Weekend hunt finds*New York Militia officers sword belt plate*

[Thiltzy]

Got back to the property that I have permission to hunt on Sunday. We decided to hit one of the corn fields where once stood a homestead. After a few hours of swinging in the rain all I had to show for my efforts were a few wheat pennies. Then I got a familiar sounding target that sounded nice with a high vdi reading but seemed like a larger target. It reminded me of what I heard when I dug my first eagle belt plate. When I reached the target in the hole, I saw a folded piece of brass but didn't think much of it. Decided to wipe some of the dirt from it and noticed some patterns that looked like feathers:eyebrow: My eyes couldn't focus on a full design or pattern so I carefully bent back just enough of the folded brass piece to see an eagle head and that's when I knew I had my second eagle plate in 3 weeks.
When I got home, I very gently straightened out the plate and got a positive ID. It is a New York Militia Officers Sword Belt Plate made 1840's. The plate is thinner than my 1st one and is in very ruff shape from being in a crop field but I am not complaining considering how it looked folded in half in the hole. I still need to spend some more time cleaning it as I am trying to be very careful with it.

Some of my other finds included some sort of military button that I can not ID, an 1864 Indian, 1906 Indian, 1919 Wheat and other typical finds from cellar holes and colonial fields.

 

[Lodge Scent]

That's a heck of a find :congrats:

 

[Digger Don]

Very nice finds.
I check out your videos
I subscribed

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

looks alot better now Todd! looked like a V coming out of the ground .you been so hot on the early military items the last few weeks! sad about the button.but to me it looked like a early CT like mine kinda

 

[Thiltzy]

Very nice finds.
I check out your videos
I subscribed

Thanks for subscribing Don. Enjoy

 

[Thiltzy]

looks alot better now Todd! looked like a V coming out of the ground .you been so hot on the early military items the last few weeks! sad about the button.but to me it looked like a early CT like mine kinda

I see some of the resemblance Dave but I guess we will never know. The button is completely shot.

 

[del]

great plate Todd how is the back , any remnants of the attachments ?? looks like you have part of another eagle hatplate as i see an eagle's wing in the background .

 

[Thiltzy]

great plate Todd how is the back , any remnants of the attachments ?? looks like you have part of another eagle hatplate as i see an eagle's wing in the background .

Dan, the tongue and keeper bar are gone from the back. The eagle wing on the left is a mystery, it is very thin like foil almost

 

[del]

Dan, the tongue and keeper bar are gone from the back. The eagle wing on the left is a mystery, it is very thin like foil almost

yes like most hat plates post a picture of the back of the larger plate , i might be able to see where the attachments are and what kind , also if you can post a picture of the wing . i might be able to id it for you.

 

[Thiltzy]

yes like most hat plates post a picture of the back of the larger plate , i might be able to see where the attachments are and what kind , also if you can post a picture of the wing . i might be able to id it for you.

This is what it would have looked like Dan. The 3rd pic is the back of mine.

 

[rsarge1]

:congrats:erfect10:

 

[del]

Todd here is what one of the books say about your plate ...


This plate, struck in poor-quality, medium-weight brass, is of a stock pattern bearing the eagle-on-half-globe device and the motto "Excelsior" from the New York State seal superimposed on a panoply of arms and colors. This type of belt plate, with the device on the inner panel and a wreath between the inner and outer borders, is most characteristic of the 1840's. More than ten different plates are known that vary only as to the design of the inner panel; some contain New York State heraldic devices, and others contain variants of the usual eagle design of the period.

 

[coinnut]

Nice stuff Todd. Enjoy the military ride while it is hot. Dan and I have noticed that finds sometimes come in groups. It has happened to us with military items as well as CT coppers and even Half Dimes. They are found in spurts. Look at Dave's GW's also. Weird :shocked01:

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Nice stuff Todd. Enjoy the military ride while it is hot. Dan and I have noticed that finds sometimes come in groups. It has happened to us with military items as well as CT coppers and even Half Dimes. They are found in spurts. Look at Dave's GW's also. Weird :shocked01:

I agree G .it's happened to me many times.definitely weird

 

[The Rebel]

Awesome finds Todd! I wonder if that eagle wing was part of a sword hand guard.

 

[Bell-Two]

Wow that is a super find, nice items to go along with it that field would seem to have promise of more!