1652 Massachusetts Pine Tree Threepence and more from virgin 1660 homesite!

[oxbowbarefoot]

What an incredible day at a 1660 virgin homesite in Massachusetts! My first find was a huge Brown Bess musket ball. Nice way to get the day started. My next target was the best find of the day, and one of my best finds ever, a 1652 Pine Tree Threepence! It's either a Noe 36 or a Noe 37 variety. Unfortunately the tree side is tough to make a definitive call. Either way, it's well over a $1000 coin��. Then came a sweet George I Farthing. Next find was an Abraham Lincoln related thing, not sure what it is yet. Right next to that was a colonial gold broach. After an early ox knob and a a bale seal came a great goulcher lock or dog lock off a musket or rifle. All in all, a fantastic day!

Thank you Dr. R.M. Gramly for the tip on the location!

Updates:
The Pine Tree Threepence is a Noe 36/Salmon 2-B, Rarity 4, only 75-200 known!
The "dog lock" was actually just part of an old cap gun, darn!
The Lincoln item is a ferrotype campaign button from the 1860 election

 

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[gheenoe78]

Banner vote from me.

 

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[oxbowbarefoot]

Thank you everyone for the Banner support! I sincerely appreciate it. I think everyone knows my position on Mass silvers and that they hold a special place in my heart. It would be great to see the Threepence up top, but just having found it was an incredible honor.
Anyway, I was finally able to get some decent close ups. Here they are!

 

[Garrett424]

What a great hunt. I like everything but that old gold is amazing to me. Looks like it was dropped yesterday.
That's definitely the hunt of a lifetime without any doubt.

Big congrats.
Oh, and you got the banner nomination from me as well.

 

[Iron Patch]

Thank you everyone for the Banner support! I sincerely appreciate it. I think everyone knows my position on Mass silvers and that they hold a special place in my heart. It would be great to see the Threepence up top, but just having found it was an incredible honor.
Anyway, I was finally able to get some decent close ups. Here they are!
View attachment 1295228View attachment 1295229

And even better with these latest pics! And to think I made the banner with a 1699 1 real cob... guess times have changed. You know a lot of what's missing is probably from being weakly struck. I'm curious if some of the others look similar.

 

[Ahab8]

And even better with these latest pics! And to think I made the banner with a 1699 1 real cob... guess times have changed. You know a lot of what's missing is probably from being weakly struck. I'm curious if some of the others look similar.

These Mass silvers are all over the map depending upon variety. Some (like mine) were known to be struck and others are varieties are normally weak in certain areas. I haven't done much research into this particular variety but I would guess if you could find a few auction results for this particular coin it may show the trend. These pics are really nice. They're such a distinct looking coin.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

And even better with these latest pics! And to think I made the banner with a 1699 1 real cob... guess times have changed. You know a lot of what's missing is probably from being weakly struck. I'm curious if some of the others look similar.

This one is pretty weakly struck, even for this variety. Many of the threepence coins were well struck on one side but obscured on the other due to the ultra thin planchet. It doesn't have a ton of wear, but because the planchet is so thin it wouldn't take much to wear it down to a slick disc. Makes me wonder how many slick ones have been mistaken for a half reale.

You're cob was pretty sweet, I still have yet to find one.

 

[Silver Tree Chaser]

Oxbow - You've done it again! You've now got lucky 3, 4, how many times? Now to get serious - fantastic and remarkable results and well-deserved I'm sure. This site of yours is providing uncommon results - finds of quality and in quantity. I know only two New England hunters who have hit the three coin mark for Mass Silver, so right now you're at the top of the game for Mass Silver. Congrats! May I ask on the type of terrain that produced the threepence - field or woods or around an old house? I've only had luck with Mass Silver hunting plowed fields. Recovering 17th century silver from the woods is possible but not probable, and downright impossible at a standing house. I've hunted a few old houses - 17th Century, stone-enders, real old; the Colonial Period finds are no doubt too deep, as I often find myself pulling early 20th century coins from 6"-8". What are your thoughts, Master Jedi Oxbowbarefoot?

