I think I may have found something good

Southie E.J.

Full Member
May 16, 2011
104
19
South Boston Ma
Detector(s) used
WHITES COINMASTER, MINELABS 705, and ETRAC
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I found this medallion. Its crusty and beat but it appears to be very old and rare. It has a soldier of some sort standing on a dead body with a sword in one hand and a spear in the other. The words that I can read say SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS on it. Other parts of the corroded medallion I think had words on it but most of those words are missing. Theres nothing on the back but of the imprint of the front. I hope I found a goodie!
 

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Iron Patch said:
Southie E.J. said:
Im amazed with my plate find! People are telling me that iys worth alot! Im looking into restoration. Do you know anything about that?

This guy is one of the best.

Leonard Short
540-230-5442
[email protected]

x2!!!!!
 

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Southie E.J. said:
I think its called a Morgan quarter! I never saw one before either, but when I found the 2cent, 3cent silver, and 3cent nickle I was in awe! I never knew we had these coins until I took up detecting. I was told those silver dollars are a hard thing to find too. I find things and learn later. This hobby is so fun!
Finding things you never knew existed: great reason to detect!

Finds lead to more learning, which encourages finding more new items, leading to more research ...

Sounds like the makings of a life-long learner to me.
 

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I never liked history and never knew a thing about it until I took up md and now Im learning history and finding it interesting + its tought me alot about the earth, trees, beaches ect. If its made interesting then I love to learn and learning about history and nature is so fun. Well Ive always loved nature and knew alot I just know more now.

Thanks for the name & number of the relic fixer guy!
 

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Southie E.J. said:
I never liked history and never knew a thing about it until I took up md and now Im learning history and finding it interesting + its tought me alot about the earth, trees, beaches ect. If its made interesting then I love to learn and learning about history and nature is so fun. Well Ive always loved nature and knew alot I just know more now.

Thanks for the name & number of the relic fixer guy!


Just protect it well if you do ship it. Wrapped in something soft, in a hard case, and in a box. Don't want to make more work for him. If repairing it is your thing you'll be amazed what he can do.

PS... I would get a sense of the value and insure it for the ride. That or Fedex which is quicker and safer.
 

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Now you have an identification, a date and an idea of value. What intrigues me is how it came to be there. Was there a CW prison in the area? Did someone simply discard a war souvenir? If only relics could talk, huh?
 

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Iron Patch said:
Southie E.J. said:
Im amazed with my plate find! People are telling me that iys worth alot! Im looking into restoration. Do you know anything about that?

This guy is one of the best.

Leonard Short
540-230-5442
[email protected]

Iron Patch what do you think this piece would be worth restored? Im curious about your opinion. Then Ill tell you what I was told it was worth after. Im shocked! :headbang:
 

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there was a civil war prisoner of war camp near boston - called * fort warren --it might have been dropped by a confederate prisoner of war from virginia being transported to the camp .

fort warren was on a island in boston harbor., however its very possible that prisoners might have been "shipped" in by train and then have been marched to a spot where they could have been put on a ferry to reach the "island" camp. thus it might have been lost enroute
-- or---

upon release at wars end - with many confederates having to walk back home thru hostile "union" / yankee land ---many confederate soldiers might have "removed" military type "marked" items off their clothing to avoid hassles with the "locals" as they were "passing thru"
 

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If this has a rarity value of 9 from 10...how come there's been not one "Banner" shout? If it's as rare as i've read then it should certainly be up there? Maybe "broken" doesn't count? For historical and possible value reasons i think it should be up there with the rest. :icon_scratch:

I voted for "Banner" anyhow...great find Southie.
 

