STUNNING Restoration of U.S. Breastplate Dug on 8-29!!!

VOL1266-X · Aug 29, 2012

View restoration at end of original post and thanks for looking!!!

A typical August day in Tennessee with 90+ deg. and high humidity. I had two choices early this am:
A. Mow my 3+ acre lawn while it was cool,
or
B. Go relic hunting
Naturally, I chose choice "B". I hit a site near a large U.S. camp about 45 minutes after good light. I hunted for nearly an hour and a half without finding even one bullet. Then, I got a "55" reading on my F75. I thought it was my first bullet or musket ball for the day. Instead, I pulled out a rolled up piece of lead. I immediately knew what it was. I carefully cleaned the interior and saw the eagle. This relic appears to have been deliberately curled in.

A recognized CW relic expert theorized that one of the iron loops broke or cracked and the soldier then wanted to see how strong he was and then discarded it. My friend Robert McDaniel in AL who is a relic repair master says he "can help the looks of it" so I may send it to him for straightening and rim repair. This is the third breastplate I have dug.
I looked for another hour or so with no other relics recovered. Ironically, I dug a 1995 nickel which is the year I started hunting for CW relics. Thanks for looking and HH, Quindy.

Hill Billy · Sep 3, 2012

Great save Quindy, you have me wanting to get out and do some hunting now after seeing this.
I'm sure you got some rain this weekend, didn't start raining here till yesterday afternoon, we needed it.
Ground has been too hard to dig for the past few months.

Cheers ,
HB

LuckOfTheIrish · Sep 3, 2012

Congrats on the great find. I can't wait to see the repaired plate when it is all said and done!

An interesting fact also is that sometimes breast plates and other plates like this also begin to "roll up" due to the freeze and thaw cycles of the metal while it is underground. Water can enter into the porous metals or imperfect areas causing expansion when it begins to freeze.. thereby rolling the plate. It is always interesting to think about what made the relic look like it does today.

Ifoundit69 · Sep 3, 2012

awesome find ! Oh and thanks for the tip used it on todays find !

VOL1266-X · Sep 4, 2012

Hill Billy said:
Great save Quindy, you have me wanting to get out and do some hunting now after seeing this.
I'm sure you got some rain this weekend, didn't start raining here till yesterday afternoon, we needed it.
Ground has been too hard to dig for the past few months.

Cheers ,
HB

Thanks HB. We had 8.25" of rain in July and nearly 4" in August. that saved us. No let up in heat lately my friend. Good luck at the Old Kentucky homesites this Fall, Quindy.

Irish, I have heard that too. I mailed it to Robert McDaniel in AL for straightening today. I promise to post an "after" pic. Thanks for looking and HH, Quindy.

IF69, it's just a matter of time until you have a super find that the relic/treasure magazines will want a good picture of for publication. You are very welcome and HH, Quindy.

VOL1266-X · Sep 13, 2012

As I promised to responders in my original post, here is the pic of the breastplate that I dug on 8-29 before and after restoration by my friend Robert McDaniel in Alabama. He is a Relic Repair Master. He can match patina like nobody else can and is very reasonable. Now, this holds a special place in my collection for 2 reasons: the local provenance of the recovery and the excellent restoration by my friend who I visited in July. HH, Quindy.

My CW relics for 2012 YTD=302

Wldbil · Sep 13, 2012

Very nice job... Looks GREAT! Congrats on another added relic to the collection.

ticm · Sep 13, 2012

VOL1266-X said:
As I promised to responders in my original post, here is the pic of the breastplate that I dug on 8-29 before and after restoration by my friend Robert McDaniel in Alabama. He is a Relic Repair Master. He can match patina like nobody else can and is very reasonable. Now, this holds a special place in my collection for 2 reasons: the local provenance of the recovery and the excellent restoration by my friend who I visited in July. HH, Quindy.

My CW relics for 2012 YTD=302

So what you have now is a ruined piece of history. Man that sucks. Well it looks nice, as repos. go.

Ifoundit69 · Sep 13, 2012

Man that thing is awesome , great job on the restoration ...!

VOL1266-X · Sep 13, 2012

ticm said:
So what you have now is a ruined piece of history. Man that sucks. Well it looks nice, as repos. go.

I have many nonrepaired relics already in my collection now. Now, when I make presentations to historical societies and schools, I can show them what the plate looked like originally when a Yankee wore it in Dec. 1862. Thanks for looking, Quindy.

ticm · Sep 13, 2012

VOL1266-X said:
I have many nonrepaired relics already in my collection now. Now, when I make presentations to historical societies and schools, I can show them what the plate looked like originally when a Yankee wore it in Dec. 1862. Thanks for looking, Quindy.

Understood, but you could have bought one like the ones rein-actors use. What was once the real deal is now just ruined.

