An Ideal Yard To Start Treasure Hunting In!

[Charmin]

First, let me tell you a little background about this place. It was in the same family for 4 generations. Built in the late 1890's and has a huge yard that sits next to the Midland Valley railroad tracks. The house came up for sale in 2004 and my parents decided to buy the house.
I went with my parents to look at this place and thought "Oh my gosh, there are treasures waiting in the ground for me here!". As soon as mom and dad moved in, I started tilling up that yard--my dad said it looked like an armidillo had been there! I wasn't very good at digging perfect plugs , but I did cover all my holes!
My first place to detect in the yard was under the old clothesline--I found lots of buttons and snaps(Lee Unionalls, Round House, United Carr, Wheeler, True Blue), a Barber quarter(1905), buffalo nickels, wheat pennies, 2 old button hooks(?) with floral designs, and 2 thimbles. Next I moved to the old fenceline, a kind of banked up place in the yard(my dad had to redo all the fencing around this place as it was falling down--that was good for me!) This place was something of trial because of all the screw on pop lids! But it was certainly worth it. I would get a good signal, start to did and began finding marbles and old glass beads. I even found a piece of pink flint--did I mention the people that used to own the house were Native Americans? The first metal object in this bank was a Barber dime(1909)! I found old compacts, Pond's cold cream lids, a comb with metal cover, a "Korn" hat creaser(Pat'd June 1917), 12 spoons!, 2 forks--one is a baby fork, butter knife, a badge that says "Union Station, Kansas City, Mo.", lids for salt shakers, a whistle that has athletic looking figures on it, and TOYS--cap gun parts(Troope Safety? on the grips), little jalopy cars, part of a motorcycle, a little brass man with a top hat(he's the green one in the picture). The little cars are made of lead or iron. Next, I moved out along the railroad tracks and found pocket watch part--it has a beautiful bird in flight and scrollwork design on it. It is gold overlay! and has some numbers inside (6258??8). I found a flattened coin that had been smashed by the train.
After this I moved to the old maple tree and found some "Merry Widows" tins--I did not know what these were and wondered why the women(Agnes, Mabel, Beckie) were so happy?! After researching these, I will assume this was the "Romantic" part of the yard !
On the east side of the maple tree was a trash/dump spot where I found 15 old buckles(sash, shoe and belt), another Barber quarter(1908), a token for the "W&F Theatre Bar, 1449 Lawrence, good for 2 1/2 cents in trade". I wrote to W&ET "Ask Mark Parker" and he said it was circa 1911 from Denver, Colorado! Wonder how it got to Pawhuska, Ok?! A small ladies watch, and lots of pieces of other pocket watches. Digging down in the hole where the 1908 Barber quarter was recovered, I found the back of an Apex wrist watch--sterling! There were also lids for ladies face pomades, powder and creams. There was so much stuff, it would be impossible to list it all!
Up by the corner of the house I found a little sterling pocket knife-it has scissors, a file, pick, cork screw, and some blades. It has beautiful designs etched into it. Along the back sidewalk I found over 30 consumer's tax tokens!, a Kwiksolv soap token, a Mason penny(Horeb Chapter No. 63 R.A.M., 1909 Pawhuska), a 1918 Canada penny, 4 V nickels,3 more Barber dimes(1913, 1906, 1907), 45 wheat pennies, 2 Indian head pennies(1890, 1906), and a war nickel(1943).
I have worked this yard four 5 years and still find stuff everytime I detect it! It makes you wonder about the people who used to own the place and why they lost so much! But, I guess having 4 generations and lots of kids would account for that.
My White's Prizm III has certainly had a work-out here! When I thought about telling this story and started looking through all this stuff it almost boggled my mind and I know I didn't list everything. I did take lots of pictures and hope you will enjoy looking at this stuff.
A picture is worth a thousand words anyway, huh?!
Nothing found was worth lots of money but it has been a blast digging all this up! I wish I had listed it on here as I found it each time, but I didn't have a good camera so you're gonna get it all in one shot! I hope I put this in the right section of TreasureNet and if I didn't somebody let me know--enjoy the pics and thanks for looking! sandcreek4

 

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[wheelerite]

sandcreek4,
its not a brick but looks like it might be a handmade stone marble mid 1800 to about 1910 just guessing on the date, made in germany mostly it is made of some type of agate . if you look at it in sunlight and rotate it and can see flat spots it is an older marble. I would like to see the one on the far right when you get a chance, Also when taking pictures of marbles if you put them an a golf tee your camera will focus on the marble instead of the back ground.
Very cool collection.
ksmith

 

