PEles
Sr. Member
The best artifact I ever found
If you're able to view a copy of western eastern treasures top 10 finds of 2005 this was in there. The find of a lifetime for me and to this day the only known dug example of this type slave tag. It's a free version and one of only 7 or 8 known to exist. All the others are in private collections or in the charleston museum and they are all nondug examples. The bad part is the dirt this one came from was more like gumbo mud. It was in bad condition yet a collector still wanted it bad and made me a considerbale offer that was too hard to refuse.I ended up selling it for 14,000 dollars. I've been told it's passed hands several times since and for even more money.If this tag had been mint I could have probably gotten 40,000 dollars for it that's how rare it is! Most tags have occupations listed on them. These are some of the earliest known from the 1790's. The owner of this slave thought enough of them to outright purchase their freedom for them and i'm sure it cost them quite a hefty sum.Here she is no beauty but I'll post another one I found with a fresh dirt shot, it's a servant 1850. It's slick but it was bent. I had it repaired, still have it, and it looks pretty nice.Hope you enjoy the pics!
Laszlo
If you're able to view a copy of western eastern treasures top 10 finds of 2005 this was in there. The find of a lifetime for me and to this day the only known dug example of this type slave tag. It's a free version and one of only 7 or 8 known to exist. All the others are in private collections or in the charleston museum and they are all nondug examples. The bad part is the dirt this one came from was more like gumbo mud. It was in bad condition yet a collector still wanted it bad and made me a considerbale offer that was too hard to refuse.I ended up selling it for 14,000 dollars. I've been told it's passed hands several times since and for even more money.If this tag had been mint I could have probably gotten 40,000 dollars for it that's how rare it is! Most tags have occupations listed on them. These are some of the earliest known from the 1790's. The owner of this slave thought enough of them to outright purchase their freedom for them and i'm sure it cost them quite a hefty sum.Here she is no beauty but I'll post another one I found with a fresh dirt shot, it's a servant 1850. It's slick but it was bent. I had it repaired, still have it, and it looks pretty nice.Hope you enjoy the pics!
Laszlo
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For a tag, they just dont get any better. 
I would be very proud to have recovered an important piece which adds to the history of our state! Congrats bud! That one literally made history!! 
