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View Full Version : 1600's maravedis copper (my oldest coin), 1797 draped, 1818 matron, + awesome relics



RIdirtdigger
06-13-2016, 06:18 PM
I was in California on vacation from Friday 6/3 to Thursday 6/9 so I was not able to get any detecting done during that time. Despite having a lot of fun by the time Thursday came around I was really wanting to get back in the woods. Friday I got my wish and set out to do some much needed cellar hole hunting in CT. My first two sites were duds but my third site was a winner. Very remote site, no path leading to it, and not many stone walls. Big site though, huge chimney base with the opening facing outward away from the cellar hole, a little odd in my opinion. The site was also right above a river and I am pretty sure this site was the home of a miller who likely ran a grist or saw mill pretty close by. Nevertheless this site was not on any maps. I only stayed at this site for around 20 minutes on Friday due to having basically no water left and feeling dehydrated but in that short time I was able to score my oldest US large cent, a 1797 draped bust. :happydance01:Coin was right on the lip and I knew it was a copper the moment I heard it. Later that night I texted Jarrod and told him I had a good site for us the next day. Needless to say he was pretty pumped.
On Saturday morning we set out early and made it to the site easy enough. Dug into my first nest of the year but thankfully these were bumble bees and did not sting or chase me unlike their more aggressive cousins. Good signal too, gonna have to dig that one out in the winter. Anyways we both start pulling buttons almost right away, I get a nice high tone, we both knew it was gonna be a copper and it was, 1818 matron head large cent, I'm pretty sure I've found like 6 or 7 of that date since I started detecting. I don't know why but I'm not complaining. My very next signal, is only a few feet away from the copper and it turns out to be an awesome ramrod guide for a Brown Bess. Very, very pleased about that find. I move over to another side of the lip and get a lower sounding tone but end up pulling copper number two for the day. Right away Jarrod and I notice there are roman numerals all over this coin. It is very thin and we knew it was very, very old. Jarrod thought it was one of the "Pirate copper piece of 8 coins" and that's exactly what it is. Its a 17th century Spanish Maravedis, with tons of counterstamps on it. From the information I have gathered it is most likely on the earlier side of the 1600's. No doubt my oldest coin and I couldn't be happier. :happydance01::loveit: A little while after that JARROD calls me over and tells me HE has a buckle, but I was not expecting it to be as awesome as it is. HE found a beautiful silver applied complete knee buckle. Pins are frozen but its still an incredible buckle with a great design. I couldn't be happier for HIM. (Sorry about the caps just making sure you all know the buckle is his find and not mine). Finds slowed down after that and we ended the day each with a handful of colonial and early 19th century history. After that we went in search for another site. We found it but it was super overgrown. Gonna go back to that site in the winter time. Overall an awesome week of saving colonial history and pretty decent weather. No black flies. HH everyone!54734547515475054749547485474754746547455 47445474354742547415474054739547385473754736547355 4752

BTV Digger
06-13-2016, 07:39 PM
Really nice variety of finds and obviously the soil was very kind to several of the relics you and Jarrod found. Congrats on saving some more history! Love most of the finds, but your 1600 coin and the shoe buckle take the cake for sure. Also glad to see you saved a few pieces of old pottery. I do the same - always like keeping a few of the more decorative shards.

John

Digger_O'Dell
06-13-2016, 08:39 PM
Wow, congrats on those old finds! Those coppers are sweet, as is the buckle and guide. Can't wait to see what you pull up next! :congrats:

Bucknut
06-14-2016, 09:19 AM
Great finds as always. That silver bucket is sweet! Congrats!

Lodge Scent
06-14-2016, 09:14 PM
Spectacular hunt!

owena1
06-14-2016, 09:25 PM
Absolutely awesome!! What a great day for you guys! Congrats fellas


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del
06-16-2016, 06:48 AM
great pictures Jim , congrats on the Spanish copper !! Looks like its denomination was changed at least a couple of times during its time in circulation , from the stamp marks . :thumbsup02: Tell your fiend the buckle is beautiful and that silver should clean up very nicely !

Dan

RIdirtdigger
06-17-2016, 01:14 PM
Thank you everyone for your comments!

MangoAve
06-20-2016, 07:25 AM
That's a nice knee buckle Jarrod got. Nice maravedis coin. I haven't ever heard of one until I saw this on FB. You seem to find these really old sites.