A PIECE OF GOLD FROM A CHINA AREA OF A GHOST TOWN!!!

[basque-man]

Last month, my hunting buddies and I were in Unionville Nevada. A four (4) day trip where we had a lot of nice finds. I finally got around to going through my "junk" bag and pulled out a crumpled piece of metal I hadn't checkout out to well.

After cleaning it off with some soap and water, it looked gold. It was soft enough to make straight and had some type of design. My friend tested it and its GOLD! It weighs 7.8 grams. It is about five (5) inches in length and has no markings at all.

Now I found this in an area that had been known as China Town back in the 1860's-1870's. We have only found Chinese relics, bottles and coins from this area. NO AMERICAN COINAGE AT ALL. (Maybe an opium pipe pick??)

We have no idea what it could be so were looking for anyone on here who might be able to help us out!!! Thank you all for any input.

 

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[SkaBa]

Don't know, very cool find.

 

[Ant]

Looks like a temple from a pair of eyeglasses.

 

[Joe hunter]

Opium Pipe would be my guess

 

[tamrock]

Opium Pipe would be my guess

Could maybe be an Op' pipe cleaner ? Sweet! find basque-man, I just so happen to dine at a Basque restaurant last week in Elko, Nevada called the "Star" Love that place. Have the purity of that gold tested.
Opium Pipe Cleaner Pictures, Images & Photos | Photobucket

 

[Ant]

This one is 12k Gold Fill:

 

[sutphin]

CROCHE NEEDLE VANZUTPHEN

 

[ARC]

In my opinion you have just found an extremely old...
ANCIENT toothpick/hairpin...

Just look at the gold... it speaks volumes.

Tell me... whatcha see there

PS> If verified as what I think it is...
Banner all day long...
Whoda thunk

This piece SCREAMS antiquity to me.

 

[basque-man]

In my opinion you have just found an EXTRERMLEY old...
ANCIENT toothpick/hairpin...

Just look at the gold... it speaks volumes.

Tell me... whatcha see there

PS> If verified as what I think it is...
Banner all day long...
Whoda thunk

This piece SCREAMS antiquity to me.

I like the hairpin idea!!!! My buddies wife said the same thing. Perhaps it was worn by a Chinese woman with her hair up?? I have no idea who to even ask....But I think your on to something!!!!!!!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[ARC]

Well hold on now... IT IS JUST my opinion...
And does not "make it so".

So before you start getting too excited...
Lets check some things.

 

[ARC]

 

[basque-man]

Well hold on now... IT IS JUST my opinion...
And does not "make it so".

So before you start getting too excited...
Lets check some things.

Found those as well. Looks good, but who knows. Perhaps I'll take some more pictures and such; then send them off to a pro. It's not going anywhere, that's for sure. All our finds we keep!!!! Thanks for the info.

 

[tamrock]

It does look ancient, so no telling how it ended up in a Chinese mining camp ? Hope you figure it out. I'd sure be hollering Eureka! with that find.

 

[kingskid1611]

Makes you want to go back for more......

 

[Tedyoh]

If you can, post some clear close-ups of the tips. I have a complete opium pipe from that era, not gold but my pick looks like your item pictured, especially the spiral engraving down the middle - Great find!

 

[ARC]

It is highly unlikely it is for an opium pipe.

Gold is way too soft for one and would bend too much for this purpose... IMO.

The correct term for your pipe "pick"... is "reamer" btw.

 

[Ant]

And it is way too heavy to be used to fasten or pin hair . It looks pretty soft and orangeish in color indicating that it has a high gold content.

 

[ARC]

View attachment 1173081

View attachment 1173082

... hairpins... again.

 

[Ant]

We find small to tiny delicate alloyed gold hair ornaments and stick pins, notthing bulkey, jmo.

 

[Tedyoh]

Oh wow, not sure why someone would call a pick a reamer, by definition reamers have cutting egdes that enlarged existing holes. Thanks for the info though, mine looks like a pick so you know what they say, looks like a duck sounds like a duck...