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Relic Hunter Mar/April 2012
Relic Hunter Mar/April 2012
The Best Worldwide Magazine For The Detectorist & Relic Hunter
Volume 3, Issue 2 March - April 2012
Have some fun. Scan me with your QR reader from your iPhone or Android.
Relic Hunter Magazine is now registered with The United States Library of Congress ISSN: 2163-8608
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Cover photograph
These are but a small look at the best finds for 2011. What a great collection of relics, coins and artefacts. Theres more inside and be sure to look at the recent finds that, Im sure, will be included next year in the Best Find for 2012. Keep on hunting and finding the stuff.
Please dont forget that all ads in Relic Hunter are interactive.
Some advertisements will have multiple links to special sections on their web site.
TM
(Below) Relic hunter Brandon H. from Georgia with a Civil War CSA plate he has just recovered with his AT Pro. It is the best detector I have ever had. I have found more relics, gold jewelry and coins with this detector than with any other brand I have tried, Brandon said.
Standard and Professional Audio Modes High-Resolution Iron Discrimination Iron Audio Feature: check target identity by hearing discriminated iron Exclusive DD coil design extends scan area Fast recovery speed Auto or Manual Ground Balance Digital Target ID Waterproof to 10 feet Headphones included
PRO-POINTER
Since 2009, Vaughan Garrett has selected his Favorite Find of the Month from Garrett customer testimonials submitted electronically to www.garrett.com. Log on today for details.
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Online training and From the Field videos available free on www.garrett.com
For more information and to find your local Garrett dealer contact:
Whats Inside
Great Finds all throughout this issue!
Best Finds Recent Finds User Conrols Discoveries Club Hunts Clubs Page 8 28 52 53 57 58
Terje Olsen, NO
Here is my best find 2011 with my XP Deus. A bronze seal from middelage. Find on a field beside a church from middelage in Norway!
My best find from 2011- A Civil War Company B hat badge, found in Falmouth, Va with my E-Trac.
Stephen Llewellyn, UK
My best find is on here Jim, an iron wine vessel spout in shape of a head with a face on front. Its from the bronze age.
Scott Ellis, PO
My best and most complete Roman brooch of 2011. After 20 shot gun shell caps this came out sounding just slightly different. Looks to have been silver gilded. Found at Corfe Minelabowners Sept 2011 rally.
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Bob Harding, US
Found this 1807 draped bust quarter in a public park near an old stone foundation in March 2011 in Central Ohio.
After a wait of only 10 months, I received the British Museums official report on my gold posy ring today. For those interested, the makers mark is recorded in Jackson, 1989, on page 274. According to Jackson, this is the mark of William Dobson Jr. and dates the ring to between 1640-50. The inscription: My heart is yours till death does not appear in Evans and there are no examples of this inscription within the British Museum collections. Despite this, the BM is not purchasing it and I have also heard today that the local museum (Lewes) will not be acquiring it either. The disclaim letter is being sent today and I should have the ring back very soon.
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Chris Hall, UK
Royce Whiddon, US
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Robert Walker, AU
My find of 2011, a 1853 British Penny found at a town that was founded in 1860 in Australia.
Peter Walsh, UK
Here is my best one for 2011. It is a rare Saxon Cut Half of Harold 1, who ruled for only 5 years in the year 1035-1040.
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Julian Evan-Hart, UK
My best find for 2011 was a lovely strange long legged Roman altar from a temple site. Its legs had been bent over encapsulating a fragment of bone, either a Chicken or maybe even Human.
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Jeff Moore, US
Here is the first real point I ever found. Its Caddoan, from the East Texas area. This point is barely over and inch long and Ive never seen finer knapping.
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James T. Kochevar, US
James T. Kochevar, US
My favorite find of 2011. (See Nov - Dec Issue of 2011 for the complete story)
Relic Hunter March - April 2012 19
Neil Schwartz, US
Kevin Stone, US
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Chris Oconner, US
A King George III Farthing. Hard to believe that it would be found in a Kerhonkson Corn Field!
Jim, this is my best find for the year. This is a toy petronel that was found in September 2011 on my trip to the UK. Im unsure of the date.
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Douglas Sortino, US
My best find metal detecting for 2011. An Antoninus Pius, 138-161 AD, Roman silver coin circa 143 AD.
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Swissrolly, Switzerland After 5 years of searching out here in Switzerland I now have now finally found a coin that I can 100% confirm as Roman. I have had many possible grots but could not be quite sure. Now I am !! I know that it is not exciting compared to the amount I find back in the UK however this one means a lot and it is identifiable as Trajan 98 - 117 AD by the legend ---SNERVATRAIAN---------Not the best of quality (the reverse is too worn for but looks like a seated figure) but was only 2 inches below the surface in a grassland field.
