🥇 BANNER I had to share this! Ca. 1790 Halbach Baltimore Pistol Butt Cap

Isaac

Hero Member
Oct 11, 2013
773
1,335
Fairfax, Virginia
🥇 Banner finds
3
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT All Pro, Garrett AT Pro
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
After a few failed permissions (and a few "maybe's" ) I gave up and moved to a 1920's abandoned house that was on the old maps (hmmmm, a "newer" house was put there where an older house stood) and my research showed its flying colors. The site was a bit trashy but it wasn't too bad! :)

I started off in the front yard and my first target was from the "newer" homesite... A 1946 nickel. I only had about an hour to hunt so I concentrated in the area. Then I got another similar signal down 7" and I see a coin sized disc. I couldn't see anything on it except... Silver plating! A early 1800's flat button! Just what I was hoping for at this site! Then not a few feet away.... I get a scratchy signal. Very very faint but high. It must've taken me over 10 minutes to dig it but when I finally got it out of the hole it pinged up to an 88. I knew I had something good!

I uncovered the dry dirt and I found it. A super thick large cent! After that I continued in a little area and found two more flat buttons (one is silvered) and a cool little ball button. When I get home I toothbrushed the copper and it turns out.. It's a Liberty cap! You can clearly see the cap! Unfortunately the obverse is in pretty rough shape but the back still has lots of patina left! Bucket lister!!!!!!!!!

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I went back the next day to scout out a new area of the property for an hour or so. I ended up finding a 1928 buffalo nickel, a wheatie, a few buttons including a tombac, a drawer pull piece, a chinese cash coin, a half a petal bell (a first!!!!) and a beautiful Zouave ball button which is silvered. Now I have a gold guilded and silver guilded Zouave buttons. I also found a bucket list bullet, a Smith Carbine! Has an X carved on the base

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The third day was beyond unbelievable. Lol. I am still shocked ! I got dropped off by my dad at the site at 10 am and he came back at two. The ground was very moist because it finally rained and the targets were very strong signals and not as iffy. I missed a LOT of stuff because the moisture effects the detection. Anyway I got my first signal and it was a beautiful piece of a pewter or lead shoe buckle fragment with a floral design, then not 2 feet over I get a piece of that broken crotal bell! Not a bad start!!! After that things slowed down to a few harmonica reeds and pocket watch pieces (stuff from the newer house)... but I head into an area I hunted before and get a low tone signal on the surface basically. I pop a small plug thinking more foil but this time it was a broken etched tombac! Niiiiceee!!! 1790's all day . I also got another floral deigned shoe buckle fragment, you can even see the pinhole! I head toward the extremely trashy side yard that I avoided in the past and BAM! I get a can signal and I popped out a beautiful batwing plate off of a sling buckle!!!!! I called Luke and sent him pictures... not knowing the day was just getting started :cool: nearby I kept finding hundreds of shells and bullet casings. I had a massive trash pile but the goodies were at the same depths so it was so worth it.

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I went towards the sideyard a bit more and got a high tone but it was faint. I dug down 6 inches and it pops out onto the ground out from the plug. A thin green disk. I thought it was a big dandy coat button at first until I wiped it off. I felt no shank and I could clearly see a man's bust facing left. A KGII BABY!!!!!! MY FIRST LEGIBLE COLONIAL COPPER YESSSS FINALLY!!!! :)

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After that I found a couple civil war chewed up minnie balls next to the road on the side then took a quick break. I was thinking... in between all the trash on the side yard there's gotta be more! I mean... a KG copper what else can be in there? I ended up going back. Right off the bat I dig another chinese coin, then another, then I get a super faint 81 signal on the at pro I dug down 9" at least for this thing... when I finally got it out of the hole with my hands it showed a high 82 on the VDI. Oh BOY!!!!!! I saw this!!!

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I was like "OMG "another freaking copper...!!! This day is crazy!!!!

