Old silver and coins of many ages

Glen's Loyalists

Full Member
Jan 7, 2024
117
501
Before the weather turned we got out for a couple of quick hunts last week. Here are some of the highlights:

We started with a bang and I found a bit of silver:

IMG_4046a.jpg


Unfortunately, it was completely smooth, well almost:

IMG_4049.jpg


So there's a challenge. It is exactly 25 mm, so it is a shilling. The font is early, George III or earlier. If it is George III, it would have to be 1787, the later Bulls head ones are different. George II and George I used U's rather than V's in all examples that I have seen. So, it is most likely William III, so 1690's. I found another not long ago. If you squint you can almost see him. It could also possibly be a Charles II. We have found quite a number of very old & very worn silver coins now. I have to wonder if the British were sending over their worn out coinage in the later 18th century, when most of these would have been lost.

Next oldest would be these two halfpennies, A George II old head (1740 -1754) and an Irish George III dated from the 1760's. I can just make out the 6. This one is an evasion or non-regal counterfeit and would be from later than the date shown.

IMG_4187a.jpg


This chunky 1820 Irish One Penny Token from Dublin is an interesting one, the first I have found. Lying flat, it was almost a foot down.

IMG_4192.jpg


Here is an interesting pocket spill, consisting of an 1890 Newfoundland and and 1884 Canada One Cent. I don't find a lot of Newfoundland coins so that was a nice find.

IMG_4146.jpg


A couple of other large cents, a 1908 Eddie and a 1916 George V. They changed the alloy in the Georges I believe and they don't tend to survive very well.

IMG_4147.jpg


Finishing the coins was a worn 1920 Canada 10 Cent. At one time these WW1 era 10 cents seemed to be the most common coin we found, but it has been awhile sine we last found one, it is in the background below.

Other finds included an early spun tombac button, numerous buckles, a musket ball, a flag staff base and this, which I have been puzzling over, it is a copper alloy and has some age to it, but for what I do not know.

IMG_4151.jpg
IMG_4152.jpg


Good luck hunting everyone...

IMG_4144.jpg
 

Upvote 30
Before the weather turned we got out for a couple of quick hunts last week. Here are some of the highlights:

We started with a bang and I found a bit of silver:

View attachment 2181836

Unfortunately, it was completely smooth, well almost:

View attachment 2181837

So there's a challenge. It is exactly 25 mm, so it is a shilling. The font is early, George III or earlier. If it is George III, it would have to be 1787, the later Bulls head ones are different. George II and George I used U's rather than V's in all examples that I have seen. So, it is most likely William III, so 1690's. I found another not long ago. If you squint you can almost see him. It could also possibly be a Charles II. We have found quite a number of very old & very worn silver coins now. I have to wonder if the British were sending over their worn out coinage in the later 18th century, when most of these would have been lost.

Next oldest would be these two halfpennies, A George II old head (1740 -1754) and an Irish George III dated from the 1760's. I can just make out the 6. This one is an evasion or non-regal counterfeit and would be from later than the date shown.

View attachment 2181838

This chunky 1820 Irish One Penny Token from Dublin is an interesting one, the first I have found. Lying flat, it was almost a foot down.

View attachment 2181839

Here is an interesting pocket spill, consisting of an 1890 Newfoundland and and 1884 Canada One Cent. I don't find a lot of Newfoundland coins so that was a nice find.

View attachment 2181840

A couple of other large cents, a 1908 Eddie and a 1916 George V. They changed the alloy in the Georges I believe and they don't tend to survive very well.

View attachment 2181841

Finishing the coins was a worn 1920 Canada 10 Cent. At one time these WW1 era 10 cents seemed to be the most common coin we found, but it has been awhile sine we last found one, it is in the background below.

Other finds included an early spun tombac button, numerous buckles, a musket ball, a flag staff base and this, which I have been puzzling over, it is a copper alloy and has some age to it, but for what I do not know.

View attachment 2181842 View attachment 2181843

Good luck hunting everyone...

View attachment 2181844
great assortment of recoveries, wtg! love that old silver........
 

Before the weather turned we got out for a couple of quick hunts last week. Here are some of the highlights:

We started with a bang and I found a bit of silver:

View attachment 2181836

Unfortunately, it was completely smooth, well almost:

View attachment 2181837

So there's a challenge. It is exactly 25 mm, so it is a shilling. The font is early, George III or earlier. If it is George III, it would have to be 1787, the later Bulls head ones are different. George II and George I used U's rather than V's in all examples that I have seen. So, it is most likely William III, so 1690's. I found another not long ago. If you squint you can almost see him. It could also possibly be a Charles II. We have found quite a number of very old & very worn silver coins now. I have to wonder if the British were sending over their worn out coinage in the later 18th century, when most of these would have been lost.

Next oldest would be these two halfpennies, A George II old head (1740 -1754) and an Irish George III dated from the 1760's. I can just make out the 6. This one is an evasion or non-regal counterfeit and would be from later than the date shown.

View attachment 2181838

This chunky 1820 Irish One Penny Token from Dublin is an interesting one, the first I have found. Lying flat, it was almost a foot down.

View attachment 2181839

Here is an interesting pocket spill, consisting of an 1890 Newfoundland and and 1884 Canada One Cent. I don't find a lot of Newfoundland coins so that was a nice find.

View attachment 2181840

A couple of other large cents, a 1908 Eddie and a 1916 George V. They changed the alloy in the Georges I believe and they don't tend to survive very well.