Jack Nash, UK
David McCarthy, US
My best find of 2011. A cribbage (game) marker board. How it came to rest way out in the middle of nowhere is impalpable. I think its an apprentice piece because the holes where the matches would go havent been drilled through.
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Well after taking the kids back to their moms I decided to do some Metal Detecting at Birds Eye Hollow State Park. Nothing much came of that and then went to the car where my gf said she had too use the bathroom, so I take her into Bath,NY to the local gas station. After that I drove down the road and decided too check out this area where a pretty new bus garage is for the local school, and there is 3 or 4 ballfields and a football field. After swinging for about 20 minutes i am working my way to the other entrance of where the players enter and I get a penny/ dime reading at 2.5 inches. I dig it figuring it would be either a 1 cent penny or a dime, I flip my cutout and use my dx1 on it and nothing. I then use the dx1 in the hile and it goes off and i pinpoint it a lil off to the side like it was on edge, I find it and pull it out of the wet and soggy hole and noticed it is larger than a penny and dime and lightly wipe it off. It says 2 CENTS!!! I was like holy @&$&$@. I turned it over and seen an 18 something date and I look at my gf who was sitting in the car and motioned her over. She gets out of the car and I ask if my camera is in the car and it was, so she brings it over and and while she was looking for it, I used the water hole in the pic too clean it off and it is in better than XF shape with a date of 1867!! I have the pics of the coin and how deep it was and of the area. I just need too wait for a computer too upload them. I searched and searched for more but nothing else like that was found. It started raining again and was getting colder(already around 43 as it is).
George White, US
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Frank Huguelet (born June 5, 1969 in Sylva, North Carolina) is a retired American professional wrestler. He is best known by his ring name Heavy Metal Ric Savage. Ric Savage tag teams with relic hunters, family to search for relics in American backyards Spike TV is debuting American Digger, a new unscripted series following former pro wrestler Ric Savage as he travels around the country searching for priceless relics that are literally buried beneath the backyards of everyday Americans. American Diggers airs 10 p.m. EST/PST on Wed., March 21on Spike TV. Along with an eclectic team of fellow relic hunters, which includes recovery expert Rue Shumate, battlefield historian Bob Buttafuso, Rics wife Rita (who manages the business) and their 25-year-old son Giuseppe (who provides tech support and is the muscle of the operation), Ric will discover, dig and flip relics, ar26 Relic Hunter March - April, 2012
tifacts and historical treasures into hopefully a hefty profit. Its an 80/20 SPLIT that Rics going after .... 20% going to the land owners. Using state-of-the-art metal detectors and heavy-duty excavation equipment, American Digger travels to a different city each week, including Detroit, Brooklyn, Chicago and Jamestown, Va., searching for high-value artifacts and relics, some of which have been untouched for centuries. Savages amateur wrestling career started in the U.S. Army, where he competed with the 82nd Airborne post wrestling team at Fort Bragg, N.C., until a knee injury in 1989 landed him in physical therapy. After a long recovery, Savage re-emerged in the sport as a professional wrestler near his hometown in western North
Carolina in 1990, training in a friends garage and wrestling at small independent shows until he got his big break in 1991. Heavy Metal Ric Savage had a seven-year career in the sport, competing in many wrestling organizations, among them WCW, ECW and NWA. Following his retirement from pro wrestling in 1997, Savage returned to his other passion, the Civil War era, by getting his start in relic hunting. His first major find, a hunk of shrapnel he found at the site of the Battle of Cold Harbor, Va., prompted him to form American Savage and continue his pursuit of history and riches. In the United States, there are millions of historical relics buried in backyards just waiting to be discovered and turned into profit. After pinpointing historical locations such as Civil War and Revolutionary War
battlefields, Savages first task is to convince reluctant homeowners to let his team dig up their property using state-of-the-art metal detectors and back hoe excavation equipment. The team will then sell any artifacts found for a substantial profit by consulting experts and scouring the antique and collectible markets, but not before negotiating a deal to divide the revenue with the property owners, usually an 80/20 split. Throughout the series of 13 shows, items with great historical and cultural significance will be found, including a late 17th century British Carronade naval cannon, a 5-million year old Megalodon sharks tooth and a 19th century Kentucky long rifle. American Savage, based in Mechanicsville, Va., is an artifact recovery company, claiming to dig as much as half a million dollars worth of historical artifacts out of U.S. soil each year. American Savage has recovered a wide range of valuable items, including hundreds of Civil War bullets, dozens of Civil War artillery shell fragments, multiple Native American arrow and axe heads, a set of prehistoric shark teeth and a Civil War era beer bottle. If you like these type of reality shows, then American Digger might be what youre looking for in entertainment.