On the gold pendant, the easiest way to date it to a Colonial Period time frame is to have the gold tested by a jeweler. Jewelry in the 18th Century was made on nearly pure gold - not 14K and not 18K. If it comes back 22K or 24k (and I hope it does), then it's Colonial Period.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Oxbow - You've done it again! You've now got lucky 3, 4, how many times? Now to get serious - fantastic and remarkable results and well-deserved I'm sure. This site of yours is providing uncommon results - finds of quality and in quantity. I know only two New England hunters who have hit the three coin mark for Mass Silver, so right now you're at the top of the game for Mass Silver. Congrats! May I ask on the type of terrain that produced the threepence - field or woods or around an old house? I've only had luck with Mass Silver hunting plowed fields. Recovering 17th century silver from the woods is possible but not probable, and downright impossible at a standing house. I've hunted a few old houses - 17th Century, stone-enders, real old; the Colonial Period finds are no doubt too deep, as I often find myself pulling early 20th century coins from 6"-8". What are your thoughts, Master Jedi Oxbowbarefoot?

On the gold pendant, the easiest way to date it to a Colonial Period time frame is to have the gold tested by a jeweler. Jewelry in the 18th Century was made on nearly pure gold - not 14K and not 18K. If it comes back 22K or 24k (and I hope it does), then it's Colonial Period.

Thanks for the thoughtful comments. The Threepence was found in a wooded lot adjacent to the 1660 homesite. The lawn is surrounded by woods on both sides and the concentration of early finds increased with proximity to the edge of the lawn. The Threepence was about 4 or 5 inches down. The soil at this site destroys coppers and keeps silver looking lustrous. The deepest finds from the site were a small or knob at about 12", and the William III at about 10". I found a silver Washington quarter at about 8 inches. I imagine root action has altered the sink rate for items. The Threepence is so thin, I can't imagine it ever making it too deep without heavy vegetation decaying on top.

If I can find my acid test I might check the brooch myself, otherwise I'll bring it to a jeweler sometime this week.

 

[Ahab8]

I think it really separates people when they hit multiple Mass silvers. It's an amazing accomplishment to find one but can be a bit of a fluke. When you knock down 3 or more you're for sure getting kicked into the right sites. That in itself is not easy to do....at all. First off you have to live in an area that has history that stretches back that far. Then you have to get yourself on the right sites(not too early and not too late) and normally the very early sites aren't super easy to hunt as the finds are normally scarce. I've often wondered if lots of these 1600s finds are out of range. I've hunted a few 1600s sites and some of this stuff is super deep. I found the tree coin and cob on an eroded bank. I often wonder if it was just perfect timing. The latten spoon I dug were extremely deep. I thought for sure they were deep iron. So many factors go into making a great early find. I'm not sure if many people appreciate the entire process that has to take place. I can assure you I do. Ok enough of my 4 am rambling. When you dream about Mass silvers you wake up and write about them

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

I think it really separates people when they hit multiple Mass silvers. It's an amazing accomplishment to find one but can be a bit of a fluke. When you knock down 3 or more you're for sure getting kicked into the right sites. That in itself is not easy to do....at all. First off you have to live in an area that has history that stretches back that far. Then you have to get yourself on the right sites(not too early and not too late) and normally the very early sites aren't super easy to hunt as the finds are normally scarce. I've often wondered if lots of these 1600s finds are out of range. I've hunted a few 1600s sites and some of this stuff is super deep. I found the tree coin and cob on an eroded bank. I often wonder if it was just perfect timing. The latten spoon I dug were extremely deep. I thought for sure they were deep iron. So many factors go into making a great early find. I'm not sure if many people appreciate the entire process that has to take place. I can assure you I do. Ok enough of my 4 am rambling. When you dream about Mass silvers you wake up and write about them

Identifying and having access to early sites in the North East is definitely the most influential factor in finding Mass silver. Following that, persistence and luck are also important. The way in which one approaches a site plays a role as well. For example, at the "Field of Dreams" site where I found my first two Mass silvers, my hammered silver, and over a dozen Spanish silvers, I record every significant find on Google Earth. On a site of roughly 3,000 acres, this allows me to see patterns develop over time. There is a very clear trend for the earliest finds to be concentrated in specific areas, with similar trends for finds of various later time periods. There are probably 30 or 40 people that detect those fields, and at least 10 of us are 'regulars' there (only a handful actually have permission and it has become a serious problem). Most of those other people wander aimlessly around the expansive fields, digging the occasional old buttons or coins, while the regulars routinely dig up great stuff. Wandering aimlessly is far from wasted time, because that is how one learns about a sites. It's just as important to know where things aren't as it is to know where things are.

