WWII Aerial Gunner Wings

Iron Buzz

Bronze Member
Oct 12, 2016
1,749
2,380
South St Paul, MN
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Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Minelab Equinox 800
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Found this today on a vacant lot owned by the city. I've detected it a couple of times in the past, but had previously missed this WWII Sterling Aerial Gunner Wings Qualification Insignia.
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Rang up about like a quarter... 94-95 (Deus ID Normalized to 18K)

Also a pair of Wheaties, 1929 and 1945.
 

Upvote 26
Sweet wings! :icon_thumright:
 

That thing is gorgeous. It says a lot too. I couldnt imagine anything more terrifying that being in the belly of a bomber during world war 2
 

From the condition I would GUESS that this is a recent drop ...
Polly from some sort of gathering of vets.
 

From the condition I would GUESS that this is a recent drop ...
Polly from some sort of gathering of vets.
Highly unlikely. Just a vacant lot. Nothing special. No gathering of vets there, unless it took place while the house was still standing. Silver bodes very well in our soil around here. It rarely tarnishes.

Pin on the back is missing, btw, altho the "clasp" end is still there.
 

Nice find. I recovered a set of WW2 Glider pilot wings about 3 weeks ago. Congrats on your wings.
 

It looks like a recent drop to me. At what depth did you find it? I'm guessing it is a recent drop from a city lot where some veterans may have rehearsed for a parade. I've dug a lot of silver and none comes out of the ground looking like that and will have some tarnish.
If silver didn't tarnish just setting in air then there would be no need for silver cleaner or tarnish remover. It looks way too clean to be an old drop.
 

All the silver I have found in the ground comes up looking like it was just dropped. (Other than war nickels)
 

Love digging silver wings.. I've only found one pair so far..
 

That thing is gorgeous. It says a lot too. I couldnt imagine anything more terrifying that being in the belly of a bomber during world war 2
How about a belly gunner? anything happens you're done. And if you lose your bladder............... Better have a face cloth handy! :tongue3:
 

I agree with some of the others. It depends on the soil condition. I found an old silver ring I am wearing now at 6" that wasn't tarnished. I have found a lot of silver rings at varying depth and they all look nice. I found a merc 8" down that looked as shiny as when it was minted the same goes for my rosie. That's how I know right away that I have found silver. For the most part, silver just shines in this Montana soil.
 

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I agree with some of the others. It depends on the soil condition. I found an old silver ring I am wearing now at 6" that wasn't tarnished. I have found a lot of silver rings at varying depth and they all look nice. I found a merc 8" down that looked as shiny as when it was minted the same goes for my rosie. That's how I know right away that I have found silver. For the most part, silver just shines in this Montana soil.

I would guess that the areas in red on this map would be a problem for silver.

sulfur_fertility_fig.1.1.jpg

RustyNailsAndScrew's profile says he's from Salem, NY, which is very much in a high sulfur area by that map.
 

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