Old coins and some other decent stuff from the woods yesterday

[BTV Digger]

Hi folks. Hope this message finds you all well and you're all getting out there and having fun digging history! Had the opportunity to hunt an area I've been wanting to visit for quite some time, but it's an hour drive away. Yesterday, the timing all worked out and I headed out. 700 acres of woods, fields, old roads and cellars. These homes mostly dated from about 1830 to 1910, with one occupied until about 1930. Found 5 of them, with two more I know of but will need some GPS'ing and bushwhacking. Found a few keepers and a few weird and wonderful items. They included 2 IHs (1887 and a toasty 1896), musket ball, the customary music reed and flat button ( I seem to be on a roll with the music reeds lately) a nice heel plate, escutcheon piece and a broken reins guide. Also found a neat little sash buckle which appears quite old. The weird and wonderful find of the day was an eagle or raptor claw (silver plate) clutching a sphere or globe from some larger ornament piece, perhaps a leg to a small jewelry box, etc. I challenge anyone to find one of those this year!:lol: Also found pieces of what I believe to be a Victorian era coffee urn or pitcher. Makers mark says "Meriden Silver Plate, Quadruple Plate" and has a Pat of Aug. 25, 1863 on the handle thingy (both items were in the hole together). If any of you have any guesses on these latter items give me a shout. I'm all ears! Only spent about 5 hours there yesterday, so I've only touched on it's potential. Only issue is finding time to clear out a whole day on my schedule to head back over there. HH!

John

 

[del]

nice relics and coins John , I love finding oddities !:smitten:That place produced well and needs more exploring .

 

[OxShoeDrew]

Looks like you have a great site there John...best of luck on your return visits! :thumbsup01:

 

[Digger_O'Dell]

Very cool finds! I would bet the claw is one of the feet from the urn. That site does have lots of potential, and with so much area you could be busy there for years!

 

[Noah]

Just love the age of your finds there! I'd go nuts in a place like that, probably have to send out a search party for me to get me to leave and go to work! :cheesysmile:

 

[chief5709]

Nice job John! I will take you up on your bet :lol:

 

[Lodge Scent]

Well John, you are not digging the same old same old. Cool and unusual stuff like that is what I like to find. Eagle claw grasping a globe.....yeah I got dozens of those :lol: That urn part is pretty cool too. Great hunt.

 

[MangoAve]

Nice finds, John. See, I am catching up on some of the stuff I missed recently. :lol: That 'ring' is neat and cool how it had some info for you to track down in the inside. I am surprised they were utilizing 4x plating in 1863 when the latest fork I found from 1917 was only triple sectional. BUT, I will point out that electroplating, starting in 1840s (right near me, in fact), they learned in less than 23 years that they need to have multiple layers to keep from wearing down. Makes you wonder if the plating was almost gone on some of the utensils we have all found, to be almost only formed brass by the time it is unearthed. I know it is a soft metal, but coins not losing layers while in the ground, yet plated utensils do? Sash buckle is Victorian too. Prob same age as the coffee urn, cuz that is right in the middle. Maybe a tad older as it is a single piece buckle instead of the two piece design.

 

[aloldstuff]

John, some great little pieces of history. Sad that the site is over an hour away but you know that there is plenty more there. Good luck on you return trip(s).