Diggin in Wyoming

[Iron Bull]

As I indicated before, I am NEW to this site and the protocol, so please bare with me. As I waller around trying to get my hind feet under me. Thought I would share some good times and finds that have afforded themselves to me.

This was one day event, where they had just torn up the old town board sidewalk and ready to pour a new concrete side walk. I had to talk like a Lawyer, to get the contractor to give me 5 hrs prior to the pour...By the end of the day, I had detected for 6hrs, and had a crew of diggers for about 4 hrs. The crew were so turned on by the finds they wanted in on the fun[attachment 146847 Dector_find_A_e.JPG][attachment 146848 Dector_find_B_e.JPG][attachment 146849 Dector_find_C_e.JPG]

The Silver dollar is a 1928 (fair).......Total we took 5 Silver Dollars.......4 went to various dignitaries of the town.....Mayor ; Chief of Police: City Judge as well as the contractor...Wanted to keep the bread buttered..........

 

[Iron Bull]

This un-questionably, for ME, is my all time hand down "BEST FIND". Not in terms of cash value by any means. For me the Historical Value and the unquestionable authenticity and use of, makes this Priceless, of all my treasures.

I found this in the Oregon Trail wagon rut, it was about 3"-4" under the sand. Hammer marks still visible. I believe that I am the first person in well over 100 years to ever hold this or bring it to light.....Now that's exciting!!!! Do you know what it is????

[attachment 146850 OX_shoe_A_e.JPG][attachment 146851 OX_shoe_B_e.JPG]

 

[jcooking]

Great finds, especially that morgan dollar!

 

[Iron Bull]

Thank you ! Brother to the North..........

 

[DaveNV]

What you found was half of an oxen shoe. It took two sets of four to shod an oxen, which the pioneers had to do several times for each animal as they crossed the plains and deserts.

 

[silversmith]

Well, in all my detecting life I've never found a Silver Dollar, you found five in one day! Savor it well, you may never find another. They are just too darn'd big to loose. They look like "hub caps" they're so large. Mucho congrads. Well done. Thanks for uploading your incredible finds.

 

[Nugget Hunter Smith]

Some very nice finds! Thanks for the photos!

 

[salmonriverhotrock]

It looks to most resemble an Oxen Shoe. My Grandmother when alive (her home was better than any museum I've ever visited) had many in her collection of old west relics but there was a bit more metal pad surface at the rear of them than I see with this one. It could be this one was hand forged on the trail and they did with what spare metal they had. It almost looks to me that they took a regular horse shoe, cut it in half, and then further hand forged the metal at the rear to best fashion a pad from it. The nail holes also look like they are for a horse shoe and I think but may be wrong, Oxen shoe nails were a little bit smaller. I have no doubt though they made do with anything they had on hand. Great find and appreciate your sharing.

Something you should know though is many parts of the Oregon Trail that still exist and it's alternate routes have been for some time protected. There were also many of those who died that were quickly buried along it so there is the issue of graves which are also protected. Here in Idaho, a good part of the Oregon Trail and it's other routes have been marked with government marker stakes on federal lands. Be very careful of where you detect. Not all parts of it are on private lands out here in the west.

 

[wayne_etc]

VERY cool that you gave away the other 4 silver dollars. That's how you get your foot in the door to detect where you want!


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[JOHNMARKHAM]

wow nice finds..wtg
your a pirate now...