Silver Bar or Lead Bar? Dose anyone know what this is?

[Kwtuna]

I found a Ship Wreck while spear fishing Cay Sal Bank. There was a small anchor and other stuff and this was in the sand. I think it is some type of lead bar. It is about 14" long, 5" wide and 3" deep. It has some very particular markings on it. A stamped "SP" and a W or M. It has a raised round disk at one end and a cross was stamped in it. The cross wore away because it was holding my porch door open. It also has some "nips" taken out along with some "scoops". Can anyone help identify this. Would it be worth making another trip back to the wreck? If you respond my appreciation in advance. My email is Pparchkw61@gmail.com.

 

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[clovis97]

I am going to guess that this is either lead or is an alloy containing lead.

When lead oxidizes, it turns white.

If it is part of a ship wreck, lead would have been a valued commodity for all types of uses, like plumbing, or making bullets.

 

[Kwtuna]

I am going to guess that this is either lead or is an alloy containing lead.

When lead oxidizes, it turns white.

If it is part of a ship wreck, lead would have been a valued commodity for all types of uses, like plumbing, or making bullets.

Thank you for that information. It is defiantly part of a ship wreck. There are iron cannons in the coral and round ballast stone. The markings are curious and it did have a seal and cross. I just don't understand why they would mark a lead bar like that. The anchor is not that large, maybe 6 foot tall

 

[Jason in Enid]

The first thing you need to do is file down a corner to get some pure metal showing. Then test it for silver. If this was in the proximity of cannons, that changes the game. If this was a more modern wreck I would say "lead" in a heartbeat.

 

[Kwtuna]

I'll go ahead and have it tested. I'm also going to post this over in the ship wreck section of the forum. Maybe there will be some guys over there that have some knowledge of what this is all about. Thank you

 

[BosnMate]

Lead oxidizes white, silver turns black. It's possibly a lead weight used for sounding the depth of the water. The lead weight was on the end of a line that had knots tied on it every six feet, This measured the depth of the water as they were entering a harbor. The lead weights were usually on the smaller size, but there were weights up to 56 pounds. I would think that a 56 pound weight would take a better man than me to be heaving the lead, it had to be thrown out in front of the ship if it's under way, the depth measured, then hauled in and heaved again. Here are pictures of some smaller lead sounding weights.

 

[recondigger]

I would go back to the site regardless
Dig until your arm falls off

 

[capt-zero]

I'm wondering if it isn't a zinc anode, attached to ship and barge hulls to help prevent rust. Sure looks like one.

 

[capt-zero]

BTW welcome to T-net!