sjvalleyhunter
Silver Member
- May 5, 2014
- 3,716
- 2,173
- Detector(s) used
- Minelab E-Trac and Whites MXT
- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
A few weeks ago I met some of the leaders at an older church that dates from the early 1900s. The church is in central California in the downtown area of a city that was founded in 1872. I got the ok to detect the property and was finally able to get a few free minutes to hunt the grassy area in the front and on one side of the main building.
About three feet from the base of a large pine tree and about five to six inches deep I found this belt buckle. I recognize the style as a Civil War era, U.S. Army eagle sword belt buckle. It’s clearly damaged on the side the belt is affixed to the buckle, it has some caked on dirt that I’m having difficulty removing, and overall it’s in poor shape. There is also an odd rounded piece of metal that is protruding from one corner. However, I did nick it with my digger on the back which exposed the base metal which appears to be brass.
So what I don’t know is whether or not it’s an old reproduction or if it’s an authentic period piece that somehow made it’s way out to California, possibly as a souvenir or keepsake, long after the Civil War had ended.
I read a prior thread here on Treasurenet where another member found a nearly identical belt buckle. TheCannonballGuy gave some very good information on that buckle. Here is a link to that thread:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/297965-belt-plate-id-help-needed.html
Regardless of the authenticity of what I found, it’s not something that I would have expected to come out of California soil. This is what makes our hobby fun!
About three feet from the base of a large pine tree and about five to six inches deep I found this belt buckle. I recognize the style as a Civil War era, U.S. Army eagle sword belt buckle. It’s clearly damaged on the side the belt is affixed to the buckle, it has some caked on dirt that I’m having difficulty removing, and overall it’s in poor shape. There is also an odd rounded piece of metal that is protruding from one corner. However, I did nick it with my digger on the back which exposed the base metal which appears to be brass.
So what I don’t know is whether or not it’s an old reproduction or if it’s an authentic period piece that somehow made it’s way out to California, possibly as a souvenir or keepsake, long after the Civil War had ended.
I read a prior thread here on Treasurenet where another member found a nearly identical belt buckle. TheCannonballGuy gave some very good information on that buckle. Here is a link to that thread:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/297965-belt-plate-id-help-needed.html
Regardless of the authenticity of what I found, it’s not something that I would have expected to come out of California soil. This is what makes our hobby fun!
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