tinpan
Silver Member
Hi All, This week-end my mate and I went searching for a forgotten Chinese Gold Mining Camp. Well trying to find the site was like painting a tennis court with a half inch bush. Well after wondering up and down hills and gully's we found the site. Few scattered ruins of Chinese miner huts and a 2 room temple known as a Joss House. We started the hunt at the far end near the last deep Chinese round gold mine shaft. On the edge of the camp we started getting targets. First was a copper square with Chinese print on it. Known as a "Opium Happy Tray" Opium is sticky when taken out of the opium tin and was often placed on a small square which was made from an empty opium tin base cut down. Second target was a Chinese Lock with the key still in it. Dates from the late 1850's
Third target i thought was a thimble but turned to be a cap off a small copper personal opium container.Pieces of Opium tin scattered . Nearly dug a whole one but was some what crushed and broken ,Yes disappointment. Handle off a miners buckle and few hand made Chinese clay bricks.When i got the only coin as time had run out for the day. Many hours trying find the site cost hunting time but there will be another trip.
The coin found at first i thought was the common half penny of Queen Victoria.But is not even thou, the coin is almost totally screwed there is still one and half stars left on it. Hmmm large cent i think. The opium den is located on the edge of the Chinese camp which means others could have come and gone under the cover of darkness without being seen
tinpan
Third target i thought was a thimble but turned to be a cap off a small copper personal opium container.Pieces of Opium tin scattered . Nearly dug a whole one but was some what crushed and broken ,Yes disappointment. Handle off a miners buckle and few hand made Chinese clay bricks.When i got the only coin as time had run out for the day. Many hours trying find the site cost hunting time but there will be another trip.
The coin found at first i thought was the common half penny of Queen Victoria.But is not even thou, the coin is almost totally screwed there is still one and half stars left on it. Hmmm large cent i think. The opium den is located on the edge of the Chinese camp which means others could have come and gone under the cover of darkness without being seen
tinpan
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they must have left/lost some.....keeping stum Tinny 
...I will pm ya couple other good ones....I dont know that Tinpan appreciates my input.....