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Recent Finds
Found this on a club site. It was broken but the missing bit was found about 6 weeks later some 400 meters from the first bit. It is made of gold and dates from the early 1900s according the museum. Just look at the work that went into making it and the skill of the craftsman.
David Reynolds, UK
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Barry Stephenson, US
This is a switch key from the Pittsburg, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad 1869-1899 also known as the Panhandle RR because it went through West Virginia which was the panhandle of Virginia before it was a state. I found this with my ETrac detector this year. Reading about this key it was said if you were intrusted with one and lost it , you lost your job. Found about 8 in the ground inat a home near the tracks. Someone had a bad day.
Iron Age silver armlet found wit bronze burial pot. Found 3 Ft down (with Blisstool ltc64)
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Recent Finds
Chris Oconnor, US
Found this button today near an old schoolhouse near Ulster County, New York
Found all of these Civil War relics in 20 minutes, and now I have to leave the boss just called me in
Graham Chetwynd, UK
Found this a couple of months ago 1931 London mint. It has something to do with the young womens christian asociation, but not sure what. The key is solid silver.
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Digger Adams, US
Hit a water site Ive never visited before, surprised at the number of OLD pull tabs. Found some coins and a nice little 14kt Gold ring. Not bad for a 65 degree first day of February!
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Recent Finds
Bob Harding, US
All found within the last month from my new Honey Hole. I have a Whites 6000di I bought back in 1978 it still works perfectly, Whites makes good quality machines. Everyone around here says the E-trac is better. I never had chance to compare them. (V3). I will say there is a bit of a learning curve with the E-trac but once you get in the groove you pretty much know what your gonna dig before you dig them as far as coins go. I guess when you get good you can hear the difference between a silver quarter and a clad quarter. I just dig all six inch or more quarter signals. There is a guy local that consistanly kicks my butt with an Explorer SE so I believe its all in how you know what your machine is telling you not necessarily the brand name. Im sure all the top shelf machines are good.
Neil Schwartz, US
1813 2nd Regiment Button This was dug at one of my favorite old sites with my V3i Using Best Data. Check out my video.
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Jack Nash, UK
John D. Chapman, US
This breast belt plate was dug in the Gettysburg Pa. area.
John D. Chapman, US
US Civil War...Hardee hat enlisted mans hat pin. Unfortunately, I over cleaned this piece a bit, otherwise its almost perfect. Dug in Northern Va. using an older model Bounty Hunter.
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Recent Finds
Ian John Hennwinkle, Santiago, Chile
Japanese brooch C.19th. Google four dragons of China & the story behind this is amazing. 2012 is a Year of the Dragon. Look closely around the edge, as soon as you spot the first dragon youll see the rest. The inset stone is carved coral. The four dragons seen on this brooch are known as, the yellow dragon, the black dragon, the long dragon and the pearl dragon and they all lived together in the deep blue ocean at the dawn of time. One day the dragons were bored and decided to take to the air, just for something to do, so up they went into the cloudless skies over ancient China. When they flew over the land they were appalled at what they sawall the people were starving, no crops were seen to be growing anywhere the soil was cracked and dry with no rivers or lakes from to irrigate the paddy fields. The dragons went back to the sea and filled their mouths with water; they then returned to the land and spat the water into the air, creating huge clouds that turned into rain. This caused the crops to grow and so the people rejoiced, at last they could feed their children and water their farms. Now, the Jade Emperor who looked after the heavenly palace heard all about what the dragons had been doing and he ordered the dragons be arrested and imprisoned under four huge mountains forever. But the dragons were determined to carry on helping the people and escaped. To do this, they turned themselves into water and seeped out from under their mountains, the trickle of water created four colossal rivers, the Yangtze (long), the Heilongjian (black), the Huanghe (yellow) and the Zhujiang (pearl). The four dragons live on to this day as the never ending cycle of water continues to circulate via the sea, the clouds, the mountains and the rivers.
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Dave Gruenwald, US
Terry Barnhart, US
Neil Schwartz, US
Here is the 2nd Regiment Artillery button from my last dig shown with a non-dug specimen.
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Recent Finds
Bob Harding, US
Found yesterday in a field where a log cabin once stood. Pretty good we can still hunt this time of year in Ohio!
