Geologyhound
Well-known member
Over Thanksgiving weekend I was able to go back to a site where I found about 20 flat buttons (including some Tombacs), an 1822 large cent, and an old farm or communion token. Once again, I didn’t find much in the field except for the small area where all the old stuff is located. This time, I gridded off the good area and was rewarded with three more intact flat buttons, one clipped flat button, two Tombac fragments and another (chewed) token.
Amazingly, one of the Tombac fragments fits the large clipped tombac I found on an earlier trip (picture attached). I’m still missing a small fragment and now have most of another Tombac to find. The clipped fancy I found this trip matches one of my earlier buttons from this site. I am thinking these are pewter. The small fancy (also pewter?) appears to have a mold seam on the back with a drilled hole for the shank. The pattern on the front appears to be a simple cross (quadrant) design with an extra ray in one quadrant. There may be more to it than that. There might be a small X in the side of one quadrant.
I found multiple items this trip which I do not recognize - the brass semi-oval with the open circular guide(?) on one end, the lead shotgun slug-like thing with the mangled gear-like flanges (rifling?) and recession in the base, the possible firepit slag with the circular impression on one side, and the thin silvery item.
The silvery item just appears too silver to be aluminum. I need to get myself a silver test kit. This piece is very thin and light, but the curved shape appears to be natural. Also, there are noticeable lineations which are more prominent on the inside. I’m wondering if it might be a piece of hammered silver plate?
As with earlier trips, I found several roundish items which are not iron, lead, silver, brass or copper. These are all well corroded, have blackish highlights and appear to have expanded. These tend to break apart in bits and flakes. Any idea what the metal composition might be for these?
Thanks for looking, and keep warm out there!
Amazingly, one of the Tombac fragments fits the large clipped tombac I found on an earlier trip (picture attached). I’m still missing a small fragment and now have most of another Tombac to find. The clipped fancy I found this trip matches one of my earlier buttons from this site. I am thinking these are pewter. The small fancy (also pewter?) appears to have a mold seam on the back with a drilled hole for the shank. The pattern on the front appears to be a simple cross (quadrant) design with an extra ray in one quadrant. There may be more to it than that. There might be a small X in the side of one quadrant.
I found multiple items this trip which I do not recognize - the brass semi-oval with the open circular guide(?) on one end, the lead shotgun slug-like thing with the mangled gear-like flanges (rifling?) and recession in the base, the possible firepit slag with the circular impression on one side, and the thin silvery item.
The silvery item just appears too silver to be aluminum. I need to get myself a silver test kit. This piece is very thin and light, but the curved shape appears to be natural. Also, there are noticeable lineations which are more prominent on the inside. I’m wondering if it might be a piece of hammered silver plate?
As with earlier trips, I found several roundish items which are not iron, lead, silver, brass or copper. These are all well corroded, have blackish highlights and appear to have expanded. These tend to break apart in bits and flakes. Any idea what the metal composition might be for these?
Thanks for looking, and keep warm out there!