Breezie · Sep 13, 2012

VOL1266-X said:
I have many nonrepaired relics already in my collection now. Now, when I make presentations to historical societies and schools, I can show them what the plate looked like originally when a Yankee wore it in Dec. 1862. Thanks for looking, Quindy.

Q, I think it looks GREAT! As a retired educator, I know how important it can be to have 'hands on' examples of history. Good decision on having it restored. :icon_thumleft:

Breezie

ticm, out of curiosity, why do you think it is ruined?

ticm · Sep 13, 2012

Breezie said:
Q, I think it looks GREAT! As a retired educator, I know how important it can be to have 'hands on' examples of history. Good decision on having it restored. Breezie

ticm, out of curiosity, why do you think it is ruined?

It is no longer the real plate. Kinda plain and simple. To alter a little hunk of history just does not seem to be the thing to do. It's his find and it's his to do what he wants to do with it. Me I would have left it be. I would have shown the kids a repo.

Breezie · Sep 13, 2012

ticm said:
It is no longer the real plate. Kinda plain and simple. To alter a little hunk of history just does not seem to be the thing to do. It's his find and it's his to do what he wants to do with it. Me I would have left it be. I would have shown the kids a repo.

Why isn't it the real plate? I would serious like to know because I have considered having some restoration done for some of my CW relics. It appears he took the curl out of it, and cleaned it. I've never seen anyone do a restoration on a plate, so I don't know the procedure, but would think they would use the actual plate and make corrections. Have you seen the procedure done and know they don't use the plain and simple 'real' plate? Breezie

HEAVYMETALNUT · Sep 13, 2012

looks awesome Quindy! congrats man!

ticm · Sep 13, 2012

Breezie said:
Why isn't it the real plate? I would serious like to know because I have considered having some restoration done for some of my CW relics. It appears he took the curl out of it, and cleaned it. I've never seen anyone do a restoration on a plate, so I don't know the procedure, but would think they would use the actual plate and make corrections. Have you seen the procedure done and know they don't use the plain and simple 'real' plate? Breezie

Look at the before pic. Material was added. If you had a scratch on a old coin would you have it filled in by some talented guy. Cleaning and bending something back in shape is one thing, but when you alter something by adding material is another. It does look pretty. Pretty deceiving.

d2 · Sep 13, 2012

I don't figure he is going to try and deceive anyone with it. I had a US belt plate repaired by the same great guy and it looks great. If there were very few of these US belt plates or breast plates I can see where you might say something I would listen too but being as there are 1,000's and 1,000's of each in great shape and there is no reason to think he would try and dupe some one with it I see nothing deceiving about it...d2

ticm · Sep 13, 2012

d2 said:
I don't figure he is going to try and deceive anyone with it. I had a US belt plate repaired by the same great guy and it looks great. If there were very few of these US belt plates or breast plates I can see where you might say something I would listen too but being as there are 1,000's and 1,000's of each in great shape and there is no reason to think he would try and dupe some one with it I see nothing deceiving about it...d2

Did not say he would. But others may now that you mention it. I could see a certain element selling stuff like that on places like e-bey. I guess I am alone on my thoughts in regards to tampering with historical item like this. Hey to each his own. If your going to restore it why make it look dug? Why not make it look like new?

VOL1266-X · Sep 13, 2012

ticm said:
Did not say he would. But others may now that you mention it. I could see a certain element selling stuff like that on places like e-bey. I guess I am alone on my thoughts in regards to tampering with historical item like this. Hey to each his own

There are many relic dealers who do have restorations performed by the 3 people who do a great job including Robert. The credible ones put a note that it was "professionally restored" when they advertise it for sale. I wrote an article about them that was requested and published by W & E Treasures. I assure you that I have NO intention to sell it or deceive anyone.
What seems a much larger problem is the people who post coins and relics they DID NOT find just to get attention on Tnet and other sites. That is ultimate deception and an insult to those of us who get wet, hot, and freeze to recover what we do. Thanks again and I respect the right for you to feel the way you do, Quindy.

GaRebel1861 · Sep 13, 2012

Great find & Great repair! :icon_thumright:

ticm · Sep 13, 2012

VOL1266-X said:
There are many relic dealers who do have restorations performed by the 3 people who do a great job including Robert. The credible ones put a note that it was "professionally restored" when they advertise it for sale. I wrote an article about them that was requested and published by W & E Treasures. I assure you that I have NO intention to sell it or deceive anyone.
What seems a much larger problem is the people who post coins and relics they DID NOT find just to get attention on Tnet and other sites. That is ultimate deception and an insult to those of us who get wet, hot, and freeze to recover what we do. Thanks again and I respect the right for you to feel the way you do, Quindy.

Again I did not say you were going to scam any one. There are many who would. I agree with you in regards to people posting a bunch of fake finds. It happens here a lot. Indeed very insulting.
Just curious why did you restore it like it was dug and not new? We're you not going to show it to kids as the way Yankees wore them.