View attachment 2181841

Finishing the coins was a worn 1920 Canada 10 Cent. At one time these WW1 era 10 cents seemed to be the most common coin we found, but it has been awhile sine we last found one, it is in the background below.

Other finds included an early spun tombac button, numerous buckles, a musket ball, a flag staff base and this, which I have been puzzling over, it is a copper alloy and has some age to it, but for what I do not know.

View attachment 2181842 View attachment 2181843

Good luck hunting everyone...

View attachment 2181844
Wow! Really good stuff!
 

Congrats on the old coppers and silver.

If I had dug the ? Item I would be thinking part of a thumb latch door lock plate.
The backside looks familiar.
It could be for a door latch but I have the feeling it is something different. I agree there is something familiar about it, but I can't quite think what it is.
 

What a nice age distribution of coin finds! I'm in a Loyalist area too but my oldest finds, (and they are few) are from the early 1700s (KG II). Mine tend to cluster more around KG III (late 1700s to early 1800s). I know the Loyalists came to my area around 1783. You must be in an area of earlier occupation, perhaps the Planters which I think came in the early 1700s.
 

Before the weather turned we got out for a couple of quick hunts last week. Here are some of the highlights:

We started with a bang and I found a bit of silver:

View attachment 2181836

Unfortunately, it was completely smooth, well almost:

View attachment 2181837

So there's a challenge. It is exactly 25 mm, so it is a shilling. The font is early, George III or earlier. If it is George III, it would have to be 1787, the later Bulls head ones are different. George II and George I used U's rather than V's in all examples that I have seen. So, it is most likely William III, so 1690's. I found another not long ago. If you squint you can almost see him. It could also possibly be a Charles II. We have found quite a number of very old & very worn silver coins now. I have to wonder if the British were sending over their worn out coinage in the later 18th century, when most of these would have been lost.

Next oldest would be these two halfpennies, A George II old head (1740 -1754) and an Irish George III dated from the 1760's. I can just make out the 6. This one is an evasion or non-regal counterfeit and would be from later than the date shown.

View attachment 2181838

This chunky 1820 Irish One Penny Token from Dublin is an interesting one, the first I have found. Lying flat, it was almost a foot down.

View attachment 2181839

Here is an interesting pocket spill, consisting of an 1890 Newfoundland and and 1884 Canada One Cent. I don't find a lot of Newfoundland coins so that was a nice find.

View attachment 2181840

A couple of other large cents, a 1908 Eddie and a 1916 George V. They changed the alloy in the Georges I believe and they don't tend to survive very well.

View attachment 2181841

Finishing the coins was a worn 1920 Canada 10 Cent. At one time these WW1 era 10 cents seemed to be the most common coin we found, but it has been awhile sine we last found one, it is in the background below.

Other finds included an early spun tombac button, numerous buckles, a musket ball, a flag staff base and this, which I have been puzzling over, it is a copper alloy and has some age to it, but for what I do not know.

View attachment 2181842 View attachment 2181843

Good luck hunting everyone...

View attachment 2181844
Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!
 

It could be for a door latch but I have the feeling it is something different. I agree there is something familiar about it, but I can't quite think what it is.
I have either dug, or seen similar posted.
Getting old is brilliant sometimes.
 

What a nice age distribution of coin finds! I'm in a Loyalist area too but my oldest finds, (and they are few) are from the early 1700s (KG II). Mine tend to cluster more around KG III (late 1700s to early 1800s). I know the Loyalists came to my area around 1783. You must be in an area of earlier occupation, perhaps the Planters which I think came in the early 1700s.
George III is by far the most common monarch that we find here. My property was settled in the 1770's and the other areas that we detect seem to be about the same up until the 1820's for first occupation. We tend to detect abandoned sites to minimize 20th century trash
People used things for much longer years ago, I am sure that some of the coins that I have found were in circulation for at least 100 years. The Charles II, William and Mary, William III and George I coins that I have found are all almost worn smooth before they were lost.
Not much Acadian in my area outside Halifax, but I did find a Liard from the 1650's on my land that likely bumbled around here in NS since Acadian Times.
I do have one site I have not posted on yet that is really something. I have found a couple of items that go back to the 1400 and 1500's. I have no explanation except that people had old stuff.
 

George III is by far the most common monarch that we find here. My property was settled in the 1770's and the other areas that we detect seem to be about the same up until the 1820's for first occupation. We tend to detect abandoned sites to minimize 20th century trash
People used things for much longer years ago, I am sure that some of the coins that I have found were in circulation for at least 100 years. The Charles II, William and Mary, William III and George I coins that I have found are all almost worn smooth before they were lost.
Not much Acadian in my area outside Halifax, but I did find a Liard from the 1650's on my land that likely bumbled around here in NS since Acadian Times.
I do have one site I have not posted on yet that is really something. I have found a couple of items that go back to the 1400 and 1500's. I have no explanation except that people had old stuff.
I'm pretty sure that folks were like some today hoarders/keepers.

The amount of possessions were limited in the Colonial era.

So items were not discarded like today.

When I was young my neighbor had ration packs from the Boer War out in the shed. (70yrs old)

Gold/Silver have a value regardless of item or age.

Worn coinage was exported from England to the new world for circulation.

We have an interesting history that gets unearthed 1 recovery at a time.

What we find detecting can change how history is written.

Like one very knowledgeable historian said to me.
There's more undocumented homes than documented on the old historical maps.
 

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