My dad has just gotten into metal detecting and loves it. He's been watching a lot of videos on it and trying to learn about it. He found some stuff but not sure what some of it is. One piece is a button and looks to be from the civil war. It has maybe an eagle with wheat and arrows possibly. I'm not sure what the other stuff is. Anybody have any ideas?
Junk or Treasure?
- Thread starter SteveJ
- Start date
1st pic, the round coin looks like some kind of token.
2nd pic, ??
2nd from right looks like ladies ?compact? . Sort of like todays makeup holders
the far right photo is part of a harness for mule/horse.
All pretty cool to find with detector .
2nd pic, ??
2nd from right looks like ladies ?compact? . Sort of like todays makeup holders
the far right photo is part of a harness for mule/horse.
All pretty cool to find with detector .
Safari Hunt
Well-Known Member
One question is where they were found. Any battles or skirmishes nearby? Thinking the lidded box was for percussion primers or lubricant. There is a site near my son that was used as a target range. People found loads of Minie balls and leather bags full of bullets.
I'm not sure about if any skirmishes were in the exact area. It's between Cleveland and Chattanooga. He did find a button there at one time that looked like an old army button but is in rough shape. It has a little loop on the back but the writing on the back is too worn to read
Chapman
Well-Known Member
That last picture may be a piece off an old single-tree I believe it is called. Also pictured an old pulley.
The button in the first picture is post Civil War. It's a great seal button...used from WW 1 on thru present. No real changes in it other than some years they made them with tin backs that will rust out. Most of them in our area will be WW2 era. The rest of the items look like misc homesite/farm equipment from the early to mid 1900s.
I will highly recommend a ID book for your father. It's mostly for Civil War items but also has a section for commonly found items from before and after the Civil War. It is called Civil War Artifacts, A Guide for the Historian by Howard Crouch. It is an older book now but in several reprints...by far the best out there still. Another good one that can be hard to find is Charlie Harris's book called Civil War Relics of the Western Campaigns. It was the book that got me dreaming and drooling about relics and what could be found locally as it covers Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, etc.
I will highly recommend a ID book for your father. It's mostly for Civil War items but also has a section for commonly found items from before and after the Civil War. It is called Civil War Artifacts, A Guide for the Historian by Howard Crouch. It is an older book now but in several reprints...by far the best out there still. Another good one that can be hard to find is Charlie Harris's book called Civil War Relics of the Western Campaigns. It was the book that got me dreaming and drooling about relics and what could be found locally as it covers Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, etc.
For what its worth, the McDonald and Blue Springs area of Cleveland is where a bulk of the Army of the Cumberland spent several months camped during the winter of 1863-1864. That whole general area produces relics if you can get permission to swing a detector. Back in the late 90s and early 2000 it was easy. Now, that area has been developed so much that it's hard to find places due to having to get permission from so many people. Back when I hunted the area, one farmer might own 600 acres...and now all but a couple of those older gentlemen have died and their land sold/developed. There used to be a Yankee camp thst produced a lot of good finds on Dalton Pike that is now a massive subdivision. I bet I personally dug a thousand minie balls out of it but it's all gone now. That general area is a great area if you can find places to hunt. I sold all my stuff a couple yrs ago just because I never got to go. The last good place I had, was just starting to get housing development on it anyway.
He will enjoy those books...particularly the Howard Crouch one. The other one can be found but don't pay over the top prices for it on Amazon and such. If you can find a new one for under $70 online, you had better jump on it though.
He will enjoy those books...particularly the Howard Crouch one. The other one can be found but don't pay over the top prices for it on Amazon and such. If you can find a new one for under $70 online, you had better jump on it though.
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It is amazing how much stuff gets lost.
I don't carry much to lose now.
Highways are just littered with junk...tires, pieces of cars, etc.
I don't carry much to lose now.
Highways are just littered with junk...tires, pieces of cars, etc.
Wobblyshot1
Well-Known Member
I had an old friend that was a big metal detector civil war relic hunter back what I supposed were the glory days. Most of his hunting was around middle Tennessee and a lot around Murfreesboro. It was absolutely amazing the stuff he recovered. He also shot traditional muzzle loaders and cast his own round balls. He had so many minie balls and such that he used them for his source of lead.
