1857 Flying Eagle, Colonial Relics and an auction buy

[OutdoorAdv]

I haven't been out detecting much in the last month due to work, vacations and my primary site being inaccessible. On Friday I noticed that another site of mine had opened up and I was dying to get out for a bit. Got in a total of 4 hours between yesterday and today, and managed to make some cool finds.

The lamp collar is dated 1863. Dug 2 tombac buttons and 4 flat buttons. One of the tombac's looks like it was part of a 2 piece button and I'm missing the front. I didn't know there were 2 piece tombac buttons. I also eyeballed a 5/64th pipe stem (1720-1750) and a few oyster shells. Also got the bottom half of a broken stirrup.




Somehow, I have never dug a fatty Indian... Not sure how that's happened, but I seem to dig lots of Large Cents and Indians... and even a flying eagle , but never a fatty Indian. I get a nice hit and I'm expecting another button... I dig a plug and have a chunk of dirt with the target. Its rock hard clay, and I break it in half to see a FAT green coin edge and think "FINALLY, A fatty indian head"... pull it out of the clump and then see the eagle. I was excited and let down all at the same time. That's the second flying eagle I have dug about 20 years apart... but I'm still on the hunt for the fat indian head



My auction finds: I also got two non-dug finds yesterday at a local auction. I noticed the sterling thimble and sterling pencil mixed in a ziplock bag of junk, in a box of junk! Got the box for $9, so I think I did alright! Auctions are not really my thing (been twice), but its always fun to hunt around there for a good find\buy.

 

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[cjon455]

Wow that flying eagle is in fantastic shape!, very cool assortment of finds, pipe stems don't show up too often either, very good site you're on

 

[kingskid1611]

Sounds like a good day all together. Congrats!

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Wow that flying eagle is in fantastic shape!, very cool assortment of finds, pipe stems don't show up too often either, very good site you're on

Thank you! Its in much better shape than my first flying eagle. They seem to get toasty... maybe because its a pretty low relief coin or something. I randomly clicked over a clump of dirt this morning and noticed the pipe stem. I had been wanting to find a pipe stem really bad and I found my first pipe stem about a month ago... so this is my second! NOW, I just need to find the bowl.

Another odd thing I didn't mention was the porcelain wheel with the iron frame. It must have gone to a cart or something in the mid 1800's.

 

[sutphin]

ADVENT NICE 1857 FLYING EAGLE , I RECENTLY PASSED ONE OF THESE TO MY NEPHEW SAME DATE AND JUST A TAD OR ABOUT SAME CONDITION AS YOURS. SEE GOT AN OLE STIRRUP AND WHAT I CALL A HONEY JAR BURNER FOR AN OIL LAMP. NICE ASSORTMENT OF 17OOS AND LOOKS LIKE SOME ONE MENTIONED THE POCELAIN WHEEL MAYBE A CHILDS CRIB OR PART TO A CHILDS BED FRAME.

 

[Ahab8]

Another nice early site bud. Very nice buttons and a great sign. I too am Fatty indian headless lol

 

[DirtStalker]

Nice digs and auction finds there OA. I've found flying cents but nothing compared to the detail of yours. Looks like you have a great spot to dig

 

[deershed]

Wow, two flyping eagles. I'd love to find just one. Lol

Looks like this one is in Great shape too, Congrats!!

Love the old buttons too but, really like that thimble and pencil thing, Sweet!!

 

[thrifty76now]

That Flying eagle penny is really nice. I have only found one ,and your's is in much better shape

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Sounds like a good day all together. Congrats!

Thank you! I was very surprised at the colonial finds. I wasnt expecting anything older than the mid 1800's.

ADVENT NICE 1857 FLYING EAGLE , I RECENTLY PASSED ONE OF THESE TO MY NEPHEW SAME DATE AND JUST A TAD OR ABOUT SAME CONDITION AS YOURS. SEE GOT AN OLE STIRRUP AND WHAT I CALL A HONEY JAR BURNER FOR AN OIL LAMP. NICE ASSORTMENT OF 17OOS AND LOOKS LIKE SOME ONE MENTIONED THE POCELAIN WHEEL MAYBE A CHILDS CRIB OR PART TO A CHILDS BED FRAME.

Thank you stuphin! I think you nailed the ID on that porcelain wheel. I just googled and saw some antique cribs with very similar wheels.