I wiped off the dirt using my pants and I saw the classic head bust :cheering: a new bucket list for me... but that's not all... it's an 1811..

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IT'S THE FREAKING KEY DATE OF THE SERIES!!!!!!!

WHAT THE HECK!?!

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It gets even better though

Then I get a civil war knapsack hook with the leather still attached.

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Then another cash coin. After that I get a 60's signal on the at pro at like 4"... it turns out I was digging an 8 inch hole and I saw what appeared to be another broken petal bell... Nooooooooooo... I took it out and saw the design.... holy mackeral!!! I did a double take and took a pic upside down... Lol! I had NO idea what it was and texted Luke a picture of it... he said it was a sword pommel and that's exactly what it looked like. After a few more 1920's relics, two more buttons and a partrige in a pear tree, I had to head out. Trust me, I'm going back! I still have to wait for winter when the fields around the site are doable!!! I'm so pumped right now. Shivering in excitement writing this thread!

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When I got home I noticed I held it upside down and saw the eagle. WOW! WOW WOW!!!! Look at how meticulous that thing is... all the details!!!!

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I rinsed it off and posted a pic on the book of faces... I got a very quick ID and link. I was floored when I saw it wasn't a sword pommel but in fact it was a Butt Cap off of a Halbach Baltimore Pistol that is definetely from/ used in the war of 1812. A friend says it was made ca. 1790.

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Here's the link someone sent me. About this piece of you wanna read it for yourself Important Flintlock Pistol w/ Eagle Butt Cap and Barrel Engraved "INDEPENDENCE," Halbach & Sons, Baltimore -- Lot 61 -- May 4, 2013 Maryland Auction -- Crocker Farm, Inc.

This is not only an incredible piece of early American histroy, this is also an incredible work of art. My most favorite find to date!!!

Important Flintlock Pistol w/ Eagle Butt Cap and Barrel Engraved "INDEPENDENCE," Halbach & Sons, Baltimore -- Lot 61 -- May 4, 2013 Maryland Auction -- Crocker Farm, Inc.

Thnaks for reading!!! HH!!!!

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Upvote 61
Congrats on the great looking piece of history.
 

That's a banner find all day long!!!

Thanks so much Romeo, never thought I would be getting banner votes! Even more awesome :D

Congrats on the great looking piece of history.

Thanks pepperj, I'm so fortunate to have this find! :)

You've got my Banner vote for that that butt cap. That one is incredible. What a great looking group of relics and coins

Thanks so much Ahab8!!! I can't wait to go back to this place, I haven't had much time lately but the next time I go I'll keep this thread updated. Maybe there's more of that pistol nearby, wouldn't that be awesome?!
 

That pistol butt cap is definitely one of the cooler finds I've seen posted here. Great find!
 

What an incredible early site with a nice variety of finds. Another banner vote for the pistol butt cap.
 

That pistol butt cap is definitely one of the cooler finds I've seen posted here. Great find!

What an incredible early site with a nice variety of finds. Another banner vote for the pistol butt cap.

Thanks so much guys!!! Appreciate the kind words!!! Would be awesome if this piece got put up top :cool:
 

I just put in my Banner Vote for the pistol Butt, but everything is really cool. The large cents 1808-1814 are seldom found.
I read somewhere they were made of pure Swedish copper, so they didn't hold up well. Metal supplies ran out at the mint, so no Cent coins were made in 1815.
Phil
 

I just put in my Banner Vote for the pistol Butt, but everything is really cool. The large cents 1808-1814 are seldom found.
I read somewhere they were made of pure Swedish copper, so they didn't hold up well. Metal supplies ran out at the mint, so no Cent coins were made in 1815.
Phil

Phil, thanks for telling me that information!!! I had no idea the United States imported copper from Sweden... Very cool! You learn something new everyday, I guess :) thanks and HH
 

Outstanding finds Isaac! That pistol piece is incredible. I elected for banner!
 