Advice I give to veterans and rookies alike is to carry a notebook and record your findings based on age, type, and other context clues. If you visit a site enough, you will almost be able to predict what you should be finding and where you should find it. At the 'Field of Dreams', I know where to go for 1600's finds and I know where to go for Rev. War period finds, Indian artifacts or Civil War era finds. Of course, anomalies do occur, but it's much easier to take advantage of patterns.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

Oxbow - You've done it again! You've now got lucky 3, 4, how many times? Now to get serious - fantastic and remarkable results and well-deserved I'm sure. This site of yours is providing uncommon results - finds of quality and in quantity. I know only two New England hunters who have hit the three coin mark for Mass Silver, so right now you're at the top of the game for Mass Silver. Congrats! May I ask on the type of terrain that produced the threepence - field or woods or around an old house? I've only had luck with Mass Silver hunting plowed fields. Recovering 17th century silver from the woods is possible but not probable, and downright impossible at a standing house. I've hunted a few old houses - 17th Century, stone-enders, real old; the Colonial Period finds are no doubt too deep, as I often find myself pulling early 20th century coins from 6"-8". What are your thoughts, Master Jedi Oxbowbarefoot?

On the gold pendant, the easiest way to date it to a Colonial Period time frame is to have the gold tested by a jeweler. Jewelry in the 18th Century was made on nearly pure gold - not 14K and not 18K. If it comes back 22K or 24k (and I hope it does), then it's Colonial Period.

Passed the 22k test! I tested from two spots, both passed for 22k I don't have a 24k test acid, so all I can say is that it at least 22k.

 

[BFR]

Congrats on that sweet site and your finds!

BFR

 

[Ahab8]

Identifying and having access to early sites in the North East is definitely the most influential factor in finding Mass silver. Following that, persistence and luck are also important. The way in which one approaches a site plays a role as well. For example, at the "Field of Dreams" site where I found my first two Mass silvers, my hammered silver, and over a dozen Spanish silvers, I record every significant find on Google Earth. On a site of roughly 3,000 acres, this allows me to see patterns develop over time. There is a very clear trend for the earliest finds to be concentrated in specific areas, with similar trends for finds of various later time periods. There are probably 30 or 40 people that detect those fields, and at least 10 of us are 'regulars' there (only a handful actually have permission and it has become a serious problem). Most of those other people wander aimlessly around the expansive fields, digging the occasional old buttons or coins, while the regulars routinely dig up great stuff. Wandering aimlessly is far from wasted time, because that is how one learns about a sites. It's just as important to know where things aren't as it is to know where things are.

Advice I give to veterans and rookies alike is to carry a notebook and record your findings based on age, type, and other context clues. If you visit a site enough, you will almost be able to predict what you should be finding and where you should find it. At the 'Field of Dreams', I know where to go for 1600's finds and I know where to go for Rev. War period finds, Indian artifacts or Civil War era finds. Of course, anomalies do occur, but it's much easier to take advantage of patterns.

I thought I was the only one dorky enough to have these ridiculous journals identifying site characteristics as well as every shred of info I can pack in about conditions, depth, finds, geography. It goes on and on. Some of my best sites have been discovered because I simply like the look of an area on a map. When you begin to understand what made a property attractive for settlement it's amazing what you can locate that never made a map. Well said my friend.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

I thought I was the only one dorky enough to have these ridiculous journals identifying site characteristics as well as every shred of info I can pack in about conditions, depth, finds, geography. It goes on and on. Some of my best sites have been discovered because I simply like the look of an area on a map. When you begin to understand what made a property attractive for settlement it's amazing what you can locate that never made a map. Well said my friend.

I'd be willing to bet quite a few of us have similar ways of systematically working sites. As the saying goes, luck favors the prepared!

 

[Iron Patch]

I'd be willing to bet quite a few of us have similar ways of systematically working sites. As the saying goes, luck favors the prepared!

I first send the dogs in to clear the site to make sure Abe is not there, but I always hope he is.

 

[sscindercoop]

Amazing finds!!!!!

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

I first send the dogs in to clear the site to make sure Abe is not there, but I always hope he is.

This is how I imagine that going:

 

[Iron Patch]

This is how I imagine that going:

Exactly right, only I drink coffee. ....and Homer is better looking than Abe.

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

More like this then?

 

[Iron Patch]

More like this then?
View attachment 1295833

Think that was me in my mid. 30s.