Originally Posted by
MangoAve
Nice finds, Jeff. The Midwest guys here were happy to find a crotal. And you got two.
I was thinkin' the same thing as Tony with the coin purse piece. All of mine were brass, but it just had the look to it.
I def agree on the scout item; I haven't seen a slide like that before. Might be older, or one specifically made around 1976 to have liberty on it.
As far as crotals, I think all the ones made later on weren't hand made. They look like the top is a piece of iron that was cast into the rest of the bell, to be cheaper and easier than cast shanks or drilling them. That's why they rust out and there's no longer a shank on it. I've got a few like that. No way an oxidizing iron eats away at the 'tombac' metal.