Wow - that eagle butt cap is an incredible relic with a wonderful history to go with it. I recovered a butt cap at my colonial creekfront site a number of years ago, and it was confirmed as being part of a 1600s flintlock pistol. But mine is kind of a generic example, and I like yours much better for obvious reasons. Awesome find for sure!! And banner (my vote is in!).

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Awesome post with some awesome finds. That pistol butt cap is amazing. Love the design on it....plus a liberty cap, a classic head with a low mintage, a KGII...and it just keeps going and going. Thanks for the entertaining post and keep up the good work.
 

Impressive! I wonder if it ever whacked any heads during the war. It was very common for soldiers to use their guns as clubs after they fired their single shot. :treasurechest::thumbsup:
 

WTG Isaac! That butt plate is a sight to behold as are all the other goodies you pulled from that place and I'll betcha there is more waiting to be found. The batwing piece is in perfect condition too.
 

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Wow - that eagle butt cap is an incredible relic with a wonderful history to go with it. I recovered a butt cap at my colonial creekfront site a number of years ago, and it was confirmed as being part of a 1600s flintlock pistol. But mine is kind of a generic example, and I like yours much better for obvious reasons. Awesome find for sure!! And banner (my vote is in!).

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Bill, the area you hunt in (South East Virginia) is loaded with early relics that I can only dream of finding. I'd love to find something from the 1600's in my area but unfortunately, the first settlers came in the 1730's-1740's in my area. I shouldn't be complaining though, as this area is extremely rich with civil war history and earlier. The butt cap you find is incredible, just knowing it's from the 1600s! Thanks for posting those pictures, it's eye candy to me. :)

Awesome post with some awesome finds. That pistol butt cap is amazing. Love the design on it....plus a liberty cap, a classic head with a low mintage, a KGII...and it just keeps going and going. Thanks for the entertaining post and keep up the good work.

Thanks Evolution!!! This site has been very good to me so far! I've only hinted it for 6-7 hours in total in a span of 3 days. Because summer is coming, school will be let out and I'll have more than 2 hours a week to dig :lol:

Impressive! I wonder if it ever whacked any heads during the war. It was very common for soldiers to use their guns as clubs after they fired their single shot. :treasurechest::thumbsup:

Underminer, I heard about that! Would the butt cap take damage such as dents from hitting skulls? I wish we knew the history behind what we find more... We can only hypothesis about what stories they could tell. It's what the hobby is about for us relic hunters :)

WTG Isaac! That butt plate is a sight to behold as are all the other goodies you pulled from that place and I'll betcha there is more waiting to be found. The batwing piece is in perfect condition too.

Thanks Nancy!!! The batwing piece is awesome because it has all the rivets inside! Maybe the other sling buckle is nearby. :D

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Thanks everyone so much for putting this on the banner! You guys are awesome and I will definitely be posting on this forum more frequently! I was so excited when I woke up and saw the beautiful left facing eagle covered with dirt on the top of the home page! Again I appreciate all the kind words :)

Good luck and happy hunting everyone!!!
 

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what a great piece of early Americana Isaac , very happy to see it land on the Banner here too
a very well deserved honor , my friend .

keep it up !

Dan
 

Big congrats! I would be fine with any one of those coppers or relics but the butt plate takes the cake. Truly banner IMO.

Also, Weird thing is I have the same exact key hole as yours, I also have the other item that looks sorta like a key hole, it goes to a bucket.
 

Thanks so much del and coinman! :D I went back yesterday for a quick hunt and the farmer was cutting the hay in the former farm fields :) can't wait to get back there. Here's my take for Saturday... Anyone know what that circular buckle was used for? Got some really neat buttons also. Love buttons, they are all so unique. The colonial dandy button's shank is not even in the center of the button :cool:

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I also found a phone... It still worked :cool: LMFAO!!!!!

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