🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Percussion caps?

[43560]

Hi everyone. New to metal detecting in Maryland on the eastern shore. I was searching one of my farm fields this week and found these two small objects. They were found near each other and also found this rein guide (I think) nearby. The “caps” are kind of heavy for their slight size and remind me of old bag seals I’ve found. Any help is appreciated!

 

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[l.cutler]

Might be bag seals, percussion caps are copper or brass, hollow and very light.

 

[43560]

Thanks for the info. It does really remind me of bag seals I’ve found on neighboring farms. But these are just so small, like smaller than a pencil eraser. The others I’ve found are German potash seals and usually the size of a coin. Thanks for the help!

 

[The Rebel]

They remind me of the weights used in the pinewood derby.

 

[Blackfoot58]

Definitely a rein guide.

 

[ticndig]

looks like lead heads to me. which is a lead seal that went over special nails used with slate roofing.
I've found plenty over the years. they are still made and sold to this day so dating them is hard to do.
here's a pic of the ones sold at Home Depot. edit, not used with slate roof , but tin roof.

 

[pepperj]

looks like lead heads to me. which is a lead seal that went over special nails used with slate roofing.
I've found plenty over the years. they are still made and sold to this day so dating them is hard to do.
here's a pic of the ones sold at Home Depot.

This type of lead washer/capped steel nail was used on galvanized roofing.
Copper nails were used on slate roofing.

This easiest way to determine what the 2 items are, is there any attraction to a magnet.
If there isn't the nail head theory I would set aside, because a pure leaded head would be hard to nail in with a hammer.

Clearer in focus pictures would be useful.
Note: That a lead seal that used a thin wire will have a magnetic draw where the wire is within the seal still.
Though usually the spot of rust is showing on the edge.

 

[ticndig]

I agree , had my roofs mixed up. I still think it's a lead roofing nail cap though. the pic is focused on the coin and not the relic.

 

[43560]

looks like lead heads to me. which is a lead seal that went over special nails used with slate roofing.
I've found plenty over the years. they are still made and sold to this day so dating them is hard to do.
here's a pic of the ones sold at Home Depot. edit, not used with slate roof , but tin roof.

That’s a very interesting theory.

 

[43560]

This type of lead washer/capped steel nail was used on galvanized roofing.
Copper nails were used on slate roofing.

This easiest way to determine what the 2 items are, is there any attraction to a magnet.
If there isn't the nail head theory I would set aside, because a pure leaded head would be hard to nail in with a hammer.

Clearer in focus pictures would be useful.
Note: That a lead seal that used a thin wire will have a magnetic draw where the wire is within the seal still.
Though usually the spot of rust is showing on the edge.

Will take some better pics and test with magnet this evening. Thanks for the info

 

[Gare]

I would guess Rein guide on the last picture

 

[Gare]

Are there any wires cut off on the edges of the small items ?

 

[smokeythecat]

Yes, that is a brass rein guide that would have been set into the wood of a carriage or wagon. Percussion caps are smaller and very, very thin brass. Those look like bag seals.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Here's some FFA (Free Friendly Advice), just so everybody will know:
A rein guide (officially named a "terret") is mounted on the horse's harness itself, or on the Hames -- not screwed into the wood of the carriage/buggy/wagon. See the images below.

 

[smokeythecat]

Makes sense, the only time I ever got on a horse it tried to rub me off on a telephone pole, never tried it again.

 

[Retired Sarge]

Makes sense, the only time I ever got on a horse it tried to rub me off on a telephone pole, never tried it again.

Hey you're lucky the last horse I rode bit/nipped me in the leg. She was an ornery ole gal, with lots of spirit and a mind of her own.

 

[Tony in SC]

Hey you're lucky the last horse I rode bit/nipped me in the leg. She was an ornery ole gal, with lots of spirit and a mind of her own.

I ,might, would ride a horse if it had handlebars ??

 

[glass half fool]

Yes that is most likely a brass rein guide off of a horse harness I have found several items like that or very similar to it Even though they are common and not anything special about them I always am happy to find the brass ring when I am digging