1" Brass Ball with a Hole Through the Center?

[FreeBirdTim]

Found this round ball about 6" down in the woods. Thought this might be some sort of check ball, but now I'm not so sure. It's brass and is about 1 inch in diameter. It weighs 2.5 ounces and has a hole through the center. The weird part is that it has a flat spot that looks like a sprue. I don't think it would be any be good as a check ball or a bearing if it has a flat spot on it. Any guesses as to what the heck it was used for?

 

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[Icewing]

I'm thinking it might have been a centrifugal steam governor ball since it has a hole in it.

 

[wainzoid]

There is going to be a brass monkey looking for that

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I'm thinking it might have been a centrifugal steam governor ball since it has a hole in it.

Definitely a possibility. Would that make it from the 1800's or is it more recent than that?