Opium vial and seated silver

IAMZIM

Bronze Member
Apr 23, 2011
1,567
2,160
Butte City, Montana
Detector(s) used
ace 250/garret pinpointer, garret AT Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
No tokens today. (DARNIT!) But I found an 1890 seated dime and a medicine vial, that I thought was an opium vial, when I was digging up the little pin. Silver is always good!
2013-04-12 18.49.49.jpg2013-04-12 18.50.12.jpg2013-04-12 18.50.25.jpg
 

Last edited:
Upvote 15
SWEET find on the seated! I just got my first today!! posting in a minute
 

I have heard most of the necks are broken off those opium bottles so to find an intact one is uncommon. the dopers broke them to get them opened instead of fighting the tiny corks. So cool finds, I would love a seated too.
 

I have heard most of the necks are broken off those opium bottles so to find an intact one is uncommon. the dopers broke them to get them opened instead of fighting the tiny corks. So cool finds, I would love a seated too.
The vial is broken at the top as they were sealed. (Hard to see in the pics) This is the second one I have found at this site, along with an opium pipe bowl.
 

Ok, so you were digging a pin, and found a seated??!!....HOLY SHAT! Awesome site dude!!!!!!!
 

have a seat sir..........:notworthy:
 

Ok, so you were digging a pin, and found a seated??!!....HOLY SHAT! Awesome site dude!!!!!!!

No, I found the VIAL when I was digging the little pin. Lol!
 

These are great finds ! a slice of the old west for sure - I dug a few opium bottles like that in Helena, Montana, when I was a kid .
I'd love to know a bit more about the kind of site/area you are hunting (in general terms obviously)
 

Great finds! For sure would call that a "happy hunt" day! Just got my first seated coin this year myself. I have seen pieces of those small bottle out here and didn't know their ID thanks.
 

Hi, first time on this forum.Nice coin. Don't know if bottles really held opium, at the time came in paste form in tins like the ones shown. Bottles did hold medicine001 (7).JPG
 

Hi, first time on this forum.Nice coin. Don't know if bottles really held opium, at the time came in paste form in tins like the ones shown. Bottles did hold medicineView attachment 777112
The only reason I call them opium vials, is because that is what a local museum here labels them as in thier own collection, some have paper wrappers on them that say "elixir of opium". Many friends of mine also call them opium vials, maybe alot of people misconceive these as such? If anyone has more of a positive identification on these bottles, id like to know! I have found all these in the same area, id say within 100ft of eachother:2013-04-13 10.10.53.jpg
 

Last edited:
Nice Liberty Seated Dime but each one of those items is a great find as well.
 

Sorry wasn't trying to ruffle anyone,just stateing observations I've made searching gold mining and railway camps looking for Chinese artifats over the last 35 years. The opening and capacity of each bottle is different, some a toothpick wouldn't fit into and others could hold small amounts of pellets or powder. I've always been curious as why they labled those bottles "opiumbottles",everyone calls them that. I've found nothing to prove that opium came in those bottles, don't know if they had the technology to convert paste to powder back then?
 

Sorry again, didn't see your picture ,nice pipe,coins and bottles, good site your on
 

We knew them as opium bottles nearly 45 years ago when we dug em in Helena , haven't seen any evidence to the contrary since ,
but I am no expert on bottles - The education available on this site is amazing , I learn new things every day !
 

Yes,atually those are medicine vials that did contain a small amount of opium.I was taught at a very young age that they were "Opium",vials,and held that mis-nomer,for many years until I dug one with the medicine still in it!Years later I dug a brass opum can that also had remanants of the opium in it as well...two completly different compositins.Opium is a tar like substance.The product in the vials is very liquid.Notice you seldom see any remants in those vials?Now picture "tar",being in there....how could you possibly ever get all of it out?