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ivan salis said:
there was a civil war prisoner of war camp near boston - called * fort warren --it might have been dropped by a confederate prisoner of war from virginia being transported to the camp .

fort warren was on a island in boston harbor., however its very possible that prisoners might have been "shipped" in by train and then have been marched to a spot where they could have been put on a ferry to reach the "island" camp. thus it might have been lost enroute
-- or---

upon release at wars end - with many confederates having to walk back home thru hostile "union" / yankee land ---many confederate soldiers might have "removed" military type "marked" items off their clothing to avoid hassles with the "locals" as they were "passing thru"
Wow all interesting stuff! I found it in peabody mass actually. I wonder if thatll mean much? Thanks for sharing your knowledge guys!
 

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Dano Sverige said:
If this has a rarity value of 9 from 10...how come there's been not one "Banner" shout? If it's as rare as i've read then it should certainly be up there? Maybe "broken" doesn't count? For historical and possible value reasons i think it should be up there with the rest. :icon_scratch:

I voted for "Banner" anyhow...great find Southie.

If you voted then moderators have already been notified. Broken or not, lack of banner nominations I agree it belongs up top.

Banner Breast Plate :icon_king: My vote is in :hello2:
 

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Southie E.J., of course you are wondering how your Virginia State Seal crossbelt plate/pin was lost in Massachusetts. The theory that it was lost by a Confederate soldier in a Boston-area prisoner-of-war camp is "logical" ...but it cannot be correct. Here's why: Note that your relic was worn on a soldier's crossbelt (not a waist-belt). The crossbelt was a type of military equipment which was worn over the shoulder, across the chest. The crossbelt's purpose was to carry an ammo-pouch, or a sword-scabbard (or etc). Therefore, when a soldier got captured, all such gear was "stripped" from him. Therefore, a Confederate POW in Massachusetts would not still be wearing his crossbelt.

So, how did your relic get to Massachusetts? The most likely explanation is that it was a "battlefield souvenir" which a yankee veteran took home with him. Soldiers are notorious for taking such souvenirs from prisoners ...and an enemy's Insignia is a favorite "battle trophy" souvenir. We know such souvenir-taking occurred in the Civil War because soldiers mention doing it, in their diaries and in letters-to-home ...and because we relic-diggers have found surprising numbers of Confederate Insignia in strictly-yankee encampment sites.

We also know that long after a war, a veteran's children sometimes are given (or just "get into") daddy's (or grandpa's) old war-souvenirs ...which then "get lost in the yard." I regret to say, that's what happened to some of my dad's wartime souvenirs.

There are of course other possible explanations, but I think the info given above is the "most likely" explanation of how your civil war era Virginia State Seal crossbelt-plate/pin arrived at where you dug it.
 

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TheCannonballGuy said:
Southie E.J., of course you are wondering how your Virginia State Seal crossbelt plate/pin was lost in Massachusetts. The theory that it was lost by a Confederate soldier in a Boston-area prisoner-of-war camp is "logical" ...but it cannot be correct. Here's why: Note that your relic was worn on a soldier's crossbelt (not a waist-belt). The crossbelt was a type of military equipment which was worn over the shoulder, across the chest. The crossbelt's purpose was to carry an ammo-pouch, or a sword-scabbard (or etc). Therefore, when a soldier got captured, all such gear was "stripped" from him. Therefore, a Confederate POW in Massachusetts would not still be wearing his crossbelt.

So, how did your relic get to Massachusetts? The most likely explanation is that it was a "battlefield souvenir" which a yankee veteran took home with him. Soldiers are notorious for taking such souvenirs from prisoners ...and an enemy's Insignia is a favorite "battle trophy" souvenir. We know such souvenir-taking occurred in the Civil War because soldiers mention doing it, in their diaries and in letters-to-home ...and because we relic-diggers have found surprising numbers of Confederate Insignia in strictly-yankee encampment sites.

We also know that long after a war, a veteran's children sometimes are given (or just "get into") daddy's (or grandpa's) old war-souvenirs ...which then "get lost in the yard." I regret to say, that's what happened to some of my dad's wartime souvenirs.

There are of course other possible explanations, but I think the info given above is the "most likely" explanation of how your civil war era Virginia State Seal crossbelt-plate/pin arrived at where you dug it.

