1839 Style US Belt Plate found on the Beach

[Bharpring]

I wondered into an area of the beach in the wet sand that had huge granite rocks and boulders exposed that had not previously been there. So I knew right away this area was going to produce some heavy stuff. I was expecting to find some gold jewelry as well as lead fishing weights. But what I found instead was very old lead and brass pieces and old fishing weights. Very little jewelry of any type. Thinking that I was digging another old fishing weight (88 VDI on the Deus 2) I ended up scooping out this 1839 Style US Belt Plate. You can see the progression of cleaning in these pictures as well. Turned out real nice. My theory is that it was dredged in from a mile away with the renourished sand from a couple of years ago. I am very blessed to have been able to find this historic treasure!

The video attached shows the area on Tybee Island, GA and the entire hunt. It is a very TELLING VIDEO!

 

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[fishstick]

That's one heck of a Christmas present there Brian!!!! It's a Beauty!!! CONGRATZ.... Looking forward to when we can finally get together to do some swinging down in Darien..

 

[UnderMiner]

Very neat!

 

[devldog]

What a Great Save on the beach. Well Done.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

A real piece of history - congrats !

 

[ARC]

Hey great find.... super well done on the find... BUT... PLEASE DO NOT THROW TRASH BACK.
this is the one thing that gives detectorists a bad name... not to mention some kid or person can injure themselves on your crap.

Also... and just to show i am COOL... I am not sure about how your detector works ... i noticed you said "very little jewelry"....

watching your video i noticed your swing is like you drank 3 energy drinks in your coffee before detecting.... no offense... i am not mocking you or anything... and again i am not experienced with your detector... but i have never seen a detector made that can signal that fast on jewelry items.

UNLESS your detector is "next level from space"... You are swinging waaaaaay too fast to hit on most jewelry... in fact ... almost any jewelry will not signal unless close to surface OR larger in size at that speed.... its just the phenom-physics of it all.

Smaller items like jewelry will not signal for its signature is not the same as something like that large buckle at that speed UNLESS your return sweep happens to be just over it.

I take the throwing of trash back personally.
I did not spend my life honing this craft to have it trashed and threatened.
You are a threat to the craft when you do this... IF your gonna detect... then do it right.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU DIG... if it is trash or not... if it is then DISPOSE OF IT PROPERLY.

AND... just so you know... since you obviously dont ... or just dont care ...
Its a charge / fine for littering.

ALSO...... i have to chuckle... i mean... WHO throws brass or copper away anyway ? ? ?
ESPECIALLY when it is OBVIOUS your on a serious / historical site. heh

 

[pepperj]

Congrats on the recovery of the plate.

But you lost me by chucking the trash, seriously we can do better.

Leaving the holes? (Ya the next tide will take care of the holes reason)
It kind of brings in the ethics of being an ambassador to the hobby.
You're not a newbie at this game.

 

[ARC]

Congrats on the recovery of the plate.

But you lost me by chucking the trash, seriously we can do better.

Leaving the holes? (Ya the next tide will take care of the holes reason)
It kind of brings in the ethics of being an ambassador to the hobby.
You're not a newbie at this game.

I actually missed the leaving of holes... i stopped the video after the first chuck of trash.

Holes left is another DO NOT DO ... people can be seriously injured by this selfish LAZY move.

 

[river roamer]

Thats a great find for a salt water beach Congrats

 

[CRUSADER]

 

[jewelerguy]

sweet!

 

[Bharpring]

I actually missed the leaving of holes... i stopped the video after the first chuck of trash.

Holes left is another DO NOT DO ... people can be seriously injured by this selfish LAZY move.

I watched my video a few times and never saw any "chucking of trash?" I carry my finds pouch on my backside, so I turn it around and put all junk in it. I'm very confused about where you saw me throw trash down on the beach? I take the junk that I dig with me. The first piece of junk brass I shook the black shell off and then put the brass shard in my pouch. Maybe you thought that you saw something else? Anyway Merry Christmas!

 

[ARC]

The "huge piece of brass"... after the 2:30 mark... now after re-watching i am going to assume you later retrieved that same said brass.

If so... then i apologize for all the hub bub... ...

Then....

"As you were"

:P

IT DID prompt me to post a thread that has been long overdue for those new to the craft.
I notice you have been a member here for 6 years... so i should have assumed you knew better.

But you know how it goes.

PS... Merry Christmas back at ya.

 

[pepperj]

I watched my video a few times and never saw any "chucking of trash?" I carry my finds pouch on my backside, so I turn it around and put all junk in it. I'm very confused about where you saw me throw trash down on the beach? I take the junk that I dig with me. The first piece of junk brass I shook the black shell off and then put the brass shard in my pouch. Maybe you thought that you saw something else? Anyway Merry Christmas!

So can you explain to me at the 2:30-2:34 mark when you dug and tossed the "That was a huge piece of brass" many feet away.
That was certainly not put into your pouch-

 

[ARC]

So can you explain to me at the 2:30-2:34 mark when you dug and tossed the "That was a huge piece of brass" many feet away.
That was certainly not put into your pouch-

Maybe pouch too small.
Went back.
Likes to throw trash first
To knock the sand off
Was helping wildlife by feeding to seagulls and pelicans. (j/k... :P... )

 

[ticndig]

nice buckle you found there , congratulations. for us country boys scrap brass = cash I take all my dug metals to the scrap yard once a year $$$

 

[cudamark]

If Bharpring is like me, when I find something too large or heavy for my pouch, or, the pouch is already full, I'll chuck big pieces of junk higher up on the beach and pick them up later on the way out. Where he's digging, leaving shallow holes is not a big deal. I probably would have filled them in a bit more, but, with the surf about to cover them anyway, it's not a huge concern. Higher up on the slope doing that would definitely be a no-no to me.

 

[Bharpring]

So can you explain to me at the 2:30-2:34 mark when you dug and tossed the "That was a huge piece of brass" many feet away.
That was certainly not put into your pouch-

Yes, the brass sheet shard was too big for my finds pouch. I had many old fishing weights in the pouch already making it even smaller.

 

[gunsil]

Great find if real, the non arrow hook looks pretty thin to me. They've been making repros by the thousands since the 1960s. I do have an original and the single hook is much thicker but there were many makers of the originals, could be right, I'd get it checked out. I am with the others who are dismayed about the trash being discarded, it's easy enough to carry a trash pouch and take the trash out with you.

 

[Gare]

AMAZING FIND THANKS for sharing. Thanks also for making the video