Epic week in the heartland...bucketlisters

[IowaRelic]

Took my partner, the DEUS and the Nox back to Iowa for a week. Conditions were perfect weather wise but were thick and some fields still in corn stalks and high grass. So not perfect but not bad. These are pics of what made it into the keeper pile. Notice the dragoon 1830s eagle buttons, tombacs, small floral one pieces and an 1831 LC. By far my favorite find is the dragoon buttons (that’s my research and local history at its pinnacle right there) as the dragoon’s formed in 1833 just miles from the bean field I found them in. We located 6 in total. I found 5 and dug 4, left one for my father in law to dig. Other standout relic is the 3-4 pound bell clapper at top center. Located only inches from the dragoon buttons. Unfortunately most of the site is lost to terracing of the field. I’m blessed to find what I did. Finds are from southeast iowa and west central Illinois along the great big muddy.

 

[Ted S]

Well done!! It's gonna suck this fall. Lot of farmers planting way too much corn due to high prices. Not going to be as much beans put in. We have to wait and see!

 

[jim tn]

Epic week is a understatement. Simply an outstanding array of old history and coin recoveries. Great hunting. HH jim tn

 

[gunwolf]

that is one SLAMMIN' hunt!!!! congrats on all those great finds... I start getting more excited about the relics than the coins... and I am a coin shooter... awesome, awesome hunt, I'm laid up for just a bit so I have to live through the posts on here.. this one has lived up to my dreams... congrats again...

 

[bootyhoundpa]

I imagine that those finds are very old for Iowa..very nice hunt ...

 

[IowaRelic]

I imagine that those finds are very old for Iowa..very nice hunt ...

That’s the goal. Settlement period. My research centers around fur trade to CW. 1790s-1850s homesites mostly.

 

[IowaRelic]

that is one SLAMMIN' hunt!!!! congrats on all those great finds... I start getting more excited about the relics than the coins... and I am a coin shooter... awesome, awesome hunt, I'm laid up for just a bit so I have to live through the posts on here.. this one has lived up to my dreams... congrats again...

Yes relics are what get me. Coins are a bonus but are tough to find on a really old site. I was at a supposed 1850s school (corn field) for the large cent. Silver came from an old yard that had a newer home on it. The v nickel and Indians came from a tiny city park in Illinois. All the wheats from the same spots.

 

[JimmyCT]

Incredible harvest of relics and coins!!

 

[Mark kus]

Nice job on the saves !
Mark

 

[Ronstar]

Im trying to get back to IA where my Dad grew up. Family moved to ID in ‘36 so the old homestead has never been detected, it was a farm too. I would love to be that lucky!!!!!

 

[IowaRelic]

Im trying to get back to IA where my Dad grew up. Family moved to ID in ‘36 so the old homestead has never been detected, it was a farm too. I would love to be that lucky!!!!!

Nothing like hunting old family ground. Our farm has been in the family since the 1870s. My partner dug a 1829 capped bust half dime in our melon field. It’s by far the best find I’ve seen come from that property. We have lived on it for so long and had so many buildings and equipment over the years, the fields is where you have to hunt to avoid loads of modern trash. And even then there is just hundreds of modern bullets and shell casings in every field. I do better on other properties honestly .
My favorite thing in this hobby is using my original print 1872 plat map for the township, locating a home site, getting on the four wheeler and going to find it. Seeing how far off they are, and sometimes never finding them at all is part of it. Seeing pottery and brick on the surface and then hitting iron. Man it gets me pumped. Most sites contain no modern trash except the odd bud can, a copenhagen, and some bullets and shells. Good targets outnumber the trash in these places as they’ve been forgotten before the turn of the 20th century.

 

[Ted S]

I like your research style! I have been fortunate to find reprints of old plat books at garage sales on the cheap!

 

[miserman]

Nice finds. I like the Dragoons buttons as well. I also dug an American Knife Co. pocket knife last year like yours. Nice research and hunting.

 

[MikeO]

Phenomenal finds.