Well, Isn't this an Odd Fellow...

[saftgeek]

I had been talking about a detecting trip with a buddy for a couple years where we'd just drive... nowhere in mind, no place specific, we'd just drive and stop and ask for permission to detect. Well we finally made it happen... There were a few strike outs but we had some luck in getting permission to detect as well. At one particular place I had been working on the edge of a burn pile, finding a ton of old pieces of metal siding and flashing. It was very discouraging but really hard to walk away since we knew this place had some really unique history. I was about to throw in the towel when I had a hit and I dug up what I thought was another piece of siding. I rubbed the dirt off of it and noticed that the pieces were somehow attached. I looked closer and saw a date poking through... 1909! I took it back to the truck and started cleaning the dirt off of it carefully - each time more writing would appear. After more cleaning, a set of cheaters and a magnifying glass, we were able to make out the writing and I was amazed that is was a fully intact souvenir pin from a nationwide gathering of the Order of the Odd Fellow. This rally was attended by 25,000 people in Seattle, Washington. Looking into the history of the group was really interesting. These folks done some wonderful stuff for the poor and indigent. They were formed in 1819 and still exist today. Their motto was, "We Command You to Visit the Sick, Relieve the Distressed, Bury the Dead, and Educate the Orphan". It was a co-ed group and I managed to find the records from 1909 in the small town where this was found. I seen who the president of that chapter was and how much money they had at years end. There is no way to know exactly who it was that lost this, but I bet they were proud to have worn it. I can't imagine someone making that journey from Missouri to Seattle, Washington in 1909...



Here is the 1916 - pretty crisp detail for a 100 year old coin.

 

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[slider66]

Beautiful congrats


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[Terry Soloman]

Great Finds!

 

[kcm]

 

[tomhighland]

Very cool relic and sweet coin. Congratulations on a great hunt.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on the pin and barber dime

 

[Trezurehunter]

That pin is a great relic find. I would have loved to have found that. Congrats.

 

[wkrp43]

Those are nice....Good job

 

[against the wind]

That pin is a nice addition to any collection.
Congrats on the Barber also

 

[thrifty76now]

You unearthed two great items today.That Odd fellows pin is really neat.