Dave and I finally got out when the weather broke for one day

Jim in Idaho

Silver Member
Jul 21, 2012
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Blackfoot, Idaho
Detector(s) used
White's GM2, GM3, DFX, Coinmaster, TDI-SL, GM24K, Falcon MD20, old Garrett Masterhunter BFO
'Way Too Cool' dual 18 Watt UV light
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
We were looking for stage-robbery loot along a stage road that was also an emigrant route. The desert road mostly follows the stage road, but here and there, the emigrant wagons cut a really deep gouge into the soil, and the desert road deviates to avoid those spots. We don't generally hunt the road, as there's too much modern junk, like .22 shells, but yesterday we did hunt the sections of the old route, and found a bunch of interesting items. I found an old pocketknife, with only one sideplate, but the plate was mother-of-pearl, which is pretty rare. I also found an unfired .38 S&W round, and a .38 case with no headstamp. Also, the business half of an old hatchet. But the best was the last thing I found....my first Barber dime...a 1902 in excellent condition once I cleaned off the accumulated crud. We also located the encampment location where they spent the night. Lots and lots of trash. We'll be getting to that spot in the future. They couldn't make the spring on the Butte in one day, so stopped at roughly the same place as each wagon train went through. Dave found a pile of stuff, too, but no coins. His finds included a nice obsidian arrowhead, which he left where he found it, of course. He also found a really old spoon, that had broken, and had been repaired by wrapping wire around the neck of the handle. The crushed cartridge is a .44 of fame and legend...LOL I imagine that cartridge with no headstamp is also really old. The flat piece is part of a harmonica.
Jim
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Upvote 30
Nice Barber.

I also like finding the old axe heads. Could it be an old trade axe?
 

Nice Barber.

I also like finding the old axe heads. Could it be an old trade axe?

I'm sure it could be, but no way to tell for sure. It was buried about 14" deep in the old trail.
Jim
 

That is Cool! Bet there is more to find, Good Luck!
 

Why oh why? How can an individual NOT pick up an arrowhead?:dontknow: Help me understand. Gary

Mainly because it's illegal to keep them. One thing we do not want is serious trouble with our tyrannical government. We know where it is if we want to go get it.
One thing we aren't, is stupid.
Jim
 

Nice Barber.

I also like finding the old axe heads. Could it be an old trade axe?

I think that Barber probably wasn't in circulation long before being lost. The stages quit running that road when the railroads came in around the turn of the century, but a lot of travelers still used the road for years afterwards. I'd bet it was dropped around 1905-1910...just a guess. It has very little wear.
Jim
 

Jim in Idaho, those are some great finds. This last week I also dug up a 1902 barber dime and posted it here, my first barber ever. Cool coincidence !
 

Jim in Idaho, those are some great finds. This last week I also dug up a 1902 barber dime and posted it here, my first barber ever. Cool coincidence !

LOL...I like that! They minted about 21,000,000 of them, so maybe that's why we both found one! What we need to find is an 1894-S...they only minted 24 of them, and they're worth about 1.5 million bucks!
Jim
 

Mainly because it's illegal to keep them. One thing we do not want is serious trouble with our tyrannical government. We know where it is if we want to go get it.
One thing we aren't, is stupid.
Jim
That is pretty unusual that it's illegal to pick up arrowheads off the surface. I hope he got a nice picture of it laying in situ.
 

That is pretty unusual that it's illegal to pick up arrowheads off the surface. I hope he got a nice picture of it laying in situ.

It's not really unusual, Steve Just read the Antiquities Act. Serious consequences if they catch you taking antiquities more than 100 years old from Federal land. Sure, they'd probably never catch you, but I'd never admit taking one on a public forum...:-)
Jim
 

It's not really unusual, Steve Just read the Antiquities Act. Serious consequences if they catch you taking antiquities more than 100 years old from Federal land. Sure, they'd probably never catch you, but I'd never admit taking one on a public forum...:-)
Jim
Federal Land is a whole different ballgame. Here in Pennsylvania, and the neighboring states, (fortunately) we have a whole lot of private land where all we need is landowner permission.
 

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Yup...private land is a whole 'nother thing. But I wouldn't trade our millions of acres of public land for anything.
Jim
 

Mainly because it's illegal to keep them. One thing we do not want is serious trouble with our tyrannical government. We know where it is if we want to go get it.
One thing we aren't, is stupid.
Jim

Ever hear of the Jimmy Carter clause? Read the last paragraph. Your friend just left that arrowhead for the next guy to find...and keep legally. Gary

(d) Any person who knowingly violates, or counsels, procures, solicits, or employs any other person to violate, any prohibition contained in subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both: Provided, however, that if the commercial or archaeological value of the archaeological resources involved and the cost of restoration and repair of such resources exceeds the sum of $500, such person shall be fined not more than $20,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent such violation upon conviction such person shall be fined not more than $100,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. [16 U.S.C. 470 (ee)(d)](g)

Nothing in subsection (d) of this section shall be deemed applicable to any person with respect to the removal of arrowheads located on the surface of the ground. [16 U.S.C.470 (ee)(g) – a.k.a. The Jimmy Carter Clause]
 

Great research and following through on detecting the trail
 

Ever hear of the Jimmy Carter clause? Read the last paragraph. Your friend just left that arrowhead for the next guy to find...and keep legally. Gary

(d) Any person who knowingly violates, or counsels, procures, solicits, or employs any other person to violate, any prohibition contained in subsection (a), (b), or (c) of this section shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both: Provided, however, that if the commercial or archaeological value of the archaeological resources involved and the cost of restoration and repair of such resources exceeds the sum of $500, such person shall be fined not more than $20,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. In the case of a second or subsequent such violation upon conviction such person shall be fined not more than $100,000, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. [16 U.S.C. 470 (ee)(d)](g)

Nothing in subsection (d) of this section shall be deemed applicable to any person with respect to the removal of arrowheads located on the surface of the ground. [16 U.S.C.470 (ee)(g) — a.k.a. The Jimmy Carter Clause]

I appreciate the clarification, Gary. No big deal on the arrowhead...we find them fairly often, or fragments of them. Most have a tip broken off, or one of the tangs. Complete arrowheads are more rare, but not really unusual. Arrowheads were more valuable before modern people learned how to make them. Now they're only valuable to the finder, sadly. Also, go back and read my post #12, and think about it...LOL
Jim
 

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Unique, very nice finds!
Jon
8-)
:cat::occasion14::headbang:
 

I will be keeping a sharp eye out for the 1894-S. Had no idea there was a rare barber dime, and have been collecting coins for 40 years ! I know about the 1913 v nickel, but only a few museums have those. Keep on digging friend !
 

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