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Thread: Braved more barberry armed with a machete and shears. It paid off.

  1. #1

    Braved more barberry armed with a machete and shears. It paid off.

    Saturday was a debate on detecting as there was a convention to hit from 10-3. It was also grey and possibly rain. I went to the convention, but there were many tables which I didn't think were related to the theme, so I didn't stay too long.

    I headed up to a new spot that I wanted to check out. First spot was a shorter hike in, but I figured no one had bothered to check this spot. It didn't look like a full homestead but there was a foundation. Turns out the foundation was for a barn. After about 5 min I was hopeful getting a high 80s VDI. Tried to take a short vid with the phone. It turned out to be a monster bullet. There was a lot of iron and it was localized around that barn only. The enclosed area within the walls must have been a huge pasture. I didn't find any positive vdi to dig. Eventually when I went back to the barway I spotted otw in, I saw the hunter stand. ugh. That's why it's been hit before. Someone knew of a foundation type there. After a while I was thinking to hike to another spot. There wasn't much service there so I kinda deviated a bit too far North as the gps wasn't updating correctly. I ended up where the brook was at it's widest part, almost like a river. Choice: walk a ways North and cross two tributaries, walk a ways South, or just go to a new spot. I chose a new spot.
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    The next spot was a hike in and was behind another site. I don't know how they made it to the site when it was active. This time I wore my gaiters and knee pads, but it was a little late as the rain was gone and my ankles were already wet. What lead me to the site was another barn, however I did spot a really small foundation that was amassed in barberries. I took out the machete and the clippers and took out a good chunk of them. Many are still there and the surrounding area is still covered with ferns dampening any real swinging. After a while I discovered a covered well. Sure enough this had to be a site. I checked the newly uncovered area to come up with 80% of a shoe buckle, an old designed pewter baby spoon, a brass knob of some sort, and two chapes. I also dug a sweet knee buckle. All the other 'complete' buckles I have dug had iron guts. Finally I got one with all brass parts and still intact. It even moves. The ox shoe is def a different shape than normal. Idk which chape belonged to the broken buckle, but it still means there should be another buckle somewhere else. It'll def warrant a trip back to clear more barberry. The lantern came from a 'pounded' site I walked through to get here.

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    Last edited by MangoAve; 10-02-2017 at 10:37 AM.
    Future goals: Capped bust coin, Flowing hair LC, Classic head LC, VT copper, MA copper, Pistareen, Two-cent pc, SLQ, GW inaugural button, Excelsior button, Civil war token, and a gold ring.



  2. #2
    Nice chicken mushroom Jim. Good eating, but not nearly as good as the hen of the woods that should start popping up this week! Awesome little knee buckle. I would love to find one with all the parts. When is the last time you dug a whole pewter spoon? I've never. Nice find. Great hunt.
    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
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    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

  3. #3
    Global Moderator aloldstuff's Avatar
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    Great hunt, great pictures. I have yet to dig a complete shoe or knee buckle....congrats on yours.
    V3i- Prism IV- Pro Pointer
    2020 GOAL: Any Flowing Hair coin

    TOTAL 100 YEAR OLD COINS - -280
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  4. #4
    Elite Member Digger_O'Dell's Avatar
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    Congrats on the good finds! Cool pewter spoon, and a great find with that complete buckle!
    Equipment:
    Minelab: CTX 3030, GPX 4800, X-Terra 705. Whites TDI SL.

