Whats the oldest thing youve ever dug up?

[notthetreasureyouseek]

My 90 year old grandmother

 

[Pmowry]

The Oldest I have ever dug up is a 1774 Spanish Colonial Portrait Quarter

 

[tigerbeetle]

[h=2]A find with a fright attached[/h]

After over 40 years of treasure digging, driven by a certainty that a find-of-finds is just another scratch away, I’ve dug with a minor phobia hanging within easy reach of my overactive imagination: What if I were to dig up a human skeleton? Just my luck I might uncover a huge gold ring – with a finger bone still attached.

Truth be told, I kinda realize there isn’t a ghost of chance such a thing will ever befall me. However, I came too close for comfort this past year.

I was digging a newer dump site, fairly deep in some thicker woods. All the site offered of Th’ing interest was a slew of older milk and cream bottles (Millside Dairy, N.J.). I slipped the bottles in my ever-present backpack and was about to leave the site when a final rake-through uncovered what first looked to be one of those brass reed plates from a harmonica. Those reed plates are one of the most common large items found by detectorists.

It wasn’t until I flicked the piece with my rake that the horror set in. The thing still had teeth attached to it. For a dizzying instant, I was frozen in place. It sure seemed my long-lived phobia just came to morbid fruition. In this case, I had seemingly found a mouthorgan with the mouth still in place. Dial 9-11!

Fortunately, I allowed logic to carry the moment.

Using what amounted to a goodly amount of internal fortitude, I further flicked the toothy find and pretty quickly guessed what I had unearthed – and even that didn’t even remotely detract from the weirdness.

Here, check it out and imagine some dirt on it as it jumps into sight -- and tell me you wouldn’t get a few heart pounds.




It’s a shade tester for a dentist. When replacing a person’s tooth, he pulls out one of these color-graded false teeth to hold in place with the patient’s existing teeth to match the color. Again, you see it a bit cleaned up but when I first dug it …

​

 

[david680]

A cut quarter of a Spanish colonial 8 reales, last the digits of the date present, 794. Found in front of the 3rd base dugout on the softball field here in town. About a inch down.

 

[collision]

I was digging yesterday and dug up my dead hamster that i buried abot a year ago. I didn't see it though he was in a margerine tub!

 

[minnesota outdoors north]

ok I will give you 3 items that I have found...#1 bison skull @ 2500 to 3500 years old according to an expert... #2 arrow heads...unknown... #3 1874 mrs. stewarts bluing bottle Faribault, mn.
bison skull is up at the cabin so no pic...I do have pic of a jaw of one...bison skull was found while scuba diving in beaver pond under 2 feet of muck beavers had packed around it...arrowhead was found near 1967 dime under 10 inches of sand...bluing bottle was found scuba diving in lk. Minnetonka...

 

[DiggerinVA]

Found a 1794 Large Cent at around 3 inches in a plowed field....but have found arrow heads much older.

 

[DigginDownUnder]

Oldest thing I can put a date on is this 1790's half Penny Token.




My oldest silver is this 1866 Shilling

 

[AugustMoose87]

I found a petrified elk antler in the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids Iowa. Staff at the University of Iowa said it was likely around 10,000 years old.

 

[MuckyBottles]

Four 4lb revolutionary war cannon balls in my parents backyard. .I don't count fossils because they are too easy to find..

 

[Steel digger]

I'm not trying to scare anybody, but I've done minor research into the wisconsin laws on metal detecting and maritime laws etc... Anything below water line from what I can gather is off limits period and anything found on land in either a historically known site or dated to be over 100 years old be it coin, arrow head, old piece of junk is considered under federal law to be an "artifact" and illegal to dig and/or possess. Now my question is....

Has anybody ever encountered an ill situation regarding anything of these sorts? I've done my share of digging and have always wondered if this coin will be my night in jail or cost my life savings.


Any opinions, advice or increased/ better understanding of the laws let me know; I'm trying to get a clearer understanding on this to enhance my hunting.

 

[MuckyBottles]

I'm not trying to scare anybody, but I've done minor research into the wisconsin laws on metal detecting and maritime laws etc... Anything below water line from what I can gather is off limits period and anything found on land in either a historically known site or dated to be over 100 years old be it coin, arrow head, old piece of junk is considered under federal law to be an "artifact" and illegal to dig and/or possess. Now my question is....

Has anybody ever encountered an ill situation regarding anything of these sorts? I've done my share of digging and have always wondered if this coin will be my night in jail or cost my life savings.

Any opinions, advice or increased/ better understanding of the laws let me know; I'm trying to get a clearer understanding on this to enhance my hunting.

Depends on the antiquities law and the body of water you are talking about

 

[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

I know they have rules here and there in parks saying you can not remove relics, but they have earth day types of clean ups with volunteers that will pick the stuff up anyway and throw it away. We have a few river cleanups around here.

 

[Lifes A Garden...Dig IT]

My most unusual object would have to be this....View attachment 980306 View attachment 980307 35 lb Copper Nugget............ Its an Ugly spud..

That is an unidentified item off an unidentified flying object. I'm guessing off the craft's inner core

 

[Lifes A Garden...Dig IT]

I was digging yesterday and dug up my dead hamster that i buried abot a year ago. I didn't see it though he was in a margerine tub!

Very sad! He must have been wearing one of those tiny bells around his neck when you buried him that set off your detector. May he R.I.P

 

[Reiska]

A 1000 year old pendant part right under the grass. Both of my medieval coins were less than 3 inches deep as well. Bottle cap 10+ inches.

 

[SADS 669]

55 yr old wedding band today first gold! Returned it to my neighbour....

 

[1shotwade]

My x-wife! I just had to make sure that,,,,,,,Well, you know! Just joking folks! It's been one of those days!

Wade

 

[DigIron2]

View attachment 980444

That is pretty funny