The best hunt ive had in years!

HomesteadHunter · May 23, 2009

The best hunt i've had in years!

A couple of days ago, I decided to take a long walk thru an old field, with hopes of finding an old homesite. I started to notice the odd piece of pottery, than the iron signals came. I followed the iron and debris, but much to my suprise I found alot more than a regular homesite. Here are some pics of my finds. They represent 2 hunts, totalling about 6 hours of hunting.

This is a group shot of the buttons. Their is 21 military buttons total, and including the flats, 47 buttons found at the site. Here are some close-ups.

This one is a real beauty. Its a gold gilted 89th regiment, and its nearly perfect. Aside from a few scratches, the gilt is complete.

This one is a Medical Staff button, and its in almost perfect shape as well. The gold gilting is nearly complete, and all the detail is there.

Here are some of the 34th regiments I found. They are a bit worn, but they are all complete.

Here are the 43rd pewters I found. They are kinda rough, but i'm happy to have them in the collection.

I found a real nice pair of US greatcoat buttons as well. They are backmarked "UNITED STATES", and they are both absolutely perfect and complete.

A nice british 1839 silver 6 pence, I was hoping to find some brit silver!.

And to cap the hunt off, I found a nice little 1847 half dime.

It was a blast getting to hunt a virgin site, i'm glad I found it!. No doubt the site will continue to produce over the years, i'll have to bribe the farmer to plow it good and deep.

Thanks for looking and happy hunting.

James.
HomesteadHunter.

Deno · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

What a spot. You will be going back to that spot for years. Congratulations

Marc(NB) · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

great!! now youve got your work cut out for ya! :thumbsup:

HomesteadHunter · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Iron Patch said:
Well thanks for the invite. $:-\$ I could have made the 1000 mile trip.

Their is still a ton of iron to dig...........get that Explorer down here and start digging!. I'll buy the pizza and you buy the beer.

James.
HomesteadHunter.

HomesteadHunter · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

ilyes1113 said:
you can find more.its a miletary campe .or base

After talking with a few experts on the topic....(Iron Patch)....i'm about 90% sure its an old homesite that had a large military presence. Judging by the variety of regiments found so far, and the area where the site was found, a homesite makes the most sense.

James
HomesteadHunter

allen · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

congrats on that great assortment of wonderful finds !!! :thumbsup:

olekyground · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

GREAT FINDS!! Cant beat an old button! Really nice vintage coins as well!

Michiganne · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Excellent digs, James!! Good luck on the rest of the the hunt. :thumbsup:

HH

STH69 · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Great digs man very nice!

texan connection · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Whata hunt I know a spot like that just waiting, except it on the other side of the world

Wallhangers · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

I have learned to like the buttons almost as much as the coins. You have a great collection there, good luck on cleaning out that place. Did you dig any other relics there? Thanks for posting!

time4me · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Wow. Finding that many buttons must have been so thrilling! You killed it at this site!!

I also found a silver six pence a couple of weeks ago - mine was 1866.

Congrats on all of those wonderful finds.

Jim

artzstuff1 · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Very nice stuff there sir,!!!!! everyone dreams of a site like that ,,,, thanks for sharin your stuff,,,,

arthur

MiniMe · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Wow what a day u had...great assortment. Love the buttons. Guess you'll be visiting that place again. HH

HomesteadHunter · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Wallhangers said:
I have learned to like the buttons almost as much as the coins. You have a great collection there, good luck on cleaning out that place. Did you dig any other relics there? Thanks for posting!

Aside from the buttons, I dug a nice pile of musket balls, a crusted up old iron, and just a few oddball bits and pieces. I was hoping to pull up a musket side plate, but nothing as of yet. Once I start working and digging the iron, I have a feeling a few good relics should turn up. I'm a real coinshooter, and I will always be one, but pulling up military buttons with so much history always gets the blood pumping!.

James.
HomesteadHunter.

John (Ma) · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

That is quite a haul for 6 hours.

tseekerMike · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

That's a lot of buttons all right. Nice silver too.

rjw4law · May 24, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Keep up the good work, absolutely splendid

Bob S · May 26, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

Nice Finds WTG

Kyle PA · May 27, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

HomesteadHunter said:
ilyes1113 said:

you can find more.its a miletary campe .or base

Click to expand...

After talking with a few experts on the topic....(Iron Patch)....i'm about 90% sure its an old homesite that had a large military presence. Judging by the variety of regiments found so far, and the area where the site was found, a homesite makes the most sense.

James
HomesteadHunter

Perhaps the homesite was used as an encampment or muster field at one time? I don't understand how so many early military buttons are found up in Canada. We have hunted homesites of French & Indian War, Rev War, and War of 1812 soldiers and captains, but we have not found as many buttons as you guys up in Canada do. An encampment or muster field would be more appropriate.

I'm not going to complain too much, though, because we find the Colonial coins in abundance down here in the states. 106 large coppers in the last 13 months of hunting to be exact (that is just detecting once a week, too). :thumbsup:

Just ONE 1820s infantry button was found in the last 13 months between my group and me. :laughing9:

That is a KILLER site, and I hope you clean it out until the place is bone dry!

Kyle

Iron Patch · May 27, 2009

Re: The best hunt i've had in years!

KylePA said:
HomesteadHunter said:

ilyes1113 said:

you can find more.its a miletary campe .or base

Click to expand...

After talking with a few experts on the topic....(Iron Patch)....i'm about 90% sure its an old homesite that had a large military presence. Judging by the variety of regiments found so far, and the area where the site was found, a homesite makes the most sense.

James
HomesteadHunter

Click to expand...

Perhaps the homesite was used as an encampment or muster field at one time? I don't understand how so many early military buttons are found up in Canada. We have hunted homesites of French & Indian War, Rev War, and War of 1812 soldiers and captains, but we have not found as many buttons as you guys up in Canada do. An encampment or muster field would be more appropriate.

I'm not going to complain too much, though, because we find the Colonial coins in abundance down here in the states. 106 large coppers in the last 13 months of hunting to be exact (that is just detecting once a week, too). Just ONE 1820s infantry button was found in the last 13 months between my group and me.

That is a KILLER site, and I hope you clean it out until the place is bone dry!

Kyle

Yes, I've always wondered that. I'm not anywhere close to where any battles or camps were but every old site we find is almsot sure to give up at least one old military button. Our best sites would have between 10-20 Rev War buttons.