Nice Naval Finds on a Birthday Hunt

Glen's Loyalists

Full Member
Jan 7, 2024
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It was my birthday last week, so my son and I decided to spend a few hours detecting to see if we could get a little extra luck. And we did! Here are a few nice Naval relics we found:

Pride of place has to go to this 1827 Pattern British Naval Sword Handguard. Heavily gilt, they still make this pattern sword today. On this one the crown is Victorian or earlier so it's Nineteenth Century, I would expect pre 1860 to give it time to be used and maintained and then abused and broken and lost.

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Also found is this silvered coat button. I'm told it's likely British Naval Marines, circa 1790. I wanted a British Marines Button, this is the first I found. It was under a tree and in the same hole with an ox shoe. So good on the Deus, and mine's an old one, the battery's dead on the head unit, so I've been going by ear. The back is only marked with some stars and an S, likely for silver I would think.

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My son found this, the best bit of broken spoon we've ever found. I'd love to know where it came from. It's pewter and the back is marked YAT that is visible. That might be Yates, we have found pewter of his before in various places. He was active up until the 1820's, I think, when the mark changed. Somehow this looks earlier to me. Has anybody ever seen one?

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He also found this, what we think is part of a military buckle. The rampant lion in the shield is the symbol of Scotland, but we haven't found more than that. Does anybody have any references on these type of buckles? It would have been snazzy when new, there are traces of where the lion was gilt and it looks like it had a pierced silver overlay in the fields.

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Other than that, we found a small rifle bullet that has some age but I don't know what. A 1913 British Penny, a demolished coin that is most likely a Georgian Halfpenny, a couple other demolished cents, 1934 and and 1940. And a couple of Hildebrandt #3 fishing attractors.

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So two nice finds each. That's fine by me, it was a good day out.
 

Upvote 26
It was my birthday last week, so my son and I decided to spend a few hours detecting to see if we could get a little extra luck. And we did! Here are a few nice Naval relics we found:

Pride of place has to go to this 1827 Pattern British Naval Sword Handguard. Heavily gilt, they still make this pattern sword today. On this one the crown is Victorian or earlier so it's Nineteenth Century, I would expect pre 1860 to give it time to be used and maintained and then abused and broken and lost.

View attachment 2163618

View attachment 2163619

Also found is this silvered coat button. I'm told it's likely British Naval Marines, circa 1790. I wanted a British Marines Button, this is the first I found. It was under a tree and in the same hole with an ox shoe. So good on the Deus, and mine's an old one, the battery's dead on the head unit, so I've been going by ear. The back is only marked with some stars and an S, likely for silver I would think.

View attachment 2163621

View attachment 2163622

My son found this, the best bit of broken spoon we've ever found. I'd love to know where it came from. It's pewter and the back is marked YAT that is visible. That might be Yates, we have found pewter of his before in various places. He was active up until the 1820's, I think, when the mark changed. Somehow this looks earlier to me. Has anybody ever seen one?

View attachment 2163623

View attachment 2163624

He also found this, what we think is part of a military buckle. The rampant lion in the shield is the symbol of Scotland, but we haven't found more than that. Does anybody have any references on these type of buckles? It would have been snazzy when new, there are traces of where the lion was gilt and it looks like it had a pierced silver overlay in the fields.

View attachment 2163625

View attachment 2163626


Other than that, we found a small rifle bullet that has some age but I don't know what. A 1913 British Penny, a demolished coin that is most likely a Georgian Halfpenny, a couple other demolished cents, 1934 and and 1940. And a couple of Hildebrandt #3 fishing attractors.

View attachment 2163627

So two nice finds each. That's fine by me, it was a good day out.
really great saves, that's what I call a nice birthday present!
 

