Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ??? Update : YES !

Jeff H

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May 5, 2008
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Got out Saturday with a buddy. He's been nailing the big coppers lately and I hoped some of his luck would rub off on me. Wouldn't you know the first target I hit, my DFX is telling me its big copper. I dug a wide plug and flipped it over and was surprised to see this staring up at me. It was copper OK, but not the shape I was expecting.

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I've collected hundreds of arrowheads over the years but never found a copper projectile point. There was a documented large native American settlement less than a half mile from the field where I found this. BUT there was no native copper industry in this area. I suppose it could have made its way to the east coast from the Great Lakes area where they did have native copper. It doesn't look like the cheaply made colonial trade points that turn up now and then either.

It's got what looks like a plow scar and is bent at that spot also.

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It doesn't appear modern but it is possible an early colonist made and used it as a spear fishing point due to the scarcity of iron way back then. :icon_scratch: :icon_scratch: It's got me scratching my head for sure, but it is a killer looking point !

Happy Hunting !

UPDATE : I sent the pictures to a PhD in archaeology in Boston and he feels it is an authentic late to terminal Archaic stemmed point (3,000 to 5,000 years old). The copper source is likely Great Lakes or Bay of Fundy. This was found in southeast Massachusetts.
 

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Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

I can't help you with the ID, but it sure is a great find! Congrats! :icon_thumright:
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

whoa! that is amazing!
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

Large cents are something but that is tremendous. Hope you can get it properly ID'ed. That would be a prize relic.
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

Very sweet looking spear head. good find
:hello: HH in 2010 :hello2:
KW
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

I dont know much about those, but if its what I think it is, it sure is older then a large cent. Congrats on a great find! :thumbsup:
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

Love the copper, Ive seen a lot of copper coins on here but Not a point!!! WTG
:headbang: Chug :headbang:
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

It should be pretty heavy if it is raw copper, I dug a small copper point in a rock overhang in eastern Pa that for its size is really heavy. That being said, I couldnt tell you how old that is, but figure its probably pretty old. If I think of it I will get a picture of the one I found, mine looks more like an actually arrow/ dart point, yours is more spear/knife looking. What state did you find it in?
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

Are you from Wisconsin ??? Great Lakes ??? could be thousands of years old !! Copper culture forum like dirtyJohn suggested . Very interesting point :headbang:
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

I don't know anything about it but I like it. Cool find.
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

Amazing Find :o :o
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ???

very nice spear point!!!!!!!! MR TUFF
 

Re: Thought I had a Colonial Copper but this might be way older ??? Update : YES

Whoa what a unique recovery! I'd love to see it cleaned up... but do you clean something like that? or is it best to leave as is, the same as a collectible coin? Banner worthy in my book any day.
 

Thanks everyone. RTRU, I don't think I'll be cleaning it. Like you say, treat it like a collectible coin. That's exactly how it looked when it came out of the ground. I haven't even rinsed it. I think it looks good in its dirt :wink:
 

That will be tough to top as far as age goes...WOW.... Nice find. :thumbsup: jgas
 

Nice find!!!! There are a few documented copper points found here in the southern tier of new york but they were later native american points, nothing that early! GRATS!
 

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