My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring (Updated 2 new pictures)

[Rusty in Tenn]

Got lucky while hunting last week and dug this ring in a Louisiana camp. 3 Louisiana cuff buttons were found within 10 foot of the ring. Right now I am still trying to research what boat is on the front of the ring as it might hold the key to which soldier was wearing it. I am guessing since it is made of solid gold with Silver inlay on the sides and was hand engraved on the front that no normal soldier had it on. Most of them were too worried about shoes, clothes and food to be wearing something that nice.
Some people refer to the ring as a locket ring or a poison ring. Taking it to a jewler next week to have the latch fixed and the crud cleaned off but am not having it polished as I just want to get the crud off so it will display better.
If anyone has any clues to what boat is on the front it would be a big help.
We do know that it is a sidewheel paddleboat.
Probably used around Louisiana and before the war which would date it to before 1861..

UPDATE: A person that specializes in Steamboats at a University told me to try to ID the 4 marks on the Paddle as that is where the name would be. I have done the best I could with my camera and still cant make anything out. See if any of you have eagle eyes as I think mine are shot. The ring goes to be fixed on Monday and the Jewler has a 18 power Magnifying glass so if we cant maybe he can..Again, thanks for the nice comments and the for looking..

Thanks for looking
Rusty Mills
East Tennessee

 

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[laralucine]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

oh my god - that's gorgeous!!!

 

[coinman66]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

One of the best items i have ever seen found metal detecting. Words cant describe it! How deep was it? Let us know when you get it cleaned up. please be careful with it. Exceptional find! WOW!

 

[coinman66]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

What do you wanna bet western and eastern treasue try to contact you for years best find!!!

 

[Rusty in Tenn]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

The ring was down about 5-6 inches and just feet from 3 Louisiana cuff buttons.
I am lucky as a Jewler that does CW restoration work contacted me as he said he didn't want to see just anyone work on it as he is like me and wants to leave the ring as close to "as found condition" as possible. Another plus is I personally know this person and fully trust him. I am driving the ring to him (almost a 4 hr drive) as I can't trust UPS at this time of year.

Thanks for the nice comments
Rusty Mills
East Tenn

PS: Yes, I hope they do contact me for find of the year.. I know it is my find of a lifetime.

 

[TreasureTales]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Holy Holy Holy Cow! What a fantastic find!! That would have had me jumping 10 feet in the air and clicking my heals. That is a terrific find...it's a ring, it's gold, it's CW...all the makings for the FIND OF A LIFETIME. CONGRATULATIONS. Geez, what a beauty.
Can hardly wait for you to post pix of it cleaned up. Glad to read that you KNOW the jeweler who has offered to clean it for you and that you TRUST him.

Gotta wonder what happened to the guy who "lost" it. Was he killed in battle? Learning more about that boat may help ID the guy, then learn his life story. I honestly hope you will keep us updated whenever possible.

So let's see the buttons, too. It's all good.

We can see that the boat is a sidewheel, and it was a big ship--like those used on the Mississippi and the Great Lakes--for hauling both people and lots of cargo, that should narrow down the list a tiny bit.

Visit this website, they might be able to help you ID the boat. www.steamboats.org

OK, I can't resist this story...and that's all this is--a story: The ring belonged to a Mississippi River gambler who had great good luck on that particular sidewheeler. He had such good luck, as a matter of fact, that he had a jeweler create a customized ring, depicting the boat. It's a "poison ring" so that if he started having bad luck, he could pour some sleeping powder into his opponent's whiskey glass. He went to New Orleans often and wound up helping the CSA. One night he was captured as a spy and executed on the spot. His jewelry was unclaimed because he had hidden it before he was caught. His name was Rhett Butler. The End

 

[cavers5]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Wonderful! Congrats! Awesome!

Cavers5

 

[River Rat]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Rusty,

W W

What a find!!! Congratulations

I'm tearing up my house trying to find a local history brochure that had a side wheel paddle boat like the one on the ring. Dadburnit, just how close were you to where I live to find that?

Are my eyes are playing tricks on me?...I can see a outline of a man's face inside the ring.

RR

 

[Snee]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

What karat is it? That's a really awesome ring!

 

[ashleen]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Rusty,

WOW>>>WOW>>>WOW!!!!!!!!!
Nice going!!!!!!!
AMAZING find; beautiful! Congrats!
But, like River Rat said....do I see a face inside?

 

[romeo-1]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Rusty,

WOW>>>WOW>>>WOW!!!!!!!!!
Nice going!!!!!!!
AMAZING find; beautiful! Congrats!
But, like River Rat said....do I see a face inside?

Agreed...there is a face inside the ring...It's a haunted ring!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

That is a fantastic find, really three finds in one as said earlier, ring, gold, and civil war. congrats!!!!!!!!!!

 

[hollowpointred]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

outstanding!

 

[DJ_Quinn]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Congrats, that's the best find I've seen in a long time. You did really, really well there. Please keep us posted on your researching the history of the ring.

 

[skierbob]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

That is a really neat find, Rusty. I'm jealous.
Bob

 

[Salvager]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

That is an awesome find!!!!!
I'm totally speachless!!!

 

[Aussie Okie]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Awesome find congrats!

 

[Wetgreenie]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

Wooo Weee..... I hope to read about this in W&E Treasures.

Too Cool!

 

[mercinarie]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

sweeeeeeeet

 

[stevesno]

Re: My Find of the Year: Gold Civil War Ring

What a gorgeous work of art! I would get it restored and resized for you to wear...Steve