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Thread: Road Trip to the Swabian Alps = Great Relics!

  1. #1

    Road Trip to the Swabian Alps = Great Relics!

    Me and the guys decided to head 3 hours east and do some detecting in the Swabian Alps. So many castles and incredible history. Between the 5 of us we found Celtic, Roman, and some Medieval. The interesting thing about this area is the soil is so neutral that iron barely rusts. Our local guide said he thinks it has something to do with the sandstone soil. Anyway, I got 3 good iron artifacts including a Roman folding knife (for shaving). It is the forerunner of modern straight razors. But by far, my favorite relic is the medieval iron buckle. The blacksmith did a great job on it and even carved decorative lines into it. You can't really see it in the pictures but there is still some tinning visible in spots. The sickle blade has a maker's mark of an arrowhead with the letter I (which would have been pronounced as a J). I wonder if the blacksmith was also the armorer. Thanks for looking and happy digging.<br>
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    p.s. the landscape pic is a stock photo but that is where I was at.
    Attached Images Attached Images     
    Last edited by Full Metal Digger; 11-18-2019 at 12:53 PM.
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  2. #2
    Way to sniff out those iron relics that other detectorists have probably discriminated out, Dave! So much wonderful history in those relics. You have done a wonderful job of identifying them also.

    Lifetime totals:
    9 Large Cents, 415 Indian Heads, 2 Two Cent Pieces, 1 Capped Bust Half Dime, 1 Seated Half Dime, 10 Shield Nickels, 68 V Nickels, 124 Buffalo Nickels, 31 War Nickels, 16 Seated Dimes, 131 Barber Dimes, 405 Mercury Dimes, 249 Rosies, 4 Seated Quarters, 18 Barber Quarters, 19 Standing Liberty Quarters, 89 Silver Washingtons, 1 Seated Half, 3 Barber Halves, 16 Walking Liberty Halves

    YouTube Channel: Tony Two-Cent https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmz...RlHTBIU42bUORg

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Two-Cent View Post
    Way to sniff out those iron relics that other detectorists have probably discriminated out, Dave!
    You are right Tony. I often find medieval iron relics just laying on stumps or on the ground where other detectorists discarded them! I tell the guys to give me any iron they dig. If it's junk, I'll toss it for them when I get home. If it's good, I get to keep it!
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  4. #4
    Amazing, Dave! Your pictures are wonderful too! Keep it up...maybe you could get an extension to stay there? ...or you getting home-sick?
    On Instagram- oxshoedrew

  5. #5
    Elite Member
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    I chuckle when I read your posts and this one put my searches in proper perspective. "I went to a local park" and "I went to the Swabian Alps". great post and great finds and as usual great photos. Thx WD
    Total silver 3 - Goal 50 (2024 Finds) - 0 Washington - 0 Barber Dimes - 0 Mercury Dimes- - 3 Roosevelt Dimes - 0 V Nickels - 0 Buffalos - 0 War Nickels - 0 Indian - 10 Wheats - $ 3.44 in clad
    Relics: MILESTONES since 2012: 1700 silver coins - 8000 Clad Quarters - 500 Roosevelts - 750 Mercury Dimes

  6. #6
    Elite Member Bucknut's Avatar
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    Jun 2015
    Location
    SE Michigan
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    Those are some great iron relics for sure. I am not sure how or why you would come back to the States after living and visiting all of those amazing places? Well done!
    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
    I want a transfer. Great finds.
    XP Deus

  8. #8
    That knife blade is amazing!
    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."

  9. #9
    Veteran Member BTV Digger's Avatar
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    Jan 2014
    Location
    Northern Vermont
    Posts
    1,874
    Great finds Dave! How much junk iron do you have to dig to get these great relics? Perhaps these are found at "quieter sites".

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

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by BTV Digger View Post
    Great finds Dave! How much junk iron do you have to dig to get these great relics? Perhaps these are found at "quieter sites".

    John
    John, we are always detecting in the forest pretty much away from all modern activity. Almost all the iron I find (even nails) are several hundred years old to 2,000 years old. I keep the more interesting nails and do electrolysis on them too. All that hand-forged stuff is just too cool!
    Oldest Coin: 100-60 BC Gallic bronze coin (Sequani Tribe)
    Oldest Silver Coin: 1156 hammered Pfennig from (now) Bavaria
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1805 Draped Bust Large Cent
    Best Coins EVER: 1625 4 Sols from Kingdom of Chateau Renaud, France
    1662 15 Kreuzers, Leopold I, Austria
    Best Relics: Bronze Age Arrowheads & Spearhead, 2c Roman silver ring, complete medieval knight's spur (x6)
    YouTube Channel: Full Metal Digger

  11. #11
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    Nov 2013
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    Northern Illinois
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    3,785
    Awesome finds Dave!! You sure have nicer scenery than we have here in Illinois
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


    20
    24
    Silver 4
    Indian 3, Buff 1, V Nik 1, Rosie 2, Barber Dime, SLQ 1,

    YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoU...FVGumMQ/videos

  12. #12
    Awesome finds. That soil is very kind to iron and that is amazing. I have had almost the same experience with the cellar hole that we have been hunting off and on since the summer. Any button or relic with gold gilt seems to retain most of the gilt. I haven't seen that before at a site.
    XP Deus

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