BuckleBoy
Gold Member
Hello All,
Got out with Shanegalang yesterday for a little diggin. I knew we were up against some scattered storms the day before, but I wanted to check out an important field which had been turned over. We got there and it was awful. Standing water in the field! We couldn't resist, so we got out and battled the mud. The NeverWet on my Delcambre Reeboks failed, and so I got pounds of mud sticking on each boot. Then it started to get hot.
I dug a worn, holed 1859-O seated half dime, which was a date we did not have. But that was just the beginning of the story... Here is a 5 minute video. Pics and the REST of the story below.
Then after digging some more junk, and getting worn out in the soupy mess, we decided to do some scouting. We found a large field that had been rowed but not planted yet, and decided to do some strategic hunting. Purely by luck we ran into a small site littered with barrel taps. We suspect that there is a larger site nearby, but it may be in one of the bordering fields with six foot high sugar cane.
At any rate, we got digging. Very few signs of anything there, which is also what makes us think it is a part of a bigger site. No brick. No pottery except for just a couple pieces that I snagged. We dug a couple musketballs, and some brass, copper, and lead scraps. But no pack rivets, so clearly this area was reclaimed by nature and only recently farmed again. Then all of a sudden I hit a Spanish! It was a 1790 half real.
After a couple more musketballs, and a break for a lunch in the truck due to the heat taking its toll on us, we got back at it. We hit a few flat buttons--like, four of them. Then a couple more rows over and I flipped out a second spanish silver! 1797 half real in nice shape! These two coins make Spanish #17 and #18 for the year for us, so I think we will most likely hit 20 for the year, with 21 being a good goal (we missed a 20 total last year on Spanish by one coin, and ended up with 19, so 21 this year would make 40 Spanish Silvers in 2 years for us). That wouldn't count all the seated coins and newer silver.
We hit the spot a bit longer, and I dug a watch winder (Federal era, most likely), that was completely blank. Then the heat got the best of us and we headed home. I don't think we've exhausted the little spot yet, so we'll get it all next time. It is the lean time of year right now. New cane planted and tall cane and soybeans waiting for harvest in November. So until the beans come up, we're doing what we can to make finds.
I also wanted to post the finds from last hunt. We beat some fields to death and got some modern crappe, wheat cents (not shown), and few signs of anything old. I did dig one bone button, a large porcelain marble that had some faint handpainted designs remaining, and a beautiful boar's head sporting button though (I am very pleased with the boar's head button). So not a total waste, but certainly not what we were used to.
At any rate, here are all my finds from the hunt at the barrel tap graveyard. Shane got lots of taps, a couple buttons, and musketballs. I'm sure he'll get something good the next time out.
Got out with Shanegalang yesterday for a little diggin. I knew we were up against some scattered storms the day before, but I wanted to check out an important field which had been turned over. We got there and it was awful. Standing water in the field! We couldn't resist, so we got out and battled the mud. The NeverWet on my Delcambre Reeboks failed, and so I got pounds of mud sticking on each boot. Then it started to get hot.
I dug a worn, holed 1859-O seated half dime, which was a date we did not have. But that was just the beginning of the story... Here is a 5 minute video. Pics and the REST of the story below.Then after digging some more junk, and getting worn out in the soupy mess, we decided to do some scouting. We found a large field that had been rowed but not planted yet, and decided to do some strategic hunting. Purely by luck we ran into a small site littered with barrel taps. We suspect that there is a larger site nearby, but it may be in one of the bordering fields with six foot high sugar cane.
At any rate, we got digging. Very few signs of anything there, which is also what makes us think it is a part of a bigger site. No brick. No pottery except for just a couple pieces that I snagged. We dug a couple musketballs, and some brass, copper, and lead scraps. But no pack rivets, so clearly this area was reclaimed by nature and only recently farmed again. Then all of a sudden I hit a Spanish! It was a 1790 half real.
After a couple more musketballs, and a break for a lunch in the truck due to the heat taking its toll on us, we got back at it. We hit a few flat buttons--like, four of them. Then a couple more rows over and I flipped out a second spanish silver! 1797 half real in nice shape! These two coins make Spanish #17 and #18 for the year for us, so I think we will most likely hit 20 for the year, with 21 being a good goal (we missed a 20 total last year on Spanish by one coin, and ended up with 19, so 21 this year would make 40 Spanish Silvers in 2 years for us). That wouldn't count all the seated coins and newer silver.
We hit the spot a bit longer, and I dug a watch winder (Federal era, most likely), that was completely blank.
Then the heat got the best of us and we headed home. I don't think we've exhausted the little spot yet, so we'll get it all next time. It is the lean time of year right now. New cane planted and tall cane and soybeans waiting for harvest in November. So until the beans come up, we're doing what we can to make finds. I also wanted to post the finds from last hunt. We beat some fields to death and got some modern crappe, wheat cents (not shown), and few signs of anything old. I did dig one bone button, a large porcelain marble that had some faint handpainted designs remaining, and a beautiful boar's head sporting button though (I am very pleased with the boar's head button). So not a total waste, but certainly not what we were used to.
At any rate, here are all my finds from the hunt at the barrel tap graveyard. Shane got lots of taps, a couple buttons, and musketballs. I'm sure he'll get something good the next time out.
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Those 1700's silver are exquisite! Glad you were rewarded for your perseverance. 
