🥇 BANNER 1817 Servant Slave Tag from the Plantation!!

[SC Keith]

I dug this servant slave tag on May 8th at a plantation in South Carolina. The tag was folded over when I dug it, so I had it straightened by a professional. My friend Mark was with me when I dug it and had recovered his own servant tag, an 1811 servant, the week before at this same place.
This 1817 dated tag is an early date for the slave hire badges, since the earliest known date on any tag is the year 1800. The number 67 is the issue sequence for the occupation of servant which the city of Charleston, S.C. issued during that calender year. Thanks for looking!
Keith

 

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[treasurehound]

Congrats on a very hard to find relic. If ever I make it to Charleston that is on my bucket list for sure.

 

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[romeo-1]

Banner no brainer! That is an amazing and rare piece of American history.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!



Amazing discovery



BANNER

 

[HISPAN]

A good find , used to remember the cruelty of Humans .
H

 

[Indiana Digger]

Wow, wow, wow!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

This is just an incredible find!
The overall size of this is piece is truly amazing!

I can't believe it went from squished to beautiful!
I'm voting BANNER!

Dave

 

[mojjax]

Amazing Restoration - What a Find BANNER

 

[zaxfire69]

Now I know exactly what a slave tag looks like. That is a great banner find. No doubt it must be on top. Congrats to you on finding such a historical piece.

OH MY ...I didn't even see the picture of the tag wadded up like that. WOW...That is some restoration. Unreal..

 

[fieldslayer]

....... if I could , I'd nominate this killer for 2 Banners ! One for one SUPER find , and another for ever being able to get this wad straightened out sooo well !!! CUDOS !

 

[DMN]

This definitely has to be a banner.
Congrats to you.
Hats off to the person who straightened it. They did a first rate job.

 

[naturegirl]

Banner find, banner post! Banner restoration! Excellent all the way around, WTG

 

[diggummup]

Outstanding Find!
Smart move taking it to a pro to have it straightened!
You just can't take a chance with a find like this.
Big Congrats on the find and making Banner!

My sentiments exactly. I would've had to complain if that one didn't make the banner.LOL

 

[CRUSADER]

Interesting piece will the 67 'record' show an owner or name of the slave or both?

 

[Michaelangelo]

Absolutely incredible and great job on having restored.
Congrats on the Banner-well deserved!!
How in the world did you know what you had considering how crumpled up this piece was when dug?

 

[RIcoinhunter]

Amazing Find.Cleaned up real good!!!!!!!!!!

 

[birdman]

Nice! The low country of SC is a history mecca!!

 

[AGCoinHunter]

Congrats on the banner! One heck of a nice find and restoration.

 

[buzzgator]

Congrats on a great find I have found 4 and my detectin buddy has found an unbelievable 23! I wish i still had mine but a few years ago I was offered a outrageous amount and parted with mine. I still have pics on my facebook page. there is a little known secret to finding these tags. again congrats on ur great find!

 

[SC Keith]

Interesting piece will the 67 'record' show an owner or name of the slave or both?

In the reference book, "Slave Badges and the Slave Hire System in Charleston, South Carolina, 1783-1865" by Hutchins and Greene on pg.35 it states: ...And the city treasurer shall keep a register of all slaves, for whom he grants badges, together with thier owner's names, and their respective ages and employments; and every badge granted by the treasurer, shall express the number, as well as the specified trade or employment, to be persued by the slave working out for hire'
Today there are no records known to exist of this register. HH Cru!

Absolutely incredible and great job on having restored.
Congrats on the Banner-well deserved!!
How in the world did you know what you had considering how crumpled up this piece was when dug?

Thanks! From 20 experience relic hunting I have learned to examine carefully every piece of metal before discarding. I first saw the hole for wearing, the makers mark on reverse, and the "S" in the word "servant". HH!

Thank you to each one of you for your nice comments and votes for banner! I have included another pic of the reverse of the tag showing the maker's stamp "LAFAR", a Charleston silversmith, who was contracted to produce these tags from 1811-34.
Thanks and HH!
Keith

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

What a find! I wonder if you can check out early records to see who this servant was...and possibly track down the descendants...although I am not sure if they would be thrilled to be reminded of those days.