material.

 

[Breezie]

Judging by the nice white patina, weight, size and the impression, I think it is a lead seal.

Below are 2 website displaying bail and bag seals. Your seal could have been used for any number of items; a box, an envelope, a document, etc.

WELCOME to the FORUM!

http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showcat.php?cat=131

http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/baleseals.htm

Neat find
Breezie

 

[stéphane]

We would say a royal seal to seal envelopes.

 

[Awall]

How long should I leave it in the vinegar? Can I use a toothbrush also?

 

[Awall]

Not sure if you received my thanks. Thank you and I will try the websites.

 

[Breezie]

Looks like something in 'sediment' Perhaps chip off a tiny bit at an edge. Or pour a very shallow amount of vinegar in say a bottle cap and stand the edge up in it with a clothes pin holding the piece vertical and see if you can dissolve away the surround material.

How long should I leave it in the vinegar? Can I use a toothbrush also?

It's entirely up to you what you do to your find, but 'if' it is a LEAD SEAL, with that amount of patina, it's probably more than 150 years old. If you submerge any part of it in vinegar, it can possibly remove the patina, thus ruin the piece.

If I'm understanding ConceptulizedNetherland correctly, he/she thinks it is sediment; ie. rock. If you indeed found it with your Garrett Ace 350 as you originally stated, it's some type of metal, not rock. Judging by your photos, it looks like LEAD, not rock.

Just my opinion (and don't let my blonde hair fool you! )
Breezie

 

[tennessee digger]

I think that Breezie is right. It's lead and it looks like someone tried to press something into it maybe while it was being melted, just not sure.

 

[Mud Hut]

Looks like the remains of a large pewter coat button to me. You can see where the shank was attached on the back.

 

[Awall]

Hello, I have search the websites for lead seals and have yet to find a match. I have also searched for coat buttons. If anyone has anymore websites I should check out, please let me know. Thank you for all of your help everyone.

 

[AU Seeker]

I also think it could be a pewter button, very old pewter can contain up to 50% lead, if it is a button, I don't think you'll find a photo of one just like it, if it were a military button you would have a better chance finding a photo of one like it, but it mostly likely a civilian button and there are many, many different designs, so you would be lucky to find another just like it.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Don't clean it until you are sure of its identity. Like Breezie said, you could ruin it. You might even loose the image on it.

 

[Awall]

Fyrfytr1 and breezie

Don't clean it until you are sure of its identity. Like Breezie said, you could ruin it. You might even loose the image on it.

Check. I won't try to clean it. Is there a formula to go by such as water displacement (volume) X weight=type of metal? Do some folks never find out for sure what they have?

 

[rock]

I vote no vinegar on your item also. I believe it might remove the face. Nice find

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

It's entirely up to you what you do to your find, but 'if' it is a LEAD SEAL, with that amount of patina, it's probably more than 150 years old. If you submerge any part of it in vinegar, it can possibly remove the patina, thus ruin the piece.

If I'm understanding ConceptulizedNetherland correctly, he/she thinks it is sediment; ie. rock. If you indeed found it with your Garrett Ace 350 as you originally stated, it's some type of metal, not rock. Judging by your photos, it looks like LEAD, not rock.

Just my opinion (and don't let my blonde hair fool you! )
Breezie

Hey there good lookin ... I think some of the mass is sediment on the metal. Under all that sediment is some more clearly defined thing. I do not think scale or whatever is deposited on there should set off a detector.

 

[ConceptualizedNetherlandr]

I vote no vinegar on your item also. I believe it might remove the face. Nice find

Notice that suggest dipping only an edge in only a shallow amount to see what happens.