EEKED OUT ONE MORE HUNT - CLIPPED PISTAREEN, BUTTONS, COPPER RELICS

[joeyfresh]

On the way back from looking at boat today I decided to check on the property where I found a stack of half reales fused together (see post here). The fields have not been planted yet but had been limed so I figured I give it a go since it won't be long before the crop is in.

I didn't have much luck early on....in fact I didn't get one target for almost an hour! The very first was shallow and rang up 75 on the T2 so I figured it was a brass casing but it turned out to be a clipped pistareen. It was quiet again after that so I decided to just walk the old road beds and was able to find a few buttons and a whole bunch of aluminum.

These fields still had high corn stalks from last fall so hopefully they're going to plant bean this year so I can get in there good next year.

Edit......I forgot to ask about the copper nail that I took a picture of. I can't remember ever digging one. Does anyone know what they were used for?

 

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[Iron Patch]

Spanish is always good! (but looks later than a Pistareen)

 

[romeo-1]

Nice one!!!

 

[joeyfresh]

Spanish is always good! (but looks later than a Pistareen)

Looks like a Philip V to me. Maybe that's not what a pistareen is?? I have a display case I've labeled pistareens so I hope I haven't been misrepresenting them, lol.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice going Joey on scrounging one more piece of silver from that site. At least this one escaped the fire. Lots of other nice early finds too. Glad you still have a site you can hunt. Maybe you can squeeze in one more hunt before planting.

 

[joeyfresh]

Nice going Joey on scrounging one more piece of silver from that site. At least this one escaped the fire. Lots of other nice early finds too. Glad you still have a site you can hunt. Maybe you can squeeze in one more hunt before planting.

I think you cleaned that place out 10 years ago Bill!! I was amazed to even find that clipped piece. I must have walked for 40 minutes up and down the rows without one good signal.

 

[Iron Patch]

Looks like a Philip V to me. Maybe that's not what a pistareen is?? I have a display case I've labeled pistareens so I hope I haven't been misrepresenting them, lol.

I'll have to check myself because I've always assumed it was the thin two reales that are pre 1730, and the ones after were not considered pistareens.



Edit: Seems they were called that for well past 1730, I just never thought of my later reales as pistareens.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Looks like a Philip V to me. Maybe that's not what a pistareen is?? I have a display case I've labeled pistareens so I hope I haven't been misrepresenting them, lol.

Joey - if you haven't already seen it, this is a good article about pistareens that's quite educational. Fairly long, but a good read for any colonial coin hunter.

http://numismatics.org/wikiuploads/CNL/Pistareens.pdf

 

[joeyfresh]

I'll have to check myself because I've always assumed it was the thin two reales that are pre 1730, and the ones after were not considered pistareens.

please let me know what you find out IP. You sure are a knowledgeable guy. Because of you, I found out I had two 1794 half cents when I originally thought I one was a 1795.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Joey - that definitely does not look like an iron nail. If not, its probably bronze from a ship or boat. Copper may be too soft for using as a nail. If you attempt to polish it up and it turns gold colored its bronze. Otherwise, you'll recognize the copper patina. Very nice find.

 

[Erving]

Those are some nice old finds joey. Really like the clipped pistareen.

 

[Iron Patch]

please let me know what you find out IP. You sure are a knowledgeable guy. Because of you, I found out I had two 1794 half cents when I originally thought I one was a 1795.

If I remember right, the Colonial news letter did an article on them and they showed 1 reals, and I think they were probably 1730s. I guess a couple fellas like us (well maybe me) should have a look at that paper. If Don reads this I think he probably has a PDF of it he can post to give us a clear definition.

 

[rmbutcher4]

My parents own a house built in the 1800's and the copper gutter down spouts used copper "nails" to hold them to the bracket attached to the house. Just my thoughts. Greatfinds by the way. Congrats!

 

[joeyfresh]

If I remember right, the Colonial news letter did an article on them and they showed 1 reals, and I think they were probably 1730s. I guess a couple fellas like us (well maybe me) should have a look at that paper. If Don reads this I think he probably has a PDF of it he can post to give us a clear definition.

Bill just posted it a few replies up. It's a very informative read.

 

[Iron Patch]

Bill just posted it a few replies up. It's a very informative read.

For sure. I'll have to check it out when my eyes are easier to keep open.

 

[artyfacts]

Bill D. (VA)

Joey - that definitely does not look like an iron nail. If not, its probably bronze from a ship or boat. Copper may be too soft for using as a nail. If you attempt to polish it up and it turns gold colored its bronze. Otherwise, you'll recognize the copper patina. Very nice find. ​

Very sweet clipped. Like the other finds to, Great site. Boat related nails and spikes had many changes. Bronze, iron, to copper (1700's used the phrase, 'Copper-bottomed') to Muntz metal ( late 1830's). Big trade ships and the Royal Navy all were looking for a better material to cover the hulls of their ships to keep torledo worms from infesting the hulls of the ships, and a stronger material to hold the ships together, deck and timber spikes. Iron would just get eaten my the ravages of salt, copper lasted longer but was soft, George Muntz invention of muntz metal had the answer. Large trade ships and the Royal Navy (those that could afford it) outfitted new ships with this yellow metal. Allot of these ship nails and spikes found there way into farm and home building.

At one point instead of trying to remove iron nails from a house or barn they would just burn it then sift through the ashes to collect the hand forged iron nails. These nails held so good and were almost impossible to remove. So many houses were being burned for the nails reuse that the governing body's would offer the amount of nails it would take in the construction of their building to the owner not to burn their buildings. Cool kinda related stuff...

 

[Steve in PA]

Nice hunt Joey, always nice to add another cut Spanish to the collection.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[joeyfresh]

Bill D. (VA)

Joey - that definitely does not look like an iron nail. If not, its probably bronze from a ship or boat. Copper may be too soft for using as a nail. If you attempt to polish it up and it turns gold colored its bronze. Otherwise, you'll recognize the copper patina. Very nice find. ​

Very sweet clipped. Like the other finds to, Great site. Boat related nails and spikes had many changes. Bronze, iron, to copper (1700's used the phrase, 'Copper-bottomed') to Muntz metal ( late 1830's). Big trade ships and the Royal Navy all were looking for a better material to cover the hulls of their ships to keep torledo worms from infesting the hulls of the ships, and a stronger material to hold the ships together, deck and timber spikes. Iron would just get eaten my the ravages of salt, copper lasted longer but was soft, George Muntz invention of muntz metal had the answer. Large trade ships and the Royal Navy (those that could afford it) outfitted new ships with this yellow metal. Allot of these ship nails and spikes found there way into farm and home building.

At one point instead of trying to remove iron nails from a house or barn they would just burn it then sift through the ashes to collect the hand forged iron nails. These nails held so good and were almost impossible to remove. So many houses were being burned for the nails reuse that the governing body's would offer the amount of nails it would take in the construction of their building to the owner not to burn their buildings. Cool kinda related stuff...

I can't tell you how many times I google for information on a find and tnet comes up first due to wonderful info like what you posted. Thanks Arty!

 

[John Boy]

Very cool digs.looks like ya had one sweet hunt.