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Chris Weaver, US
A 10K ruby/diamond ring found in my neighbors yard that he lost 8+ years ago washing his house. Found on 1/6/12
David Bryan, US
Brian Ratcliffe, US
Woohoo, my first relic a fired round one that hit something hard as one side is flat and a few coins.
And my first silver coin. a 1954 Dime. My new machine will be here next week. Woooot!
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Recent Finds
Kelley Rea, US
Brian Harvey, US
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hundreds of full filled animals with cobs and jewels to ship in the port of lima to spain...this trial were the direct way from potosi mint and the mines from the peruvian andes.
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Recent Finds
Kevin Stone, US
Not sure if its a dog or cow but looks like a small cookie cutter, and a 1894 Barber quarter
An1883 Indian Head now soaking in olive oil and an 1899 Barber quarter!
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Micah Flood, US
My finds from 2/8/2012 a lot of burnsides, few Spencers and a fired three ringer.
Snake buckle. These types of buckles date from the 19th century and follow a style adopted by the British forces during the occupation of India. Through the various battles they fought against the rebels, known as dacoits- who wore these buckles- the British became very impressed (and very respectful) of the dacoits physical fitness and later, went on to train using the same methods as the rebels.
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Recent Finds
Chris Oconnor, US
Heres an interesting item that Im still trying to identify. Any guesses? I found this at an old 1800s barkers camp in the Catskill mountains. It looks like it could be a piece of jewelry of some sort. Its copper and about 1 by 2 inches.
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Peter Walsh, UK Here is my latest find. Its a Silver Denari of Septimius Severus, AD193 to 211.
Quinton Bolin, US
Found this little square plate weekend before last. Its an 1810 Artillery Officers Star of Stars plate
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Recent Finds
Ronnie Hyer, US We found another new site this week. Several nice finds plus big hopes for the future. Michael King and I were headed to a site we had both hunted before. We had to park well away from where we wanted and walk due to the muddy road conditions. As we started walking from the truck we saw old glass on the ground and slowed down to check it out. I dig one flat button and so did Michael. My next target was the 3 legged pot and it was right on top of a good size outhouse pit. We dug down to the top of it but left it for another day and better tools. The glass and the iron items came from the top of the pit. I estimate it to be 1830s. A good day and plenty more to dig in the future...
Michael King, US
Good picture of Mobile Volunteer Corps Confederate button, photo submitted by Ronnie Hyer.
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Found some loose change and also some silver angel wings.
Terry Morley, UK
Bit of zoomorphic going on here. Brens recovery :-) Hi Jim, its a Medieval strap fitting swivel with stylised animal-head terminals gripping sides of transverse domed element. The two domed elements are joined, presumably, by an integral rivet on one being inserted into a socket on the other, although the junction is hidden from view. A 12th century artefact.
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Recent Finds
Steve Olsen, US
One of my finds from Coffee GA in Bacon County, home of my Inlaws rebel ancestry.
Detecting an old cobblestone road I found on Raritan Steel property in P. Amboy NJ. So far dug out of the spaces between and missing pavers and have found about $1 in clad, 1 Mercury dime, 2 V Nickles and these brass ornamentations.
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Steve Warren, US
My first brass trade token found earlier this week near Independence, Mo. If only this thing could talk....the stories it would tell. Its more than 1,682 miles from home.
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Recent Finds
Treasure Seeker, US Button recovered Feb. 5th.
Royce Widdon, US
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Mike Holzwarth, US
So, what do you do with all that other stuff? Throw it in a shoe box? Mike has a better idea. He builds and decorates bird houses!
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n the 1914 Greenbush Township Plat Map, Kennedy was the family name listed for this flax field site. The owner of the property only knew it was once a farmstead from the root cellar that still lays exposed. I am a sucker for pioneer farmsteads and was hoping to find out more about those who once strove to obtain the American Dream with their Pioneer Spirit taming the sod. This site was a mystery to both me and the land owner until I found this W.D. Hoard Official Badge of the Hoards Dairyman Junior Club Watch Fob. This single relic recovered seemed to unlock this site like no other target recovered had previously. It told me that this farmstead was once a proud Minnesota Dairy Farm. That means twice a day, if not more there would be a trip to the barn. This also told me there were kids here ready to learn, lead and grow into the Dairy Industry and provide the food for the growing nation. Of all my finds in 2011, this one find sticks out as the key find not because of its monetary value, but instead of the story it has to tell.
