a gold whatzit... do you know what it is?

[GRAY GHOST]

hello all, i found this piece last weekend near an old homesite in petersburg, va. it appears to be made of gold, it came out the ground nice and shiny. gold doesn't tarnish in the ground. it's about an inch and a half tall, and has a wire running all the way around the outer perimeter of the piece, as though it's made to be adjusted. looking at the piece for the first time, i thought it was an old pocketwatch frame, but looking more closely after cleanup saw the wire. the top knob is froze up. there are remnants of rusty iron on the inside of it. after all of this, it just might be an old adjustable pendant bezel. so... who knows what it is?
it's often the stuff we find that we have trouble identifying that makes metal detecting such a cool and rewarding hobby. i hope someone out there will know what this mysterious piece is, 'cause i sure would like to know! thanks in advance for reading, and for your help. hh,

 

[echostar61]

Hi Ghost, Dont ya just Love those type of finds, but then again they kinda drive us crazy also.
My first thought is a locket, for a pic or strand of hair. It looks like it was hinged at the bottom,
and at one time may have had face plates . I have a few of those whatz itz I've been finding
at an old homesite I still hunt after a year. I think Im gonna send you the one that has been driving me the craziest, you are so much better at cleaning than me maybe you can make out the pat. date or number.
I had been looking for your finds from near the battlefield , Autum is here and the hunt is on

Terri

 

[tulare tokens]

n/t

 

[weston]

n/t

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hi echostar, send it and i'll try. i posted over in relichunting! and forgot to post half the stuff i found! argggh! hh,

 

[echostar61]

I'll stick it in the mail tomorrow. I have it here on my desk , at least , I'll quit looking at it
Thanks Ghost

Terri

 

[Uncle Willy]

Probably a picture locket.


Bill

 

[Beale]

It is a very interesting find Gray! I think Terri may be right with her guess, Beale.

 

[coinnut]

It seems thin, so my vote is picture locket of some kind, unless the lens opens on a pocket watch?

 

[dobbie]

n/t

 

[mailman14]

I have an exact duplicate that is brass.