🥇 BANNER 1850 Charleston "Porter" slave Tag

SCJohn

Jr. Member
May 14, 2016
67
333
Charleston, sc
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, AT propointer
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Evening Tnet . I don't post often as I don't get out much nowadays due to heavy workload and 2nd kid now almost 10 months old but on Friday I was able to carve out a few hours to get out. Decided to go to an area that I've been going to for years that has turned up some neat relics but nothing earth shattering but knowing that it dates to the late 1600 I always have hope that sooner or later something good would come up. Friday was that day and it's the 1 thing that I wanted to find since I started detecting. Working the some thick under brush and barely being able to stand I was having no luck other than iron signals when I got a peak 77 then 65 mixed with some iron grunting on the AT Pro. Decided to dig it since it was only the 2nd signal in an hour that had any potential I opened up the ground and swung over and still the same so got out the pin pointer. pulled a few nails out and figured it was a bust but swung over it and clear as a bell 77 and stayed consistent. so went back into the hole with the pin and the target was under a small root at 6 to 8 inches. I managed to work the sandy soil under it and felt something and out comes a small square piece of metal about 2 inches by 2 inches. I took a deep breathe and thought...No way is this what I think it is. At first I could not see anything on it so pulled out a tooth brush and after just a few wipes the dirt fell out of the hole on the top and I made out the word "Porter" and on the bottom it says 1850. I stopped right then and packed up and went home. So far all I did was tooth brush it and use a tooth pick to clean out the number on the tag - #606. According to some research these are super rare. I'm having it evaluated this week by a local expert. I'll update once I hear back and the plan at this point is to get a professional to preserve it. Thanks for reading and HH. 1850_Slave_Tag.JPG
 

Upvote 92
Congrats on that rare slave tag. Happy to be the first to vote for Banner status.
 

Outstanding historical relic recovery! :notworthy:

Banner Vote!
 

Banner for sure congrats on the new family member Well done
 

Historic find" Most people do not realize that actual authentic tags were ONLY issued in the city of Charleston, South Carolina.When in doubt, consult with the Charleston Museum". Did not find an exact match but am pretty sure you have a very special find.
Congratulations and be sure to post a cleaned up picture for us to see.
Great hunt belated congrats on the 10 month old/
 

Thank you. This was something that I've only heard of someone finding once or twice in and around Charleston. Just knowing that a person's life was tied to this find makes it very humbling to say the least. Research says there may be less than 1000 of these ever made so the likely hood of finding one is so scarce it's almost unbelievable that I found it. Also makes me question other signals in the same area that I skipped over. Going back at some point in the next week to do a slow pass over the entire area again.
 

Thanks for the Banner Vote Meg. My 1st ever.
 

great find and banner all day for me. Just voted Banner.
 

Wow! That’s an awesome find. I’m voting banner now for sure.
 

I voted BANNER!! These are super rare relics and have been faked for the collector market. Finding a real one like this is a fantastic rare find. Dang, that is a GOOD ONE!!
 

Congrats! I have been looking for one of those...
 

BANNER! really great find
 

While some may not like what it represents and rightly so, it is part of our history and should be stored and valued as the historical rare piece that it is. awesome find and BANNER worthy
 

Thank you. This was something that I've only heard of someone finding once or twice in and around Charleston. Just knowing that a person's life was tied to this find makes it very humbling to say the least. Research says there may be less than 1000 of these ever made so the likely hood of finding one is so scarce it's almost unbelievable that I found it. Also makes me question other signals in the same area that I skipped over. Going back at some point in the next week to do a slow pass over the entire area again.

That's a historically heavy find... one has to ponder what the original wearer went through. Pretty amazing that there may have been only 1000. Perhaps you could link that tag to an actual person and find out their history! Who knows they may have descendants who are alive today.
 

Wow! Talk about a bucket lister! :icon_thumright:
 

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