Also I would like to point out to you that the museum is also incorrect in there ID of that pipe bowl as an opium pipe....it is not.It is in fact a tobbacco pipe,that is very commonly mis-ided as what they are saying as well....they are wrong(Thats a shame too,as Butte had a rich in Chinese History past)
I dont have the time at the moment to provide photo support to my staements right now,but if you look into how opium s smoked you will see that with that type of bowl there wouldnt be any way to do it?
This is one of my favorite sites.I have corresponded with the gentleman on numerous ocassions
roy's collection
link
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/bottles-glass/137346-old-chinese-medicine-bottles.html
link
medicine
link
http://www.google.com/search?q=chin...QC8H2igKRqYHYCQ&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1265&bih=568




This is just a little info on the supposed contents of the vials
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Narcotic-LAUDANUM-POISON-OPIUM-Medicine-Bottles-LABEL-/160819754507
^^^^^link^^^^^^^^

I need to point out that as said I have seen these vials with a liquid,and I have head of them containing powder,or pellets,which is plausible.....not tar opium though
 

Last edited:
As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Sorry wasn't trying to ruffle anyone,just stateing observations I've made searching gold mining and railway camps looking for Chinese artifats over the last 35 years. The opening and capacity of each bottle is different, some a toothpick wouldn't fit into and others could hold small amounts of pellets or powder. I've always been curious as why they labled those bottles "opiumbottles",everyone calls them that. I've found nothing to prove that opium came in those bottles, don't know if they had the technology to convert paste to powder back then?
Lol! I'm not ruffled, I was agreeing with you that the label of "opiumbottles" might be wrong, so you have no reason to appologize, however, I was hoping for more insight on them. It sounds like you are just as unsure about it as I am. I am just stating that if "everyone" calls them "opiumbottles", and they are not, I hope somone could figure out what they really are. I'm always ready to admit if I am wrong about something, I just like to know what I may be wrong about, so I can correct it... Here is what I am talking about: At the museum here, they have these bottles :OdU7Gf8X28595nR.jpg along with bottles like mine and they lable them ALL as opium bottles. That is why I listed mine as an opium bottle. If its not really an opium bottle that I have I would just like to know, for accuracy.
 

Last edited:
Yes,atually those are medicine vials that did contain a small amount of opium.I was taught at a very young age that they were "Opium",vials,and held that mis-nomer,for many years until I dug one with the medicine still in it!Years later I dug a brass opum can that also had remanants of the opium in it as well...two completly different compositins.Opium is a tar like substance.The product in the vials is very liquid.Notice you seldom see any remants in those vials?Now picture "tar",being in there....how could you possibly ever get all of it out?

Also I would like to point out to you that the museum is also incorrect in there ID of that pipe bowl as an opium pipe....it is not.It is in fact a tobbacco pipe,that is very commonly mis-ided as what they are saying as well....they are wrong(Thats a shame too,as Butte had a rich in Chinese History past)
I dont have the time at the moment to provide photo support to my staements right now,but if you look into how opium s smoked you will see that with that type of bowl there wouldnt be any way to do it?
This is one of my favorite sites.I have corresponded with the gentleman on numerous ocassions
roy's collection
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/bottles-glass/137346-old-chinese-medicine-bottles.html
medicine
chinese tobacco pipe - Google Search




This is just a little info on the supposed contents of the vials
Narcotic Laudanum Poison Opium Medicine Bottles Label | eBay

I need to point out that as said I have seen these vials with a liquid,and I have head of them containing powder,or pellets,which is plausible.....not tar opium though
Lol, confusing! You are saying they had a small amount of opium in them, but they are not "opium bottles", correct? Also, I did not say the museum labled my pipe as an opium pipe. Thanks for the ID on it, I had assumed it was possibly an opium pipe but was not sure about it. Also, I did not say it was the kind of opium that you smoke. I'm just confused at what you are saying. How do you know that "the medicine vials that did contain a small amount of opium" in fact had opium in it? Was it like some kind of medicine that had some opium in it? Is that what you are saying? I'm not trying to sound like I'm being an As*, its just confusing how you are writing it, lol!
 

As an eBay Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Back
Top