Another nice early site bud. Very nice buttons and a great sign. I too am Fatty indian headless lol

Thanks Abe! Hows it going up there? My find's have been slow down here, so I need you to go out and dig up something awesome to inspire me. Sadly this site will be buried under 12 feet of dirt with a new road over top! Some of it may still be accessible when the dust settles... we'll see. I hate losing history forever due to development, but its pretty common around here. I forgot to tell you, I dug tons of brass at that old camp I was at a couple weeks ago... mostly rifle... and one .925 ring. But nothing too old or too great.

Nice digs and auction finds there OA. I've found flying cents but nothing compared to the detail of yours. Looks like you have a great spot to dig

Thanks a ton Tyler! The other one I found all those years ago is pretty rough. There is some light pitting on the rim of this one, but its got a brown patina and some spots of green. Not a bad looking coin.

Wow, two flyping eagles. I'd love to find just one. Lol

Looks like this one is in Great shape too, Congrats!!

Love the old buttons too but, really like that thimble and pencil thing, Sweet!!

Thank you! I see people digging thimbles on here all the time and I've never found one. So I figured I'd just buy one instead. ha I like the pencil a lot and just realized its 100 years old now.

That Flying eagle penny is really nice. I have only found one ,and your's is in much better shape

Thank you! I really lucked out on that one. Hopefully the dirt is as nice on everything else at this spot.

 

[port ewen ace]

INCREDIBLE HAUL!!!. my FE is still in olive oil in hopes of a date

 

[Argentium]

Really pretty Flying Eagle cent ! These are a Tough Find ! Congratulations ! - I will be on cloud nine when I find my first FE cent ,
(an IH is right up there for me too ) I think you did great on the pencil and the thimble !

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice to see you could get out again Brad. That FE cent is in great shape, and you don't see those in that condition too often. And regarding your tombac button, we find the backs of those all the time down here. What's missing is the pewter face that apparently gets broken quite easily, and I can't recall ever digging a complete one. Lot of other cool finds as well. Any idea of when you'll be returning to your primary site?

 

[46Wheat]

very cool

 

[Pacivilwarluke]

That is a superb flying eagle!! I love the pipestem too, they are so cool to find! Very nice buttons!!

 

[RJ55]

Nice flying eagle cent.

 

[detectahead]

On my bucket list the eagle. Nice finds and auction as well!
Congrats

 

[OutdoorAdv]

INCREDIBLE HAUL!!!. my FE is still in olive oil in hopes of a date

Thank you and good luck getting a date on yours!

Really pretty Flying Eagle cent ! These are a Tough Find ! Congratulations ! - I will be on cloud nine when I find my first FE cent ,
(an IH is right up there for me too ) I think you did great on the pencil and the thimble !

Thank you! Good luck on getting yours. Both mine I ended up seeing the back first and without the shield, you can most likely tell its a FE!
There is one guy at the auctions that shows up and means business! He busts out the loupe and examines everything... and is WAY MORE knowledgeable than me. He's been at the two I have been to and bids up everything. Luckily he didnt notice that ziplock bag, or I might have not gotten that box. ha

very cool

Thank you!

That is a superb flying eagle!! I love the pipestem too, they are so cool to find! Very nice buttons!!

Thank you! It'll make my hunt if/when I come across a pipe bowl. I have seen people post them and always thought they were really awesome.

Nice flying eagle cent.

Thank you!

On my bucket list the eagle. Nice finds and auction as well!
Congrats

Thank you!

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Nice to see you could get out again Brad. That FE cent is in great shape, and you don't see those in that condition too often. And regarding your tombac button, we find the backs of those all the time down here. What's missing is the pewter face that apparently gets broken quite easily, and I can't recall ever digging a complete one. Lot of other cool finds as well. Any idea of when you'll be returning to your primary site?

Thank you Bill!

The back looked like a regular tombac.


On the front side I could see the shank come through and bent over. And it looked like it was covered in solder or lead.


From the side the rim just ended and it looked like there was more to it.


Thank you for that information Bill. I keep learning. I had no clue there were two piece tombac buttons. SO what would have been on the pewter front? I would assume it would be a nicer design since they went through the trouble of making it in two pieces. Would be cool to find a complete one.

I keep checking on my primary site, but I probably wont be able to get in there until the fall or winter. In the meantime I have been thinking of my next step there and I have some ideas that I think might give me some productive hunts. Based on my track record at the site in a dozen or so hunts, I think my plan will turn up some more goodies.

I saw your second water hunt and you seem to be having a productive summer. My T2 came camping with me a couple weeks ago and I dug a TON of brass shell casings and a sterling ring... but nothing gets me as excited as these colonial relics do now. haha

 

[Carolina Tom]

Congrats OA! That FE is just awesome. One of the best I have seen, smooth and detailed. Very well done.