Whats the oldest item youve ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

pjroo33

Hero Member
Oct 28, 2007
631
90
Pennsylvania
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030, XP Deus, Minelab Explorer II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

I'm curious to see what everybody's oldest find has been. Post a pic if you can and tell us where it was found. (What city, state or country was it found)

Also, tell us what depth it was found and what machine was used.

My oldest find to date is a Type V buckle from 1660-1720. It was either a knee or shoe buckle. Most likely a knee buckle due to it's size. (Thanks for the ID Crusader). The buckle was found just outside of Philadelphia. It was approximately 4 inches in the ground. I was using my Minelab Sovereign GT.
 

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Ramapirate

Hero Member
Jul 5, 2006
679
21
Charlotte
Detector(s) used
Primary detector is a Garrett AT Pro
Also have a Garrett Ace 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

Metal Detecting I found an 1847 large cent last weekend in Mecklenburg County, N.C. within the Charlotte city city limits about a rocks throw from the landing strip of the airport. I've found umteen arrowheads, which were much older than that not using a metal detector.

HH,
Ramapirate
 

Ramapirate

Hero Member
Jul 5, 2006
679
21
Charlotte
Detector(s) used
Primary detector is a Garrett AT Pro
Also have a Garrett Ace 250
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

sorry... 3" and an Ace 250 set on "Coin". It said it was a quarter, and I can see that, it's about the same size.
 

N.J.THer

Silver Member
Nov 16, 2006
3,282
238
Middlesex County, New Jersey
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX w/ Sunray DX-1 probe and Minelab Excalibur 1000, Whites TRX Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

I would say arrowheads but the oldest item I could actually date was a 1822 Large Cent.

NJ

I guess I should read a little better next time. It was found in Middlesex county NJ on private property. It was on a hill in the front of the property next to the steps down to the street at approximately 5 inches deep. Using a White's DFX and a Sunray DX-1 pinpointer. It was shortly after a rain where the ground was still damp but not muddy....my favorite conditions.
 

savant365

Silver Member
Mar 28, 2007
3,918
71
Northwest Missouri
Detector(s) used
ACE 250
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

The oldest coin I have found is an 1876 sheild nickel but a 10,000 year old wolly mammoth tooth was found by my daughter and I while looking for points after a flood here in northwest missouri. I found the coin with my ACE 250 about 5 inches deep. The mammoth tooth was sitting on a sand bar after the water dropped.

HH Charlie
 

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Narthoniel

Bronze Member
Jul 1, 2008
1,755
6
Virginia Beach
Detector(s) used
Excal 2 and E Trac
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

I have only been at the beach thus far with my detector, and my oldest coin was a 1942 wheat. But, I think this ring is older judging by the style. I found it in the water with my Minelab Excaliber in Virginia beach. The ring is silver, and the two stones are amethysts, and are roughly 7mmx5mm each.
 

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incajoe

Sr. Member
May 17, 2007
387
3
New England
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer XS
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

I found a very late 1600's William III copper in Litchfield County CT. That's my oldest so far. No date visible though and worn almost flat.
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
🥇 Banner finds
2
Detector(s) used
Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

I've found reales back to the 1760s, & a portugese copper coin that dated 175? here in central coast California. I've heard of a few people who've found coins back to the 1740s here, but that's about as old as a person can get here, seeing as how there was/were nothing but non-metal-carrying indians here prior to the early 1770s foundings of the mission chain.

The only way earlier-loss coins could be here in CA, is from the Explorer period. Ships mapped the coast, and explorations were made, but no permanent habitations till 1769 (San Diego) and 1770 (Monterey). I have heard of some pre-mission era coins found, that dated even back to the 1600s, in Santa Barbara area. They were surmised to have come from Manilla galleon traffic. The Manilla galleons were recorded to frequently stop around the channel islands area, to take on fresh water, on their return trip from the Phillipines to Mexico. Apparently the indians traded with them for trinkets and such, because coins that WAY predate Santa Barbara mission have been found at some indian village archaeological digs.
 

radarwill

Sr. Member
Feb 8, 2008
477
11
Central MA
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign GT
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

I've found numerous colonial perion buttons and buckles but being that I'm an amateur I can't date them.
This year I did find a 1782 1 Reale. It was out in the woods on an old cart path. Mainly it was gravel without much loam and was only down maybe 2". I knew from the sound, ID, and depth and size it was a coin but holy smokes, what a rush.

2" deep, old cross roads in the woods, July, 2008, Worcester County, MA, USA, North America, Planet Earth, Milky Way Galaxy. (that's as far as I know)
A Minelab Sovereign XS-2 Pro with a 8" BBS Coil was used.
Cheers all
 

Apr 27, 2008
963
6
rhode island
Detector(s) used
titan 1000 xd
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Coun

besides the stupid hot rocks, the oldest things i've found are square nails... :BangHead: :mblah05: i've found them in my yard, in ri... i've found a bunch of them so i can't give an actual depth... and i found them with my titan 1000 xd.
 

emesis

Full Member
Mar 12, 2006
131
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

My oldest coin is an 1723 hibernia woods penny. Oldest silver is a 17?? reale.


PFP
 

hunterinthesky

Full Member
Aug 16, 2008
134
1
Southeastern PA
Detector(s) used
DFX 300 - DX-1 Pinpointer
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

1898 IH penny. Excellent detail. sold for 28 bucks.
 

hollowpointred

Gold Member
Mar 12, 2005
6,871
56
Detector(s) used
Minelab Explorer SE/Garrett GTI 2500/ Ace 250
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

oldest coin was a 1733 King George II found at a very cool site in NY along the Hudson River. oldest silver was a 1788 Half Real found in Wilmington Delaware.
 

kane23

Hero Member
Mar 29, 2007
719
5
Utah
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Tejon, Garrett Ace 350.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

Greek selucid coin from about 170 BC,found in southern Utah, Kane 23
 

Shortstack

Silver Member
Jan 22, 2007
4,305
416
Detector(s) used
Tesoro Bandido II and DeLeon. also a Detector Pro Headhunter Diver, and a Garrett BFO called The Hunter & a Garrett Ace 250.
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All Treasure Hunting
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

pookie said:
kane23 said:
Greek selucid coin from about 170 BC,found in southern Utah, Kane 23
:o wow thats old!

:o wow that's ODD. My oldest "found' item that's datable is an 1888 Indian Head Penny I found less than 2 feet over from the first Barber coin I've ever found. ;D THAT was a pretty good day. Both coins were at grassroot level; less than 3 inches deep in what had been the front yard of an old house in my hometown. I was using my Bandido II which turned up another shallow coin in the corner of that yard. ( a large "P" war nickel)
 

chadrack

Jr. Member
Sep 20, 2008
46
2
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

Two billion year old Pikes Peak granite. Go to Pikes Peak. Look up (or down, if you are on top). Pretty easy to find. (sorry, this is the humor post.)
 

Narthoniel

Bronze Member
Jul 1, 2008
1,755
6
Virginia Beach
Detector(s) used
Excal 2 and E Trac
Re: What's the oldest item you've ever found? Where did you find it? (State-Country)

Well, yesterday i upped my oldest find. Dug up an 188? Morgan Dollar in the wet sand on the beach. You just never know where things will turn up.
 

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