Old lead ignot, i think.

[MackDigger]

Pulled this out of a 1800s homesite. 99% sure it's lead. It's very heavy and looks pretty uniform to me. Is this a rare find? I think it's pretty cool.

 

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[DonDigger]

Old lead undergoes some change that makes it more valuable to the electronics industry but for the life of me I can't recall the name given to it. Possible your lead ingot is worth more than just common everyday lead. Surely someone with a better memory than I will fill us in.

 

[MackDigger]

Old lead undergoes some change that makes it more valuable to the electronics industry but for the life of me I can't recall the name given to it. Possible your lead ingot is worth more than just common everyday lead. Surely someone with a better memory than I will fill us in.

I read that before too. I have no idea how to old it needs to be or how to tell though.

 

[MackDigger]

Anyone else have anything to add on this?

 

[Ahab8]

Interested to hear because I've found a couple myself



This one is pretty interesting

 

[MackDigger]

Interested to hear because I've found a couple myself <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1004799"/> This one is pretty interesting

That is cool, is it perfectly round?

 

[ecmjamsit]

I think it is called low alpha lead.

 

[MackDigger]

I think it is called low alpha lead.

Yeah I think I saw a show on it where odyssey recovered a Bunch of "low alpha" ingots!

 

[beez0404]

If you decide it's just a hunk of lead and want to get rid of it I mold my own crappie jigs and bass jigs and can always use more lead.

 

[MackDigger]

Gotta think someone here know something more

 

[MackDigger]

 

[Ahab8]

That is cool, is it perfectly round?

Flat on bottom and egg shaped up top. Heavy little piece

 

[Old Dude]

Very cool find. To many of our ancestors, one of these would have had more value than silver.

 

[MackDigger]

Very cool find. To many of our ancestors, one of these would have had more value than silver.[/QUOTE

Thanks I think it's pretty amazing too.

 

[MackDigger]

How much time does it take to get the chalky patina like that?

 

[ATpro5]

By the looks of the patina I'd say 100+ years definitely. Hard to say for sure

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

It's not that unusual to find lead on old sites, I find it all the time. Lead was used for so many things back in the 1800s and earlier and would have been sold at the local general store in ingots. It looks like you may have one there. Good find.
I don't think it's low alfa lead, I have heard that LAL is lead that was minied and smelted prior to the nuclear age and that has not been exposed to the effects of the nuclear age like that that has been submerged underwater.
ZDD

 

[Steve in PA]

I save all my lead and take it to the scrap yard when I have enough. Last summer I took in about 50 pounds and got $.45/lb. I can't tell how big your piece is from the picture.

 

[dkwflight]

Old lead, smelted before WWII is called low alpha lead.
Alpha particles from the nuclear bombs set off by foolish people.

Because the old lead is clean of fission by products it is usefull in the electronics industry and other stuff.
The amount you have is not worth the costs of having it tested so it is a conversation piece.

 

[Silver Searcher]

I think you need context of find for low alpha lead, if I remember it has to be over a 100 years old. I find a lot of lead older than 100 years, and have never had anyone who will buy it as low alpha.

SS