COLONIAL ENGRAVED SILVER, a $400+ SEATED COIN, BIG 1700s SILVER, MILITARY

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
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Hello All,

Shanegalang and I have had a bit of a slump recently. We've found some sites that haven't produced what we'd hoped, and in general it's been hard to make time to dig. That slump ended today. The video below is a "must see," since it shows today's fantastic finds as they're pulled from the dirt:





But, if your connection speed is too slow for a Hi Def video, here are some photos. The Half Dime is actually a scarce date. 1840-O with drapery, close to AU details and still some mint luster on the coin! My heart was pumping fast when I saw that big 1700s silver roll out of the hole, and Shane and I did some serious high-fives over the engraved Masonic piece (that's the find of the hunt, IMO). Heck, even the militia button was a style that I had never found before. All in all a fantastic day, and great finds kept trickling in, which as you know is very rare. So often it's one good find and done. Haha. At any rate, here are the photos.


The 1840 Half Dime was on edge (top of the clod is toward the left (the dry part):

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BIG 1700s Silver!! My last 2Reales was back in 1995!

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A Beautiful two-piece button that Shane dug:

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Here's the 1840-O Half Dime. Couple scratches might bring it down in grade some, but hopefully not more than to XF.

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The militia button is a GI56. Backmark is "Lewis & Tomes."

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I dug a nice gilded civilian button:

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Some of my finds from the hunt:

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And I saved the best for last. We think this might be Masonic, or I.O.O.F. If anyone can identify the markings or letters, please let us know. I have a strong hunch this is a late 1700s find. It was made from a Spanish Half Real.

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Best Wishes,


Buck
 

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Upvote 21
Will, great post like usual and love Shanes pin and your 2 Reale, the Half Dime is iceing on the cake for the hunt.

It seems like I have seen the handshake icon with regard to Masonic memorabilia before, but as IP says below it could be simply a friendship token. The AMI on the back looks to be a counterstamp that was cut out, and I'm wondering if there is a record of that counterstamp (which would ID the item as certainly being made from a coin, and perhaps give an idea of time frame). My hunch is late 1700s or early 1800s. Didn't you dig something with a handshake on it before, Don?
 

man that engraved piece is super cool. all the finds are sweet. congrats!
 

Awesome recoveries. Congrats.
 

By the way Will, I look forward to seeing your article on reverse hunting in the issue of AD magazine currently in the mail to subsribers. HH, Q.
 

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OUTSTANDING hunt! :icon_thumright: Way to go!!! I particularly like the 'love token' (called it that for a lack of a better description.) I did some searching last night to see if I could find any information about it, but it was a 'no cigar.' The silver & gilt are sweet too! :) Breezie
 

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Old buttons, and coins, and jewelry oh my! Most excellent hunt Guys!!! Not sure which find I like the best? I'm dying to dig a 1700's coin some day.
I think what turned your slump around was your gal Digger Girl. :tongue3:
Thanks for the video Will. I love seeing the freshly dug surprise relics on film.
Congrats to the Gumbo Gang.
-DUHg-

Dug,

You haven't recovered a 1700s coin yet? That is a big surprise to me. It's out there for ya, my friend. I actually recovered some 1700s silvers before I got my first 1700s copper (a Draped LC). I've never dug a KG copper yet, strangely enough. It's still on the list. In general, coins from that era are harder to find, because the sites that hold them are typically long gone and forgotten. But even in all these years of hunting precisely those types of sites, I only have 1 or arguably 2 1700s coppers. BUT--I know there's coins of that era to find in NC, and even in Indiana and Kentucky. Just takes persistence.

Cheers,

Buck
 

Whats left to be said ..just awesome relics
 

Great hunt guys, I think the silver Masonic piece is from the International Order of Odd Fellows, I found a brass piece like it a few months ago.
 

Great video of you and Shangalang. The field was looking good for deep signals but it looks like they were all close to the top. Lots of silver I know the masons had shook hands a lot in symbology and of course we shook the natives hand all the time as well. Neat history to be learned in that one piece. Ya'll goona have a mighty fine year you are already forgetting hunts so dey they will just get better and better hahaha :tongue3:
Seriously nice job and video
HH
 

Every cloud has a silver lining. Congrats on your O. The engraved piece is outstanding...
 

Fantastic finds and a super detecting day. Loved the video! Great seeing that old silver come out of the ground.
 

Amazing finds, that half dime is awesome!
 

Awesome finds. Congratulations and keep swinging. That 1840 o reminds me of a coin a dear friend once found, 1843 o dime. He put a small scratch on it while getting it out of the ground. Yours looks really great.
 

dam, i love the individualized pieces. great find.
 

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