My best Pre Revolutionary War Find EVER!

smokeythecat

Gold Member
Nov 22, 2012
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Maryland
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XP Deus II
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All Treasure Hunting
I asked for help yesterday with identification, this was found yesterday, it is a 3" copper/brass round disc, and I couldn't figure it out. Since then it has been identified as a first half 18th century locking cover to a round box used to hold tobacco or snuff. The sun, moon and directional arrows act as keys that engage on the rear of the object to slip a slide into the bottom of the box to lock it. I believe if soaked in WD-40 for a few days, it would STILL WORK. There was something covering it, rotted cloth or something, I don't know what. It had turned to mush. Whatever it was helped preserve it. To own something like this back then, this would have been a "if you've got it, flaunt it" item. Expertly and wonderfully made, it was in a cut soybean field almost 18" down. I was digging a trash pit (only went to 3 foot as the ground was HEAVY with water and hard to dig), and I gave up and "circled" the pit with the Deus within 15' or so to see if I was "on" the pit or if there was anything else nearby.

The Deus was used with the factory settings with version 4.0 with Deus Fast Program, tracking ground balance and running the HF coil at 74khz. NO tweaks to the program.

I had a full sized shovel as when you'd put the shovel in the wet ground, it would make a sucking sound as you lifted the mud plug up!

The signal was a solid "81" but weak, and I thought it was a small piece of lead or something relatively shallow. Boy was I surprised!

The ones I found for sale were enormously expensive. I have found gold, silver and copper coins from the period, solid silver flatware, buttons, musket balls and parts, leather ornaments, forks, knives, axes, this thing is exceptionally rare.

Enjoy! And welcome to 2019, this was a heck of a way to finish off a year I didn't go out nearly as much as I did the year before!

IMG_1471.JPGtobacco box.jpgIMG_1472.JPG
 

Upvote 49
Way to end the year. Very cool the locking mechanism is intact.
 

Big congrats on the nice find. You never cease to amaze.

Best of luck in 2019.
 

Whoolee Khrap! :censored: Congratulations Smoke! :occasion14::headbang::hello2::notworthy:
 

Cool find! I like it. Great job!
 

Awesome find Smokey the cat! Congratulations on a colonial historical find of a lifetime !
 

It indeed is the historical Pre-Revolutionary War find of a lifetime. I say that because a few things I found once upon a time ago in Rev War camps made the history books, and a few years back I found a whole freaking Miocene Whale skeleton, with the exception of most of the skull, and donated that to a museum. Now who does that, really? All true.
 

Smokey! Your finds never cease to amaze. Be careful with Wd-40 40. There might be some dirt in those fine hinges. Find someone with an ultrasound cleaner and get all the crap out. Know any dentists?
 

Yes, I actually have a small ultrasound cleaner, the $20 kind, and the dentist is getting all my money on Thursday! And yes, there is fine sandy dirt everywhere. I probably won't clean it anymore, there is no need to.
 

Fabulous Smokey! Something a colonial Governor might carry. Banner!
 

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Smokey, it occurred to me after I posted but perhaps this is the earliest version of a "child proof cap"?
 

Great, great find! Gotta love this hobby...you just never know what's going to come out of the ground next!
 

Nice find. Very interesting

congratulations.

What text did you google to research this? Pre Revolutionary snuff box? I dont find them.
 

Awesome and rare find! I sure hope you get back out there and find the rest of the snuff/tobacco tin! A complete and restored one would likely be worth quite a bit at auction.
 

Alright, new rule. You aren't allowed to detect in 2019 so there are some cool things left for the rest of us, sheesh.

But in all seriousness, another big congrats is in order. Way to go StC!
 

Reanm8er, I can't do the banner thing as I already have one up, but thank you for the thought. And yes, "child proof cap" would fit very well. Dognose, I looked on Google under "18th century locking tobacco box" and that's how I found it. It is at least 50 years older than the Revolution. And it would have been the equivalent of a Rolex watch today, or a Guicci bag or some such thing I don't own one of.

Washingtonian, I was not on the net all day till now and you're too late. Went to a Civil War site and pulled some camp lead, a complete coat eagle button, a Sharps bullet, some glass, a percussion cap, a brass watch winder and poor baby a Union 6th Corps badge. Oh the horror of it all! Heck of a way to start this year!
 

That's a Museum piece Im happy for you Great job you deserve it my friend Tommy
 

Yep, the true highlight of my relic hunt yesterday with StC was being able to see and handle that cover which is a true high-end museum piece. Hope the box itself is recovered at some point.
 

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