    2023 Silver: 1 Gold: 0

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  5. #5
    Great looking knee buckle, Jim! The top of that ox shoe looks to broken off from here...? I've never found a pewter spoon with that cool shell design on it. I've found a bunch with plain rat tails on them. Nice job!!
    On Instagram- oxshoedrew

  6. #6
    Elite Member Bucknut's Avatar
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    That is a great knee buckle! Nice digs!
    Detectors I use: Minelab Equinox 900 & Manticore
    Favorite finds I have made:
    1,000+ silver coins
    92pcs of 1700's Trade Era Silver
    Copper Culture Indian Artifacts
    125+ War of 1812 Era buttons and relics
    My wife
    (probably should have started with that one)

  7. #7
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    Great bunch of finds Jim. Gotta love those old buckles!
    Nice pictures too!!
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


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    Indian 3, Buff 1, V Nik 1, Rosie 2, Barber Dime, SLQ 1,

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  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Lodge Scent View Post
    Nice chicken mushroom Jim. Good eating, but not nearly as good as the hen of the woods that should start popping up this week! Awesome little knee buckle. I would love to find one with all the parts. When is the last time you dug a whole pewter spoon? I've never. Nice find. Great hunt.
    Thanks, Jeff. I don't remember if I dug a whole pewter spoon before this one, but the likelihood is quite slim. Prob not. And as Drew stated, most of the pewter aren't designed. Never had either of those types of 'shrooms. I think this was growing on a dead coniferous, so I wouldn't have touched it. I do remember those fern 'horns' you fried up. I think I spotted pancake mushrooms and the Indian cucumbers before I got into detecting. Only a few times did I see wild raspberries. It was funny to hear Lou and Kevin K. (I believe they were both active on the forum 3-4 yr ago) clamor that they wouldn't eat any and were worried on me. There are no berries around here on briars that mimic raspberries and are poisonous.

    Quote Originally Posted by aloldstuff View Post
    Great hunt, great pictures. I have yet to dig a complete shoe or knee buckle....congrats on yours.
    Thanks, Al. Nay for you on complete buckles with detecting as long as you have? hmm. We all know it's about 'luck'. Noobs have hit reales before I have. I've hit a seated quarter before Master D.

    Quote Originally Posted by Digger_O'Dell View Post
    Congrats on the good finds! Cool pewter spoon, and a great find with that complete buckle!
    Thanks, Chris. I thought the small silver plated spoon I dug in my yard was small....I think this pewter one is now the smallest I have dug.

    Quote Originally Posted by OxShoeDrew View Post
    Great looking knee buckle, Jim! The top of that ox shoe looks to broken off from here...? I've never found a pewter spoon with that cool shell design on it. I've found a bunch with plain rat tails on them. Nice job!!
    Thanks, Drew. You are right about the pewter stuff. I don't remember seeing designed pewter spoons, or many if I have seen one and can't recollect. Idk, tho, I think the ox shoe is complete. The front and back both have that lip, or 90 degree bend. The back flare has a taper toward the center of the hoof. Like normal, except the flare is only like 1/3 the length instead of 2/3 the length.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bucknut View Post
    That is a great knee buckle! Nice digs!
    Thanks, Buck. Can't wait for these ferns to go away (but now temps drop too )

    Quote Originally Posted by Digger Don View Post
    Great bunch of finds Jim. Gotta love those old buckles!
    Nice pictures too!!
    Thanks, Don. Did you deduce that there are more or better pics from the first site? Now you know what I do when the finds are scarce. Jk... it's more of when I see the inspiration cuz last week's with the detector on the wall was at the same spot I pulled those 5 buttons.
    Future goals: Capped bust coin, Flowing hair LC, Classic head LC, VT copper, MA copper, Pistareen, Two-cent pc, SLQ, GW inaugural button, Excelsior button, Civil war token, and a gold ring.



  9. #9
    Love those buckles , great hunt!
    Best finds GW Button and John Adams Cufflink.
    Trust in the Lord...

  10. #10
    very nice. congrats!
    Scott
    Rogue Relic Hunter
    Virginia Colony

    East Coast Relic Hunters - "We don't just read history, we save it!"

  11. #11
    Elite Member The Rebel's Avatar
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    WTG on the buckles! Love the knee one!
    Minelab Manticore / SPECTRA V3i, Pro-Pointer II. Lesche Digger.
    Oldest Copper: 1694 William & Mary Halfpenny. Oldest Silver: 1663 1-Reale
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  12. #12
    Nice read and finds! Love the complete knee buckle.
    XP Deus

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