Wow, where to start - Amazing week at a new virgin site!

BTV Digger

BTV Digger

New member
Hi folks and hope you're all getting out and finding the goods. Pics are from 3 hunts over the past week and a half. The first two hunts produced a few goodies including a couple of musket balls, part of a colonial shoe buckle and one of the worst silver coins you'll ever see - an undated Barber Quarter that looks like it was in a fire :shocked03:. This past Thursday I went out to score some new farm field permissions (still haven't hit the 1810 house site yet) since time is quickly running out on those opportunities. One of the field sites had two homes on it, one on either side of the road according to the old maps. The farmer said there was only 1 home and that it had been heavily metal detected through the years, but to check both sides of the road out if I wanted to. I went to that side first since the home site only appeared on the oldest 1857 maps. Were the old maps wrong? Nope!- Another virgin site baby! I only spent about an hour there on Thursday since I had to work and pulled two LCs a silver thimble and about 5 buttons. I then returned with my good friend Joe from Green Mountain Diggers yesterday and tore the place up. Between us we scored 7 more coppers, about 25 more buttons and other doo-dads. Joe also pulled a sweet 1753 half reale - older pillar style. :shocked04: My coins include 1803 and 1807 Draped Bust LCs, an undated Classic Head LC, a Connecticut Copper (1787 var.) and a really nice 1835 Matron LC (small date var.). Joe pulled 4 other coppers (see hand shot pic). Amazingly, those weren't my best finds imo . Those were my first Vermont Civil War militia button (Var. 9A in Albert's pp. 261) and an early 1800s Navy button (Var. 86Av in Albert's pp. 99). There seems to be some uncertainty in when these types of Navy buttons were worn from Albert's, so thinking perhaps War of 1812 or perhaps into the 1830s/40s? Dan/others - any thoughts on that one? The final item is also a mystery and included in the pics. It's has a decorative pattern on the front with attachment loops on the back. Perhaps a belt buckle cover, or an old pin or brooch? Dunno. Thanks for looking and HH!

John

Wideshot.jpgDB 1803.jpgDB 1807.jpgCT copper.jpgCH LC.jpgMH LC.jpgRoasted Barber Q.jpgVT button.jpgEarly 1800s Navy button.jpgMystery 1.jpgMystery 2.jpgCopper total.jpg
 
Wow, that's an awesome haul of goodies! That Barber really is toast. But you more than made up for it, congrats!
While I'm where the Reales should be, you're finding the great stuff. Predicting next 7 to 10 days of rain and storms here in Florida. So much for detecting. :shocked01:
 
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Amazing is right! The jade patina on that 1835 is beautiful . Two drape busts, enough buttons to make several outfits, Is the bell complete? I havnt dug one in a few years. Time to watch the video Congrats.
 
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That was an amazing three weeks of finds! :wow:

I can't imagine the thrill of finding a virgin site like that. So many coppers, wow! For some reason we don't see many Classic Head Large Cents posted. That one is pretty smooth but definitely identifiable. And yeah, that Barber Quarter was in a fire for sure.

Congrats on the amazing old buttons too!

:perfect10:
 
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John, now that was some detecting. Huge congrats on all you keepers. Love the coppers, wish one of them could have been a Vermont. Yup that Barber quarter is one of the worst...:lol:. You killed it on the buttons also. Is that conestoga bell broken??
 
Cheap Thrills said:
Great finds ! Congrats !
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Thanks much!
Lodge Scent said:
OK John. The term "awesome" come to mind. Great site. Great week of finds. :congrats:
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Thanks Jeff. Yeah, it was definitely one of my best hunts so far.

Digger_O'Dell said:
Wow, that's an awesome haul of goodies! That Barber really is toast. But you more than made up for it, congrats!
While I'm where the Reales should be, you're finding the great stuff. Predicting next 7 to 10 days of rain and storms here in Florida. So much for detecting. :shocked01:
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Thanks! Best of luck to you down in the Sunshine State!

Oneil1979 said:
Amazing is right! The jade patina on that 1835 is beautiful . Two drape busts, enough buttons to make several outfits, Is the bell complete? I havnt dug one in a few years. Time to watch the video Congrats.
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Thanks! Yes, I'm quite happy with the '35 Matron. The conestoga bell is cut in half - a clean cut so a little strange. I'm backlogged on the video footage but plan on having a new one out sometime later this week.

Tony Two-Cent said:
That was an amazing three weeks of finds! :wow:

I can't imagine the thrill of finding a virgin site like that. So many coppers, wow! For some reason we don't see many Classic Head Large Cents posted. That one is pretty smooth but definitely identifiable. And yeah, that Barber Quarter was is a fire for sure.

Congrats on the amazing old buttons too!

:perfect10:
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Thanks a lot Tony! That's my 2nd classic head in the past year - but both are kinda toast. I've read that they were made with a softer alloy of copper (as opposed to the earlier draped busts or later matrons) so don't hold up as well.

aloldstuff said:
John, now that was some detecting. Huge congrats on all you keepers. Love the coppers, wish one of them could have been a Vermont. Yup that Barber quarter is one of the worst...:lol:. You killed it on the buttons also. Is that conestoga bell broken??
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Thanks Al. The conestoga is only half a bell - a clean cut down the center so kinda weird. Yeah, a VT Copper remains on my bucket list - probably at the top.

DavidGC said:
Another awesome group of finds, John.
Congrats on finding another untouched site.
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Thanks David! Yeah, I've been lucky to have found 2 in the past year. I'll shoot you a note soon. Have some good candidate sites we can hit.

Bucknut said:
Wow can't get better than that! Congrats!
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Thanks much!

chief5709 said:
Wow WTG John! Congrats! Nice job on the research too!
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Thanks a lot Brian! Good research that pays off makes any hunt more satisfying.

Cooper said:
Nice finds that IH is in really good shape congrats on all your finds
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Thanks a lot. The IH was actually from an earlier hunt and post...just used it for a size comparison on my mystery item.
 
Wow I don't think there are enough superlatives to describe such an epic adventure thank you so much for sharing it!
 
Incredible coinage and relics John :notworthy: I new this would be your year ! Awesomeness :smitten:
 
Yikes!! You weren't kidding that's a rough looking silver ! I think your right that it was in a fire at some point.
Your onto a killer site for sure!
Great finds ..... so far :thumbsup02:
Congrats! :grin:
 
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