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A copper spill, silver, and a lot from the past month
Finally I found some time to make it back on the forum. I haven't even perused threads offline, so I missed a lot. But I haven't been missing much in the ground. Here is a compilation of things and pic overload.
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In April I did get out to a spot I tried to trek to in the snow. As we were leaving, it was funny to see a few people show up thinking of doing the same thing we were there for. Lol. I believe the modified dandy was made into a whizzer toy. It was hard to tell whether the shank broke off and they drilled the equidistant flowers to be symmetrical to reuse the button, but I think they just used those as an easier guide for the whizzer holes. I am still lost on the six star button, but I know there was some reference to buttons having six stars (and a snake) to signify alliance during the RW to the GW side. It was right behind the cellar. I also scored a musket ball there.
At the final site I ended up with a small piece of junk jewelry (which I didn't see a pic of when I uploaded) and an antique bird whistle. This thing threw me for a bit because I knew there was a bird, but it looked like a pipe but had one inlet. Of course, a 1781 half real was found, but not by me. Same day and not far as Dan's 1781. How odd is that? Site #2 I had pulled the full gag assembly. No wonder you often only find the runner piece cuz the center section has broken loops. ugh.. I had a pre-1900 V nickel with a decent back and an IHP I didn't take a pic of. The lever item is for an old icebox.
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A few weeks ago I went out. The first spot was supposed to be a picnic area, but it looked like the ground had been taken away, and then the town dumped some extra in different spots. It wasn't a good spot, but I did see the cut granite stones out back and a big 3 ft black racer. The second spot had a hiking path by it, but it was a pretty big site and spots were overlooked. I managed a few ginormous pieces of lead, some ornate brass pieces, a few lantern pieces, buckle, pocket watch piece, 1934 wheat and other scraps. The magic didn't happen until the third spot. It was pretty slow going for a while getting some small scraps. I went near, maybe even walked over, a big flat button that was picked up. Not far behind the cellar I dug a nice skeleton key lock escutcheon. There was a little more daylight left and I knew of a small pen across the old road so I started walking. Maybe 20 ft up from the cellar I crossed the road. And maybe 30 ft from the stone wall I heard an 82/3 VDI. It was pretty solid so I was thinking a smaller silver. But I dug a copper. I texted Jojo saying I pulled a copper. After I texted he started making his way over. And when I rescanned the hole I heard a 59 VDI. And out popped another copper. I took a pic cuz I thought I was done. Well, he came by and I was working on #3. After I took one out, he was rescanning the hole. I pulled a 6 copper spill!! It was crazy. It even renewed some hope for those living in the area that copper spills can still happen. A few were playing tricks with us. Size variations and designs 'seen' in the uncleaned surfaces made us think various things. I still managed to get a bunch of firsts. The spill held my first NJ copper. I also made it into the 1600s with a really worn King William, per Dan. I thought it was a worn 1785 CT cuz the right bust and the 'rat tails'. But he believes it is a 1699 being the most common year. Shows how they were hurting for coinage if one can be circulated for 90+ years before it was dropped. Besides those two, there was my first KG3, being 1775. I had multiple KG2, but no 3's for some reason. This spill had a second British penny, and un-dateable KG2. There was also a 1786 CT copper in the top left of the cleaned pic(s) and I think the other might be an '87. The fork and some sort of pan (not pictured) were the last items I dug. I made it to the pen after the spill. The fork had some weird red oxidation on the surface that chipped off. The 1835 R. Wallace Triple sectional were roughly 1917. The latch item is from a CW photo album.
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Since then I have managed a copper the next successive weekends. I pulled the dateless DB along with a few buttons. I was way in the back of the prop thinking I was to see another home site there with the lined walls from the brook. It was a nice surprise after the two previous shotgun shells having the same depth and close VDI.
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Thursday After work I tried to obtain a permission but no one answered. The owner did answer on Saturday and was skeptical anything would be found so I had to leave my card. Instead of going to an 1820 permission where I had my 1909 and '10 dog licenses come from, I just went to a park and dug the lower and iffy tones. My fav is the heart item. I had a junker earing (or at least its not marked) and the plated ring.
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This past weekend I took a vacation day off work for Friday and did a solo hunt. It was a long, uphill hike in. I'm pretty sure I did close to 12 miles hiking for the day; in, out, and all around swinging. I tried looking for a site that had no name marked. All I got was the ox knob so I headed back to the main spot. I was hoping to find some unique relics there, but nothing too out of the ordinary. I guess I didn't hit that place hard enough last time I was there. The folding suspender buckle was in the same hole as a shotgun shell. The IH was a fairly low reading so It was prob on edge. It turned out to be an 1886, which is 60 years newer than the first coin I found. I wanted to check the field there to see if it was used much. There were a few targets there including a decent 1826 matron. I think there was a musical family there as this was the same place I pulled 7 harmonica reeds from last time. This time was one more and that tuner item.
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Saturday I went to a cellar I had hit before a few times with great success. First was to check across the old road as I had never checked there. It was a good call because I found an area with some activity. First target was one of the suspender buckles, with the three tines. This was after I found the bottle on the surface. Through the bottle dating site I was able to narrow it to a time of 1885 to 1905. Continental Brewing out of Boston was the third name the company held. This name was first used in 1883. With the molding line that has been filed or ground down near the neck, the uneven bottom, and the bubbles in the glass, it was most likely within that time frame. The second target ended up being an 1897 Barber dime in decent shape. I mistook it for 1894 when I dug it in the short vid I took. I found the thick pewter button I couldn't help the edges from crumbling, even after packing it in moist dirt. I moved on eventually to find the other suspender buckle with the two tines. And then to another cellar where I found a farthing. Sweet looking coin having great detail after 268 years. Seems the 1749 series had all come from good quality planchettes. Maybe a month and a half ago I pulled the 1749 Penny. I have been having a bit of luck despite the forum not hearing much from me.
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I also hit a permission that I need to return to. I was able to hit it before the rain for a little while, but the kids followed me around. Turns out I knew the owner from high school. Small world. There was a suspender strap tensioner buckle and a spoon, but the best item was the fob. The guy liked my WW1 fob and was hoping for something like that. So far I can't totally ID it. I know it dates between 1866 and 1896. It is thin and looks like a fob. More like a luggage or hotel check tag, esp being thin and having a number stamp. Peck & Snyder was the first company to start baseball cards. Those cards can go upwards of $60k. They started out making baseball and hockey equipment. It was around 1875 when their business was booming and they branched out making other items. In 1888 they went out a tour with A. Spaulding, the retired baseball player. In 1896, Spaulding bought Peck & Snyder in 1896 and merged the company to become Spalding sports. But 124-128 Nassau is far from Prospect park. Idk if Flatbush was named Nassau in the late 1800's. And I also don't get what a company, regardless of branching out from sports, was doing making a specific check tag for something. I have to reply to W&E treasures as the pic image didn't make it to them for some reason. Interesting piece of history, tho.
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These were from a weekend hunt. Long hike into the woods. Scored some nice buttons. It is the second designed tombac I have dug. This hunt makes me realize I need gaiters for wet days. I like the view from one of the cellars. Woulda been a nice secluded spot.
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