relics, silver, old gold, and other stuff...

Riccar · April 28, 2006 4:18PM

Went out for some exploring today during an extended lunch break (camp sites and trails). I came away with some interesting items... bullets, buttons, some sort of copper broach, silver Roosevelt (1958), a couple wheatbacks, a gold locket, and some other items:

Click here to see a larger picture of the group shot (once at this site, click on the bottom right to enlarge).

My favorite find of the day was this gold locket:

Inside, it had some interesting pieces and my wife said "I bet it will have an old picture in it." Sure enough, it had a picture, but it appears that it was in the ground long enough for the picture to fade away. (bummer! would've been fun to see it)

I was hoping it would have some personal details like a date, note, or something to help give a clue to the age, but what I found behind the old picture was something just as good. It has a maker’s mark that I was able to find on-line. The designer/maker was in existence from 1904 - 1922. Wow.

I was able to clean the pieces up. I think the inserts that would hold a picture inside were gold plated copper (maybe?) And that would explain the corrosion. (?) I'll need to take it to a jeweler and have them check things out. Here it is after a bath (I think it looks a lot better):

Hope everyone has a good weekend...

HH, Rick

LittleBitOEverything · April 28, 2006 9:26PM

Very nice finds, for a lunch break. that locket is awesome and looks very nice..good job.

phut · April 29, 2006 12:25AM

Nice haul Rick. That locket is cute.
I see a live round there also....... Those things scare me. I wonder if an MDer has ever set one off while digging?

Riccar · April 29, 2006 1:32AM

LBOE,
Thanks. Yes, Friday was a good day to take an extended lunch break (definitely not the norm for my schedule).

Phut,
Thanks Crusher

(my kids are out there watching cartoons right now and reminded me of our bugs bunny post last year... haha). This site was probably about as close as I get to the type of hunting you do (bushwackin' for oldies). Interesting how you have to look at the forrest growth and figure it wasn't there decades ago, and think "this spot looks like it was a pretty good spot for camping." (also interesting to think that decades ago, a family outing required at least a gun or two... must have sounded like the 4th of July in some of those old camp grounds)
As for the live round, I'm not sure. I'm pretty sure that question has come up before. I seem to remember someone saying that it wouldn't do much but I wouldn't completely trust that comment and go smacking that thing with my shovel. Kinda relates to that show on TV called "Mythbusters"... they put a live round in the fuse box of a truck to see if it could short out and fire into the driver's leg... I think the results = "yes."

Maybe someone else here has info and could advise about our situation? (if one were to happen to hit it with a shovel while it was in the ground)

HKnJ · April 29, 2006 7:51AM

Nice haul in a short time. That live round does look "dangerous" but I don't think it is going to do any harm.

Riccar · April 29, 2006 7:56AM

Thanks HKnJ.
Side note: a couple weeks ago I was detecting at a ball field during my lunch break and I found a live 12-guage round (but that one was modern and about an inch deep).