Got out yesterday for about 5 hrs, I've had a hard time lately finding much of anything.. Started out the first 2 hrs with nothing to show for my effort but a pouch half full of the usual junk then I found a wheat--yeah--it's really been hard to find anything lately! A little later i dug up a suspected nickle signal--a buffalo! The next item I found was about the size of a dime and was a pin--and says Gates Mystery Car Award 1940--cool! looked this one up on the computer--
The Mystery Car program was a long standing marketing program of the Gates Rubber Company. In its day, Gates hired mostly school teachers on their summer break to tour the countryside and stop at gas stations. Each of the Mystery Cars was equipped with a faulty belt or hose. Upon stopping at a local gas station, the Mystery Car driver requested some service under the hood - usually a request to check the oil or coolant level. If the person performing the service noted the faulty belt or hose and recommended a replacement the Mystery Car driver was awarded a plaque. A photograph was taken of the winner and it was published in the Mystery Car Newsletter - which was sent out country wide. Sometimes silver dollars were given as a reward. Never ever heard about this pretty interesting!! The last thing I found was in the shape of a triangle--but really crusty couldn't see any details--on the backside it looked like it had a bump--this could be something good gotta clean this one up!! After about an hour soaking in vinegar--i could see writing on it!! Turned out to be a 1927 CA chauffeur's licence- A really good find!! When I detect I take 99% of my trash home with me-I don't want to waste any time digging up this stuff again--- once is enough!!!!! After i get home- I always sit down and really look through this stuff--might be something i missed--usually not---but today i picked up a hunk of metal and when i flipped it over-i realized it was a small buckle -a chunk of iron was stuck to the backside--flipped it over and saw one small corner was a little shiny--and it had some sort of pattern on it. HUH?? Got a magnifying glass out and looked a little closer--i expected to see some sort of plating peelin off of it but it wasn't?? could it be silver??? Cleaned it up and sure enough a silver buckle-wow a first for me-- never found a silver buckle--on the backside i found it stamped STERLING. Today was weird --found more interesting stuff today then i have in the last month---!!!! Thanks for looking and listening and good luck to all!! Tony AZ
The Mystery Car program was a long standing marketing program of the Gates Rubber Company. In its day, Gates hired mostly school teachers on their summer break to tour the countryside and stop at gas stations. Each of the Mystery Cars was equipped with a faulty belt or hose. Upon stopping at a local gas station, the Mystery Car driver requested some service under the hood - usually a request to check the oil or coolant level. If the person performing the service noted the faulty belt or hose and recommended a replacement the Mystery Car driver was awarded a plaque. A photograph was taken of the winner and it was published in the Mystery Car Newsletter - which was sent out country wide. Sometimes silver dollars were given as a reward. Never ever heard about this pretty interesting!! The last thing I found was in the shape of a triangle--but really crusty couldn't see any details--on the backside it looked like it had a bump--this could be something good gotta clean this one up!! After about an hour soaking in vinegar--i could see writing on it!! Turned out to be a 1927 CA chauffeur's licence- A really good find!! When I detect I take 99% of my trash home with me-I don't want to waste any time digging up this stuff again--- once is enough!!!!! After i get home- I always sit down and really look through this stuff--might be something i missed--usually not---but today i picked up a hunk of metal and when i flipped it over-i realized it was a small buckle -a chunk of iron was stuck to the backside--flipped it over and saw one small corner was a little shiny--and it had some sort of pattern on it. HUH?? Got a magnifying glass out and looked a little closer--i expected to see some sort of plating peelin off of it but it wasn't?? could it be silver??? Cleaned it up and sure enough a silver buckle-wow a first for me-- never found a silver buckle--on the backside i found it stamped STERLING. Today was weird --found more interesting stuff today then i have in the last month---!!!! Thanks for looking and listening and good luck to all!! Tony AZ
