Variety of finds from back home in western PA

Hi all!

I just returned from a short vacation back home in western PA, and squeezed in a couple of hunts at a few old sites -- an 1872 farmhouse, an 1885 house, an early to mid 1800s foundation, and a 19th century cellar hole...plus a short time at an old church or school house estimated to be late 1800s. I managed a nice variety of finds, here are some of the better ones. The large cent is 1818, the pinkish-looking Indian is an 1863 fattie.

There is writing on most of the flat buttons, but the only ones I can make out are the gold-gilded one that says "TREBLE GILT STANDARD COLOR," and one other that says "SUPERFINE STRONG LONDON." Does anyone know any ages on those?

The round crotal bell says "OCT 24 76 & MAY 14 78" -- and has a maker's mark that has a small circle, then a diamond with a plus inside, and then another small circle. The other, acorn-shaped bell has no markings...

Steve





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2019 03:36AM by steveg.

Nice assortment.

Well done, Steve. I have dug many many crotal bells.....cleaned up, some still jingle.... but never one shaped like an acorn. Still swinging the Explorer?

nice.

Nice variety of relics there Steve -- gotta love big silver and big pennies

Very nice Steve.
Thanks for sharing.
Crotal bells are lacking in my area.

Thanks all! I appreciate the kind words.

ozzie -- yep, both of those bells still jingle, surprisingly. Yes, that acorn-shaped one is a bit unusual, I've not seen one just like it, before. No, not swinging the Explorer anymore. The main control board went on it, in the fall of 2017, and so I had a decision to make at that time. I didn't want to switch, but it sort of forced my hand. With the Equinox on the horizon, but not wanting to leave FBS, my options were get another Explorer, or begin a move to newer technology. So, I decided to get a CTX, and jumped onto the wait list for an Equinox shortly after. It's been Equinox and CTX, since then. Both have served me very well, but I still miss some aspects of the Explorer (better tone modulation -- and ability to adjust modulation -- than either the CTX or Equinox, and I like the tones better).

tn -- wonder why crotal bells are lacking in your area?

texkinzee -- late 1700s/early 1800s on the manufacture date for those flat buttons sound about right?

Thanks all!

Steve

Lotta GREAT history there!
Congrats!

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Believe it or not those Franklin halfs can be harder to find than Walkers or Barbers as most did not sink as deep and were easy pickings even for the older machines so most are gone already. Also I thought the CTX had a modulation/volume gain adjustment?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2019 04:14PM by Harold,ILL..

Nice finds Steve!
Never knew you from Western Pa, whereabouts? Butler?
As I saw a 'Butler' plate in the finds!
Love the dog thingie.
I used live right off Rt. 8 Gibsonia and had permissions in some old farms up in Saxonburg, Meadville, Franklin and Johnstown.
Was also a founding member of The Pittsburgh Pastfinders. (North Hills)

Re: the buttons: the first on the left is the more modern of the lot 1900 or so: the two in are late 1880's: the last two are earlier in the 1800's: we dig those all day every day here and I had several during the week.

Des D



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2019 04:20PM by Des D.

Thanks, Aaron!

Harold -- yes the CTX does, but I have never been able to get it set up to sound the way the Explorer did, in terms of modulation. I used to run the Explorer's gain at "7," which, for me, allowed a quasi-linear decrease in the volume of the tone, with depth (assuming a coin-sized object, of course). I could tell the difference, without ever looking at the depth gauge, between a 2" penny, a 4" penny, a 6" penny, an 8" penny, or a 10" penny. On the CTX, no matter how I have tried to adjust, I find the modulation much less "linear." You can still tell a "very deep" coin from a "very shallow" one. BUT -- I have much more trouble discerning the depth of a 3" penny from a 7" penny, with the CTX, just based on tone modulation alone. Same with the Equinox. YES, a very deep coin sounds much different from a shallow one, but I'd like more modulation through the "mid depths," and for my ears, it's just not there to the degree I'd like it.

Des -- WOW! Didn't know all those things about you; not sure I recalled that you spent time in the Pittsburgh area! For me, it's Beaver County, just south of Butler County. I am of course familiar with all of the locations you named -- and didn't know you founded the "Pastfinders" group! Very interesting!

The dog thing is a coat button, found at an old cellar hole, between the foundation and the old well. THANKS for the info/ages on the other, flat buttons -- very much appreciated! When you say you dig those buttons "here," where's "here" for you, nowadays?

Thanks!

Steve

Nice finds! lot a history in Pennsylvania. I hail from Indiana county.

coinspader -- lots of history INDEED! Beautiful country, in Indiana County! I sure do miss it up there, and I'm reminded of just how much, every time I'm back home...

Steve

Nice !!

Like the sportsman button!!

Franklin Half nice too!!

Is that a dog tag under the toe tap?Hard to tell looks dated

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

Thanks, Keith!

Yep, I thought that was an interesting button, also. Not sure on the age -- but it was found between the well, and the cellar hole...

I think that is probably a dog tag, under the toe tap. 1957 is the date, and it has a couple of gobs of rusted iron on either side...

Like Harold said, those Franklins don't turn up all that often...it was nice to dig it. That's only my third or fourth one...

Funny thing about the Franklin -- it was the last dig of my trip. My young niece and nephew (like 4 and 6 years old) wanted "Uncle Steve to take them metal detecting," so we went out about dusk, and walked over to the field between the old farmhouse on our property, and the house I grew up in. I had dug them each a handful of modern cartridges and shotgun brass, and then told them it was time to go back inside...but swinging the coil on the walk back to the house, I hit a sweet high tone, and told them both "wait, that sounds TOO good...I have to dig this one..." They were both really excited to see "big silver" in the hole! LOL! My little niece was so giddy about it, and said "this is my best metal detecting day ever!" LOL!

Steve

Steve...…. there is a burned-in-memory forever moment.... within your niece. That one left a 'mark'!..... that'll change the way she thinks..... for ever!

NASA-Tom -- I suspect you may be right! It is fascinating to me, to see how many kids respond with such interest to metal detecting. They are as fascinated of "it," as I am of their reactions to it! She's a pretty special kid, and I'm interested to see where it leads. I expect, at the very least, that this will not be the last time she (and her brother) ask to "tag along" with me!

A couple of other young cousins and nephews have done the same, over the past several years -- tagging along with me and showing a great deal of interest; two of them have subsequently pursued it, and I've helped with the purchase of their own detectors. In fact, I just got a text message yesterday from one of them (a young teen), with a "commemorative token" find that he made in the yard of the house his family just moved into...

Kids are so interesting, and watching their young minds work, is truly special...

Steve