One of my coolest finds EVER! I love this.

[doninbrewster]

Was just going through some metal detecting junk on my work bench and picked up a couple of different caliber bullets. One looked like a 45 cartridge. When I picked it up I heard a little noise inside. Normally I don't play with live ammo dug out of the ground. This just seemed different. I picked it up and tried twisting the bullet. It opened and low and behold, dice! I think this is such a cool find. If banner finds don't have to be extremely valuable this is one.

 

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[Joe hunter]

Nice dice very cool

 

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[kha924]

Cool find now you just need some luck and buddies to shoot with...

 

[Westfront]

Very very cool!

 

[sandmartin]

a very unusual and interesting find!

 

[tlh2865]

That is definitely a cool find! anybody able to tie down the age for certain?

 

[relic nut]

Great find!!! Don't see that every day. Congrats!!

HH, RN

 

[sjvalleyhunter]

This is a "secret compartment" cartridge that is manufactured and sold specifically for that purpose. I've seen them in the past and it's easy to tell by the bullet itself. This one has a lip on it so it can sit on top of the casing and be easily pulled on and off like a cap.



The shell casing itself may be an actual casing, but it was probably manufactured by the same company who made the bullet cap. These secret compartment cartridges have been made for many, many years and are still made today, so dating it will be difficult. It would be interesting to see a picture of the bottom of this shell casing to see if there are any markings.

What may be more of an indication of age are the dice if it can be determined what they are made of. Nice find!

 

[coinman123]

In terms of coolness and uniqueness you have a banner find!

 

[coinman123]

All the ones I see are on key rings and open from the back.


Any photos of the bottom to check for age, you said it is rim fire, is there a letter on the bottom like most rim fire casing have. It looks like it is from the second half of the 1800's, maybe 1860's at the earliest.

 

[sjvalleyhunter]

All the ones I see are on key rings and open from the back.
View attachment 1422399

Any photos of the bottom to check for age, you said it is rim fire, is there a letter on the bottom like most rim fire casing have. It looks like it is from the second half of the 1800's, maybe 1860's at the earliest.

Many of the ones made these days are screw tops and are sold as necklaces or keychains. This one is actually marketed to hold cremation ashes. But if you imagine it without the threads and o-ring, it's the same as the OPs.



Also, if the shell the OP found is manufactured as a secret compartment cartridge, then the shell may just be made to resemble an actual cartridge casing, and not have any accuracy in representing one when it comes to small details that can used in dating it. They will manufacure what is easiest and cheapest for them to do.

 

[Xraywolf]

Unique.
I personally never vote banner for someone who nominate themselves.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the interesting relic find!

 

[BTV Digger]

Very unique find for sure!

John

 

[etex]

I always vote Banner for people that Nominate themselves, Banner

 

[A2coins]

The story behind those makes that so great!!!Thanks for the cool post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[sutphin]

DAMN A GAMBLERS SECRET IN DISGUISE , COOL.

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[coinman123]

Unique.
I personally never vote banner for someone who nominate themselves.

I don't see where he said he nominated himself, he just said that if banner find weren't extremely valuable than the bullet may be one. He never called his find a banner, and he never said that he voted for it.

 

[ajaj]

Very interesting find!

aj

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Wow, that certainly is unique Don - WTG!!