Beautiful British colonial era finds! The embossing on them, insignia and letters, is outstanding. I'm curious about what former colony were they found in.
These were all found in Nova Scotia, just outside of Halifax. It has been very military here since it's founding in 1749, and the British and the French have been fighting here since the 1600's. Many War of 1812 veterans were given land in the area and settled after the war. Those farms are now buried in the woods in many places, having been abandoned in the 1870's. All men between 16 and 60 were required by law to be part of the various local militias and had to train 4 times a year up until confederation in 1867. I believe that the old farm I have was one of their training places.
Not a metal detecting find, but this is one of my best scoops from the era: A 3rd model Brown Bess from the Digby, Nova Scotia Militia. The 14th Battalion was active from 1812 to 1820, but this Brown Bess is marked 1805 when it entered Nova Scotia service, it may be older than that. I am restoring it, it is complete but covered in a heavy lacquer which I have since carefully removed. I need to get a couple of new pins and likely will put back to flintlock from the percussion conversion.

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Beautiful British colonial era finds! The embossing on them, insignia and letters, is outstanding. I'm curious about what former colony were they found in.
I just saw that you were from the Maritimes, so I imagine you know all that I mentioned.
 

GL, thank you for the reply. I am from NB and have Loyalist and military areas here too, but I was not aware of the details of the Halifax area activities you mentioned. It's a treasure to have a farm where some of this activity occurred! A place to explore at leisure with no competition and the possibility always of amazing finds.
That Brown Bess is amazing and I am glad you are restoring it. I would really like to have one, or a French Charelville (sp?) myself, but likely never will.
 

GL, thank you for the reply. I am from NB and have Loyalist and military areas here too, but I was not aware of the details of the Halifax area activities you mentioned. It's a treasure to have a farm where some of this activity occurred! A place to explore at leisure with no competition and the possibility always of amazing finds.
That Brown Bess is amazing and I am glad you are restoring it. I would really like to have one, or a French Charelville (sp?) myself, but likely never will.
In pre-confederation times, NB used a lot of American silver as they were on a different exchange rate vs the pound, as compared to Halifax currency. All you need is to the the right bit of old US silver and you can get a musket.

And the Saint John area was Loyalist founded as I am sure you know. There should be great hunting the the river valley between Sussex and Saint John.
Same with the road from Aulac to the Confederation Bridge. I am always just itching to get out in the field every time I drive that road.
 

It was my birthday last week, so my son and I decided to spend a few hours detecting to see if we could get a little extra luck. And we did! Here are a few nice Naval relics we found:

Pride of place has to go to this 1827 Pattern British Naval Sword Handguard. Heavily gilt, they still make this pattern sword today. On this one the crown is Victorian or earlier so it's Nineteenth Century, I would expect pre 1860 to give it time to be used and maintained and then abused and broken and lost.

View attachment 2163618

View attachment 2163619

Also found is this silvered coat button. I'm told it's likely British Naval Marines, circa 1790. I wanted a British Marines Button, this is the first I found. It was under a tree and in the same hole with an ox shoe. So good on the Deus, and mine's an old one, the battery's dead on the head unit, so I've been going by ear. The back is only marked with some stars and an S, likely for silver I would think.

View attachment 2163621

View attachment 2163622

My son found this, the best bit of broken spoon we've ever found. I'd love to know where it came from. It's pewter and the back is marked YAT that is visible. That might be Yates, we have found pewter of his before in various places. He was active up until the 1820's, I think, when the mark changed. Somehow this looks earlier to me. Has anybody ever seen one?

View attachment 2163623

View attachment 2163624

He also found this, what we think is part of a military buckle. The rampant lion in the shield is the symbol of Scotland, but we haven't found more than that. Does anybody have any references on these type of buckles? It would have been snazzy when new, there are traces of where the lion was gilt and it looks like it had a pierced silver overlay in the fields.

View attachment 2163625

View attachment 2163626


Other than that, we found a small rifle bullet that has some age but I don't know what. A 1913 British Penny, a demolished coin that is most likely a Georgian Halfpenny, a couple other demolished cents, 1934 and and 1940. And a couple of Hildebrandt #3 fishing attractors.

View attachment 2163627

So two nice finds each. That's fine by me, it was a good day out.
Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!
 

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