Exactly Cannon,I wanted to point that out but didnt want Digler thinking I was picking on him!
I too "played with my grandfathers military medals and his helmet he brought home(he was actually wounded in the head,and was allowed to bring it home)it chills me thinking about be able to play with such sacred items now,but fortunatly I never lost anything!!
 

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kuger said:
TheCannonballGuy said:
Southie E.J., of course you are wondering how your Virginia State Seal crossbelt plate/pin was lost in Massachusetts. The theory that it was lost by a Confederate soldier in a Boston-area prisoner-of-war camp is "logical" ...but it cannot be correct. Here's why: Note that your relic was worn on a soldier's crossbelt (not a waist-belt). The crossbelt was a type of military equipment which was worn over the shoulder, across the chest. The crossbelt's purpose was to carry an ammo-pouch, or a sword-scabbard (or etc). Therefore, when a soldier got captured, all such gear was "stripped" from him. Therefore, a Confederate POW in Massachusetts would not still be wearing his crossbelt.

So, how did your relic get to Massachusetts? The most likely explanation is that it was a "battlefield souvenir" which a yankee veteran took home with him. Soldiers are notorious for taking such souvenirs from prisoners ...and an enemy's Insignia is a favorite "battle trophy" souvenir. We know such souvenir-taking occurred in the Civil War because soldiers mention doing it, in their diaries and in letters-to-home ...and because we relic-diggers have found surprising numbers of Confederate Insignia in strictly-yankee encampment sites.

We also know that long after a war, a veteran's children sometimes are given (or just "get into") daddy's (or grandpa's) old war-souvenirs ...which then "get lost in the yard." I regret to say, that's what happened to some of my dad's wartime souvenirs.

There are of course other possible explanations, but I think the info given above is the "most likely" explanation of how your civil war era Virginia State Seal crossbelt-plate/pin arrived at where you dug it.

Exactly Cannon,I wanted to point that out but didnt want Digler thinking I was picking on him!
I too "played with my grandfathers military medals and his helmet he brought home(he was actually wounded in the head,and was allowed to bring it home)it chills me thinking about be able to play with such sacred items now,but fortunatly I never lost anything!!


Who cares really. It's a little more interesting if found in the context of a camp or battle site but the bottom line is still.... it is what it is. I certainly don't look at my Rev War button finds any different even though they traveled hundreds of miles to get here. :thumbsup: And the ones I sold were still paid for in American $$$!
 

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no matter the how it got there --its still a great find , any day , any place . :icon_thumright:

question was the item found close to any old ferry sites or near aold train depot area?-- places where prisoners of war might have travelled in route to the camp warren prison camp ?---you might want to check your local history and find out where the prisoner of war troop trains "dropped" off prisoners for transfer to the ferrys out to the island prison "fort warren"--they might have been marched overland from the trains to the ferry area * --if so things such as buttons and other items might have been lost in the march path from trains to ferry transfer area.
 

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You think a plate like this restored could go in the 5000.00+ range?
 

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Not taking anything from it I.P. its just interesting how things got to where they end up,there is usually no way of ever knowing.I have never seen an item worth less because of where its from,I have seen value go up if something important can be verified of its final resting place.I have often seen C.W. items dug Far ,Far from any C.W. activity,yet they still are what they are and worth the same as one dug in the South :thumbsup:
 

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kuger said:
I have often seen C.W. items dug Far ,Far from any C.W.


Yes, me too, right beside me in a field here. ;D Ironhorse dug a US cartridge plate.

UFC in an hour! :headbang:
 

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Iron Patch said:
kuger said:
I have often seen C.W. items dug Far ,Far from any C.W.


Yes, me too, right beside me in a field here. ;D Ironhorse dug a US cartridge plate.

UFC in an hour! :headbang:

:thumbsup:Yep..........here too :wink:

My cuz is tryin out for the "House",next season
 

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