Brian in MA
Sr. Member
Now that there is 16 inches of snow out my window I can safely say my 2008 season is over !!!
I spent pretty much the entire year hunting for Colonial-era finds and had a great year... I dug lots of coppers, buttons and buckles, etc....
Below are my top two finds of not just 2008 but of my 30 year career....
The first pic is a colonial-era mourning ring dated 1747. It reads: B. Walley ob. 21 JAN 1747 Aet. 23
This translates to B. Walley, died Jan. 21, 1747 at the age of 23. Through research I have determined that B. Walley was Bethia Walley of Boston & Ipswich, Mass. I’m also pretty certain I know who was wearing the ring when it was lost. The Walley family was a very prominent family in the Boston area from the 1630's through the 1700's.
The ring has a makers mark of Hurd. Jacob Hurd was also a very prominent goldsmith/silversmith of that era.
With out a doubt, the most interesting item I have ever found as it truly is a piece of our local history.
The second pic is a 1662 Oak Tree Twopence. This coin is part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony 'Tree Coin' series that were minted by John Hull in Boston from 1652 through 1682. Truly, the Holy Grail of finds for treasure hunters in the New England area. This coin is tiny, it is smaller than a silver U.S. 3-cent piece.
I had been dreaming of finding one of these coins for years and the dream came true back in August !!!! Here's the link to that post: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,174227.html
Thanks for looking...
Brian
I spent pretty much the entire year hunting for Colonial-era finds and had a great year... I dug lots of coppers, buttons and buckles, etc....
Below are my top two finds of not just 2008 but of my 30 year career....
The first pic is a colonial-era mourning ring dated 1747. It reads: B. Walley ob. 21 JAN 1747 Aet. 23
This translates to B. Walley, died Jan. 21, 1747 at the age of 23. Through research I have determined that B. Walley was Bethia Walley of Boston & Ipswich, Mass. I’m also pretty certain I know who was wearing the ring when it was lost. The Walley family was a very prominent family in the Boston area from the 1630's through the 1700's.
The ring has a makers mark of Hurd. Jacob Hurd was also a very prominent goldsmith/silversmith of that era.
With out a doubt, the most interesting item I have ever found as it truly is a piece of our local history.
The second pic is a 1662 Oak Tree Twopence. This coin is part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony 'Tree Coin' series that were minted by John Hull in Boston from 1652 through 1682. Truly, the Holy Grail of finds for treasure hunters in the New England area. This coin is tiny, it is smaller than a silver U.S. 3-cent piece.
I had been dreaming of finding one of these coins for years and the dream came true back in August !!!! Here's the link to that post: http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,174227.html
Thanks for looking...
Brian
HH
RR
