Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Finally found one!!

  1. #1
    Candidate Member Bearbqd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Martinsburg, WV
    Posts
    14

    Finally found one!!

    Well, it's been a long time coming and I knew I'd eventually find one, but this one was rather unexpected today. This was actually one of my goals to find in 2016 and it came early. I got permission to hunt and area that is close to a confederate camp area. I can't get right on the area where I know it was because a quarry owns one side of the creek and other owners that have said no own the opposite side. If anything, I was expecting to find something southern states related.

    I had hunted along the creek for awhile with no good signals except a few stray pieces of clad change, which I ended up finding a dollar an seven cents including a small spill of two quarters and a nickel. I slowly made my way to the corner of this property which was as close to the camp location as I could get. As soon as I got into the proper field above the creek I got a blasting signal. I assumed it was another soda or beer can of which I had dug up several. When I made the hole and saw the back of the plate, my first thought was more can slaw. But as I picked it out and felt it's weight, I started to become very hopeful. Dirt was stuck all over the front of it so I couldn't make it out just yet, but I knew that was a lead back, it was the right size and just HAD to be. I took out some water and a little brush that I carry with me and started cleaning the front off and the eagle appeared. I'm soooo stoked to finally find one of these.

    Now, the kicker is this...... Immediately close to this plate was my next signal which was iron but had flutey tone like I've heard when I dig artillery chunks. Sure enough, out pops a piece of cannister shot of some kind. I continued getting these signals and continued to dig more and more shot with many of them being deformed like they had definitely hit something. I soon realized that this shot surrounded the plate in about a 30 foot area. When you look at the left side of the plate, it does actually look like it took a hit from something. What's strange is that I found no other accoutrements in this field. In fact, that was my first and best signal of the day. All over the rest of this field I found no bullets or any other evidence of troops. I found a small pice of shot lead that I thing is a pistol ball and that's it. Very peculiar.

    anyway, hope you enjoy the photos.
    Attached Images Attached Images          

  2. #2
    Elite Member Digger_O'Dell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    near Milwaukee Wi.
    Posts
    3,932
    Very nice find! Looks like someone got hit by a grape shot blast maybe. Interesting, would love to know the story but likely lost in the past.
    Equipment:
    Minelab: CTX 3030, GPX 4800, X-Terra 705. Whites TDI SL.

    2023 Silver: 1 Gold: 0

    Best finds: 28 silver dime spill, 1800s Dutch customs seal.
    Oldest/best coins: 1837 Upper Canada large cent, 1877 Seated Dime
    Oldest find: 1800 Sailors Luck token
    You Tube: Rediscovering America

  3. #3
    Senior Member Isaac's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Herndon Virginia
    Posts
    731
    KILLER hunt!!! Amazing breast plate and I'm still looking for my first Canister shot/Artillery fragment
    I <3 colonial relics!

  4. #4
    Awesome hunt! Glad you knocked something off your bucket list this early. Plenty of time to knock something else off

    Sent from my XT830C using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Elite Member The Rebel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Southwest, CT
    Posts
    2,060
    WTG on the Breast Plate!
    Minelab Manticore / SPECTRA V3i, Pro-Pointer II. Lesche Digger.
    Oldest Copper: 1694 William & Mary Halfpenny. Oldest Silver: 1663 1-Reale
    Cob.

    My Album

  6. #6
    Administrator del's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    13,014
    the shoulder belt plate is a great find Barry , huge congrats to you !!
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


  7. #7
    Candidate Member Bearbqd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Martinsburg, WV
    Posts
    14
    Thanks everyone, I'm super happy with it.

  8. #8
    Sweet breast plate. I've only seen 3 or 4 come up in the past two years. A nice find I hope for someday. And you found an iphone too? Lol. better than the Keyocera I found in a park.

  9. #9
    belt plate, canister shot what a great hunt! I does make you think why all of that was in just a small area.

  10. #10
    Wow! Awesome find! Great hunt
    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
    Coolest find: USA button with blue threads still on shank

    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

  11. #11
    WOW!! Incredible hunt and finds! Way to go man!

  12. #12
    NICE!
    Minelab CTX 3030
    Minelab Excalibur II
    Minelab GoFind 60
    Garrett Sea Hunter Mark II
    Garrett AT ProPointer
    Garrett Recovery Tool
    Stealth 720i Sand Scoop
    Vibra-Quatic 2 Pinpointer
    Land and Sea Pinpointer
    Lesche Digging Tool
    Lesche 40" Shovel
    Lesche Piranha Shovel
    2007 Jeep JK to get me to where the treasure is!

    My Youtube Channel! American Digger in Europe:
    https://www.youtube.com/c/AmericanDiggerInEurope

  13. #13
    Veteran Member BTV Digger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Northern Vermont
    Posts
    1,874
    Great story and fantastic find! Curious if that was the final resting place of an unknown soldier, though it would seem you'd find more than the plate. I did see he lost his iPhone though!

    John
    Vermont relic hunting, one swing at a time.
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG2...OLib30A/videos

  14. #14
    Candidate Member Bearbqd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Martinsburg, WV
    Posts
    14
    Quote Originally Posted by BTV Digger View Post
    Great story and fantastic find! Curious if that was the final resting place of an unknown soldier, though it would seem you'd find more than the plate. I did see he lost his iPhone though!

    John
    thanks guys, yeah I'm wondering if there is some deeper stuff there that I wasn't hearing. I might excavate around where that plate was and see if there are some different signals. I'll trip out if I find several coat buttons in a line and then the white of bone.

  15. #15
    Elite Member Digger_O'Dell's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    near Milwaukee Wi.
    Posts
    3,932
    I'll trip out if I find several coat buttons in a line and then the white of bone.
    That would be quite the discovery. Just make sure to get photos!
    Equipment:
    Minelab: CTX 3030, GPX 4800, X-Terra 705. Whites TDI SL.

    2023 Silver: 1 Gold: 0

    Best finds: 28 silver dime spill, 1800s Dutch customs seal.
    Oldest/best coins: 1837 Upper Canada large cent, 1877 Seated Dime
    Oldest find: 1800 Sailors Luck token
    You Tube: Rediscovering America

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •