Some of my meager finds from yesterday and today. First full skeleton key.

[matt092079]

I hunted for a little bit after work yesterday and picked up 3 buttons, the really small one is different for me. I was thinking colonial era, but could anyone verify? Also found the brass buckle...also can't tell if it's colonial period or 1800's. Today I went out to one of our pounded sites. Didn't turn up much, a flat button, old iron fork and my best find was the iron skeleton key. It's my second skeleton key, but my first one that's fully intact. It's a big one, too! No earth shattering finds, but still fun to get out! HH!

 

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[flyinryan2]

That key is sweet man! I'm going Sunday, i'll text you sometime tomorrow to try a make a game plan!

 

[matt092079]

That key is sweet man! I'm going Sunday, i'll text you sometime tomorrow to try a make a game plan!

Thanks! The key was next to my 3 ringers and 1708 german silver coin I found last year. Actually it was in one of the holes I dug, but since it was iron I probably swung it the other direction and came in a bad signal. The buttons were dug behind the lot. They were all on top of the ground on a big hill where stuff washes down. Pretty cool.

 

[Goes4ever]

pretty cool, I bet that key cleans up!

 

[matt092079]

pretty cool, I bet that key cleans up!

How do you suggest cleaning it? It's iron.

 

[Goes4ever]

soak it in apple cider vinegar for a week, then take a wire brush to it, works great on iron relics....if not clean enough after one week, give it another week soaking, you will be surprised how that iron cleans up!

 

[matt092079]

Awesome. Thanks!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Still good stuff there. I was hoping you'd slow down and leave some relics for the rest of us. Man, you were on fire this year so far!

 

[VOL1266-X]

Nice buckle Matt and the domed button is cool. First time you haven't dug CW lead on a hunt lately. HH this weekend, Q.
BTW, keep any eye on your F75 battery door. I lost mine this week when Dman & I hunted together and we have no idea where.

 

[matt092079]

Nice buckle Matt and the domed button is cool. First time you haven't dug CW lead on a hunt lately. HH this weekend, Q.
BTW, keep any eye on your F75 battery door. I lost mine this week when Dman & I hunted together and we have no idea where.

Thanks, Quindy! I have a plastic bag over my batter door at the moment. Put it over there when it was raining one day. Hope you can retrace your steps back to it!

 

[matt092079]

Still good stuff there. I was hoping you'd slow down and leave some relics for the rest of us. Man, you were on fire this year so far!

Thank you. You're one of the masters so that's a compliment. lol I will see what this weekend brings. Hopefully silver, some copper and a nice CS buckle! lol HH!

 

[dig kzoo]

Awsome finds, Love the key!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Matt - when I first saw your buckle I knew it was colonial. But when I looked it up in my book I see where it's quite a bit earlier than I thought. You can check it out in the pic below. It's in the bottom middle - #572. It's an exact match to yours, and it appears to be pre-1700. So you may have yourself a very early site.

 

[matt092079]

Matt - when I first saw your buckle I knew it was colonial. But when I looked it up in my book I see where it's quite a bit earlier than I thought. You can check it out in the pic below. It's in the bottom middle - #572. It's an exact match to yours, and it appears to be pre-1700. So you may have yourself a very early site.

View attachment 738009

Oh wow, Bill! Thanks so much! That is AWESOME! The condition it is in is unbelievable considering the age. The saddest part about this area is it's LITTERED with modern trash and bullets. The 3 small buttons and the buckle were all found on a large down slope full of rock and shale. The buckle was about 8 inches down at the bottom of the hill, but all of the buttons were right on top of the ground due to it being on a slope. Thanks again. Maybe the best thing to do would be to dig everything, I guess!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Matt - I usually dig almost every target at colonial sites anyway, especially in the iron. But modern trash and bullets could definitely be a problem. If I were you I'd probably cherry-pick the highest tones first and see what you can come up with. If there's some good ones coming out you just might have to start digging everything. I know its a painful process, but its the only way you're going to find all the best stuff.

 

[matt092079]

Matt - I usually dig almost every target at colonial sites anyway, especially in the iron. But modern trash and bullets could definitely be a problem. If I were you I'd probably cherry-pick the highest tones first and see what you can come up with. If there's some good ones coming out you just might have to start digging everything. I know its a painful process, but its the only way you're going to find all the best stuff.

Yeah it's not iron, it's modern fired bullets, along with flat iron, pull tabs, cans, wire, and every other painful target that gives off a high tone. I get in the "zone" and tell myself I'm gonna dig everything, and when I dig 100 percent trash for an hour I give up. I guess I just need to stick at it and not give up! I don't mind working for my finds, but sometimes you just kinda get frustrated and move elsewhere. Thanks for the help!

 

[matt092079]

What were these buckles used for, Bill? Was it a shoe buckle?

 

[Davers]

LOVE THOSE KEYS .. I prefer brass but the few iron ones Ive found have cleaned up nicely ,great buckle as well .When you were speaking of all the modern trash ,it made me remember a dream I once had .....I was hunting for a certain item @ a site that was once an out door shooting range....SCARY!!!

 

[matt092079]

LOVE THOSE KEYS .. I prefer brass but the few iron ones Ive found have cleaned up nicely ,great buckle as well .When you were speaking of all the modern trash ,it made me remember a dream I once had .....I was hunting for a certain item @ a site that was once an out door shooting range....SCARY!!!

Oh it's a nightmare! Every detectorists nightmare.

 

[JmCraz8]

Great finds!!!