Thread Showcasing Member's Two Best Finds of 2014

[Bell-Two]

My first example is this. I never thought about finding this type of coin here in Southern Ohio. I have seen these dug by Michigan detectorist and others in the Northern tier of the country so to say I am pleased is a mild statement. It is a Queen Victoria silver 5 cents piece. They are known as “fish scales” due to their small size. Very similar in size to our half dime!





http://www.americandetectorist.com/...shing-In-The-Fields!&highlight=Fishing+Fields

Not a detector find but found while detecting a field site this museum quality ¾ groove Archaic Stone Axe Head, a wonderful example of Ohio Native American artifact and one that has escaped with only small scrapes and chips. Well pecked this beauty dates to ca. 5,000 to 7,000 BC.







http://www.americandetectorist.com/...Hunt-With-A-Bonus!&highlight=Field+Hunt+Bonus

 

[Isaac]

IDK what my best two finds are... I had an amazing year for jewelry tho... Love this piece thoughIt's smaller than a trime.

Someone gave me info on it:

The Lord's Prayer coin is Victorian. Back in Victorian times, engravers used to create these. Tiny gold or silver disks on which one side would be sort of a "sampler" of designs, wavy lines, flowers, an initial, what-have-you, and the other side would hold the Lord's Prayer or the 23rd Psalm. The idea was to show just how tiny and meticulous an engraver could be. they were created as "show off" pieces, and given as love tokens or luck pieces.

Most of them would be worn on watch fobs, or as necklace charms. I have one that is very thin low-karat gold but the craftsmanship on that tiny piece takes my breath away. Yours is a rare find and probably meant the world to whoever lost it.

EDIT I just remembered... sometimes they were made from dimes or other small coins, with one side smoothed off and engraved. They could also be "tramp art" or "trench art" or "prison art". A hobo, with only a dime to his name, might engrave the lord's Prayer in his copious spare time, and give it to a hosuewife in exchange for a meal and a night's lodging. Soldiers waiting in the trenches, with nothing to do between battles, would make them as a way to keep safe. Prisoners made them to send home to family.

SageGrouse

I also dug up a RARE gold watch winder about 150 years old!!! (usually they aren't solid gold)

Honestly I don't feel i have two best finds IN have many more for this year, I just posted these

 

[del]

Boy there are some great "eye candy" examples of coins and relics on this thread mg: a lot of very "envious":envious: items thats for sure , thanks all for taking the time and showing them off .:notworthy:


my two best recovered finds are the

my convex scripted L A (light artillery) 1st Regimental button that dates anywhere from 1808 - 1821









and the other is my earliest American silver

1825 Capped Bust Dime





Thanks again to all who participated .

Dan

 

[chief5709]

Artillery button I found in November



and my daughter's first LC that she found in April

 

[Jim D]

Hello Guys; I started posting here in June and the end of June 30th I hunted a private yard and was fortunate to find a 27th annual 1893 G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) reunion badge. It was started in 1866 by the union army veterans following the end of the civil war.In 1893 their were 397,223 members in 1949 their were only 16 members. This was my 1st best find for 2014. The original post is on the 26 page I think.
On May 30, 2014 I found a 1890 seated liberty dime, the 1st seated dime I had found in over 30 years.
this was my second best. Thanks for looking ..go to my original post on page 25 or 26 thanks.

 

[JdsCoins]

Oh Boy. Some incredible finds here! :shocked04:
I would consider these my top 2 for 2014. A gold ring with an inlaid 90% gold Mexico 2 Pesos coin. Found in an area of a park that was littered with garbage. I was finding some old coins and other odd bits mixed in. Since it was a local spot I decided to clear the place out of targets in between errands when I had only little time to spare. And so glad I did! (A few weeks later I found a 10k ring about 5 yards away from it!)
2nd find is a cast brass, confederate, block I, coat button found in the yard of a late 1800's victorian home.
There must have been a small civil war campsite in the yard at some point because I also found some camp lead and an enfield bullet! :grin:

 

[nalc472]

love my large cents

 

[RaZR]

My best for 2014 are the first silver I found for 2014. 1876 seated quarter with great details.
And 14kt gold mens band with diamonds from the lake. Local jeweler said would retail at $1,600.
Sorry I mostly hang out at a site for detectorists from Michigan. But I still love to see the goodies you find too!


GL/HH

 

[Tony Two-Cent]

I just looked through this thread again. Man, all these wonderful finds have me drooling! :drool:

I want to thank everyone sincerely for sharing your best finds with us. If you haven't posted your two best finds from 2014 in this thread yet we'd still love to see them! :yes:

 

[Iron Patch]

Ok gotta catch up. My best for 2014 is a Rev War period 24th Regiment silver officer button, and a French trade axe. The 24th button was quite a surprise as we were trying the last field of several and having little success. I finally found a spot of iron and was digging 1800s misc. junk, but at least it was semi old and it was digging. About my 7th target or so out pops a button, it's face up and I can see it is engraved. Just in the couple of seconds it took to get the correct orientation I was excited because I knew engraving in silver was good! ....but at the same time so many times I can see something in the dirt and think..... is that what I think/hope it is, but it's not, but this time I was very happy with the outcome.

My other find might just seem like the average old French iron trade axe, but to me it's a little better. This is dug where my ancestors actually settled in the early to mid. 1700s.

 

[10X]

My best for 2014