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Thread: Bucket List Relic Find!

  1. #1

    Bucket List Relic Find!

    Hello Digger friends,
    Last Sunday I went back to the castle ruins near my house and spent 3 hours in the woods. Not many finds to report. Mostly .50 Cal casings fired from U.S. fighter planes during WW2. Must have been several strafing runs in that valley because there are hundreds of shell casings! Anyway, I had a faint iron signal that was pretty deep. I worked down through the roots and was surprised to find a medieval snaffle bit for a horse. It wasn't until I cleaned it and did electrolysis that I realized it is actually two mismatched halves that were joined together in medieval times! My German reference book shows the date range to be 400 to 1200 A.D. for this type. Since the castle dates back to the 1190's I am going with a date of 1100 to 1200's for this cool relic. Thanks for looking and here is some pics.
    Attached Images Attached Images   
    Last edited by Full Metal Digger; 03-11-2021 at 04:06 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
    What a spectacular relic, Dave! Was it a clump of rust when you found it? That Medieval iron sure does clean up nicely! Over 800 years old, wow!

    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
    Wow! That is a very cool find. I think I'll throw my 200 year old snaffle bit in the trash. Yeah, the fact that they are mismatched make them extra cool. Well found!
    Last edited by Lodge Scent; 03-12-2021 at 09:48 AM.
    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."

  4. #4
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
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    And the hits keep coming!!!
    Great find Dave!!!
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


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    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

  5. #5
    Antique just isn't good enough for you. YOU just have to go medieval on us!!

  6. #6
    The Metalldetektion Deutschland officials are getting a bit tired of all your finds.

    You'll have a museum when you get home! Hugh congrats!!
    On Instagram- oxshoedrew

  7. #7
    Global Moderator Ill Digger's Avatar
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    Your gonna need your own cargo ship to bring all that ancient iron home!
    Another sweet find Dave!
    Some days you get the corn, some days you get the cob
    ​Oldest coin: ​70 B.C. "Harlow Flyer" gold qtr. Stater
    Oldest U.S. coin: 1814 Capped Bust Dime

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Tony Two-Cent View Post
    Was it a clump of rust when you found it? That Medieval iron sure does clean up nicely!
    Tony, I have learned it is the impurities in iron that cause it to rust (contact corrosion). Medieval iron is so pure it comes out of the ground with very little rust. When I dug this up all 4 parts could move freely even though they were a bit rusty.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lodge Scent View Post
    the fact that they are mismatched make them extra cool. Well found!
    I agree! Back then nothing was wasted and forged iron was a real commodity for sure.

    Quote Originally Posted by Digger Don View Post
    And the hits keep coming!!! Great find Dave!!!
    Thanks Don, only a few more months and the great treasure hunt will be over!

    Quote Originally Posted by Noah View Post
    YOU just have to go medieval on us!!
    LOL! Reminds me of Pulp Fiction "now I'm gonna go medieval on his ass."

    Quote Originally Posted by OxShoeDrew View Post
    You'll have a museum when you get home!
    Funny you should mention that. I'm up to 5 display cases now in my "little museum!"

    Quote Originally Posted by Ill Digger View Post
    Your gonna need your own cargo ship to bring all that ancient iron home! Another sweet find Dave!
    Thanks Tim, yes, that's going to be the trick. Getting it all home without prying eyes or sticky fingers getting to it first.
    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

  9. #9
    Administrator del's Avatar
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    The better the iron the worse it usually sounds to a detector , high carbon steel holds up much better to the elements compared to wrought iron but wrought iron generally sounds more "diggable" . great find Dave , they sure haven't changed much in hundreds or years .

    Dan
    "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


  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by del View Post
    The better the iron the worse it usually sounds to a detector , high carbon steel holds up much better to the elements compared to wrought iron but wrought iron generally sounds more "diggable"
    You're absolutely right Del! This rang up like a puny nail. A more modern piece that same size would be a screamer (or should I say a grunter).
    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
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    Pickerel, Wisconsin
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    " I went back to the castle ruins near my house" - I have to chuckle. What an area that must be to have to detect. Great relic. 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

  12. #12
    Some day when you are back, gonna ask you how you managed to get your loot home, LOL

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