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[Charmin]

sandcreek4,
its not a brick but looks like it might be a handmade stone marble mid 1800 to about 1910 just guessing on the date, made in germany mostly it is made of some type of agate . if you look at it in sunlight and rotate it and can see flat spots it is an older marble. I would like to see the one on the far right when you get a chance, Also when taking pictures of marbles if you put them an a golf tee your camera will focus on the marble instead of the back ground.
Very cool collection.
ksmith

ksmith--Is this the marble you wanted to see? The dark red one with all the swirls in it?? I couldn't find a golf tee so I had to use something else. I still couldn't get a good shot of the marble --maybe I'm trying too hard . You might be able to see it good enough, though. Thanks for the comments!
kind regards~~sandcreek

 

[wheelerite]

yes, that is a great looking slag!!!!
My uncle used to live on the farm across from me which was one of the first farms
in the area around 1850. He has a couple of nut trees that were planted in the 1860's. I used to go over there and look for old bottles and just any kind of old things that washed out of the small creek that ran through the middle of his property. When I found out he was going to sell it about 15 years ago him and I decided to sift the dirt where the original house sat. We found all kinds of stuff there including coins and jewelry and a couple of brass candle sticks. The original house was burned down in the 20's so alll of it was scorched but it was a neat place to spend time at. We even did some metal detecting but there was so much iron junk in the ground that we never really found any coin with the detectors. I really wish I knew what i know now about detecting because I would bet there is still some secrets buried there. Also before the white settlers lived there it was an indian encampment. So we found plenty of arrowheads on the property when he would till the garden areas and the flower beds. I am thinking your place is much like his was. Have fun with it!
ksmith

 

[Charmin]

yes, that is a great looking slag!!!!
My uncle used to live on the farm across from me which was one of the first farms
in the area around 1850. He has a couple of nut trees that were planted in the 1860's. I used to go over there and look for old bottles and just any kind of old things that washed out of the small creek that ran through the middle of his property. When I found out he was going to sell it about 15 years ago him and I decided to sift the dirt where the original house sat. We found all kinds of stuff there including coins and jewelry and a couple of brass candle sticks. The original house was burned down in the 20's so alll of it was scorched but it was a neat place to spend time at. We even did some metal detecting but there was so much iron junk in the ground that we never really found any coin with the detectors. I really wish I knew what i know now about detecting because I would bet there is still some secrets buried there. Also before the white settlers lived there it was an indian encampment. So we found plenty of arrowheads on the property when he would till the garden areas and the flower beds. I am thinking your place is much like his was. Have fun with it!
ksmith

Thanks for all the information on the marbles, ksmith! And the story about your uncle's place does sound like my parents yard. Hopefully this summer I'll get to do some sifting and see what else is in that trash pit.
Kind regards and thanks for the comments!
sandcreek4

 

[crazyjarhead]

That is one awesome collection. Fantastic finds and still more

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

back to the knives....

the one with the stripes is a case candy strip...faded out..surprised the celluloid did not vent...they have a tendency to self destruct...i can't tell what year by the shield...do you see little pins through the shield...at both ends?

really great finds...and any collector would love to get their hands on them...so remember they are fantastic trade goods...

do not clean them...collectors love original condition...

and the silver knife is as you say...gentlemans knife...pocket watch chain...vest pocket..ect...

what a wonderful adventure you had...my back hurts just lookin at that loot.

 

[Charmin]

That is one awesome collection. Fantastic finds and still more

Thanks crazyjarhead!
kind regards~~sandcreek

back to the knives....

the one with the stripes is a case candy strip...faded out..surprised the celluloid did not vent...they have a tendency to self destruct...i can't tell what year by the shield...do you see little pins through the shield...at both ends?

really great finds...and any collector would love to get their hands on them...so remember they are fantastic trade goods...

do not clean them...collectors love original condition...

and the silver knife is as you say...gentlemans knife...pocket watch chain...vest pocket..ect...

what a wonderful adventure you had...my back hurts just lookin at that loot.

Here's some closer shots of the knives, pippinwhitepaws. One of the knives has some writting on it: SPRINGFIELD F&M INS. CO. WESTERN DEPT.
You asked about "pins through the shield"? I don't see any pins and the celluloid is splitting.
Is there anything I can do to remove the crusty blades or should I just leave them be?
Thanks for your comments!!
kind regards~~sandcreek4

 

[Tnmountains]

Just think all that in a large frame with the street address. Really cool yard finds. I have been planning to post my yard but keep digging things. I really should stop digging but most mine is Cw stuff. Every trip out is something.
Great post and thank you for sharing your hunt.
Regards,
TnMountains

 

[Charmin]

Just think all that in a large frame with the street address. Really cool yard finds. I have been planning to post my yard but keep digging things. I really should stop digging but most mine is Cw stuff. Every trip out is something.
Great post and thank you for sharing your hunt.
Regards,
TnMountains

Thanks TnMountains! It is amazing to me how these people could have lost so much stuff! And this is just the "good" stuff. I threw away so much iron and glass it would probably fill a dumpster !!
I hope you take a picture of the things you've found in your yard--I'd really like to see them!
kind regards~~sandcreek4