Relic Hunter March - April, 2012
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Began first youth page for boys and girls on dairy farms. Over 75,000 youngsters enrolled in Hoards Dairyman Juniors. Encouraged young people to stay on dairy farms with their parents. Taught fundamentals. Forerunner of internationally known 4-H and FFA rural youth organizations. WILLIAM DEMPSTER HOARD1836 1918 William Dempster Hoard was born in Stockbridge, New York, October 10, 1836. He migrated to Wisconsin in 1857. An admirer of Lincoln, he traveled far to hear him debate and was among the first in his community to respond to Lincolns call for troops in 1861. After joining the 4th Wisconsin Infantry (later cavalry), he was stricken with break-bone fever in 1862 and was forced to leave the service, but re-enlisted in 1864 and served through to the end of the Civil War. After several minor business ventures, he launched a weekly newspaper, the Jefferson County Union, at Lake Mills, in 1870. Three years later he moved to Fort Atkinson where the newspaper has since been published. In 1885, his crusading for a prosperous, soil-building agriculture prompted the founding of Hoards Dairyman, the national dairy farm magazine. His qualities of leadership were quickly recognized by his state and the nation. Upon being elected Governor of Wisconsin in 1888, he pioneered in the fight against food adulteration which was commonplace throughout the nation. The nations first Dairy and Food Commission, which he created, became a defender in the public interest against the rapidly spreading malignancy of misbranding and adulteration of human food. In a state populated by immigrants of Nordic origin, he defied racial and religious prejudice to secure passage of the Bennett Law requiring teaching of English in all private and public
schools, a decision which was to cut short his political career. His return to private life brought the achievements chronicled earlier. In recognition of his service to agriculture, his portrait hung in the famed Saddle and Sirloin Club in 1914. The following year, he was named by his adopted state as Wisconsins most distinguished citizen at the San Francisco Worlds Fair. Following his death in 1918, friends and school children, through popular subscription, erected a marble and bronze statue of him on the University of Wisconsin mall, recognizing his great contribution to general education and, specifically, the university, of which he was a leader as president of the Board of Regents. Taken directly from: http://www.hoards. com/biographies Photo of W. D. Hoard attached but taken from above link. Chad T. Everson http://TemerityMag.com http://GrizzlyGroundswell.com http://www.youtube.com/user/grizzlygroundswell
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Turns the sound ON or OFF DOWNLOAD the magazine as a PDF file. PRINT selected pages or you can print the entire magazine! MAGNIFY enlarges the page. FULLSCREEN enlarges the magazine to fit your screen WEBLINK saves the link of the magazine. THUMBNAILS shows you every page for quick navigation. BOOKMARK the page. Like an article, then bookmark it or save your place while reading the magazine. TABLE OF CONTENTS lists certain sections or articles that provides you a quick link.
Relic Hunter is a breakthrough in how magazines are currently being read now and how they will be read in the future. Emags, as some people call them, are great for the environment, saving thousands of trees and lessening the amount trash that goes into the landfills. Well continue providing instant links to all the advertisers websites, simply click on their logo or web address.
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RELIC QUEST
Relic hunter and history author Stephen L. Moore has combined his two interests into a book that is sure to please relic hunters, both new and seasoned.
Includes tips and techniques from dozens of successful relic hunters Research, scouting and eld recovery info Special sections covering specic relic hunting interests: Civil War, Colonial, Revolutionary War, military camps, homesteads, ghost towns, underwater relic hunting, and more!
RELIC QUEST
Alabama state seal map on Georgia Militia stamped tree solid cast brass sword brass oval cartridge boxbelt plate.* plate, found in Savannah by R. S. Durham.*
Georgia state seal, cast twopart belt plate with oak leaf wreath.*
Louisiana two-part state seal belt plate, sand cast local manufacture.*
Louisiana pelican belt plate, stamped brass, solder filled, from west Tennessee. Courtesy of Charlie Harris.
Maryland stamped brass state seal, oval cartridge box, found in Fredericksburg.*
Maryland state seal sword belt plate, used by Maryland militia units.*
All images on this page courtesy of Larry Cissna and The Treasure Depot (unless otherwise noted).
Georgia. Courtesy of Confederatenear Dalton, Confederate Charles General Harris. Service Staff found by Gary Koger
Mississippi oval belt plate, stamped brass. Recovered from Mill Creek Gap
Mississippi sword belt plate, solid die cast brass. Recovered in Richmond, Virginia. A minor bend has been straightened.*
Confederate Artillery
Confederate Cavalry
(Left) Confederate block Infantry button and (center) cast brass CS block I button, both from Lookout Mountain. Courtesy of Charlie Harris.
532 Pages Standard 5.5 x 8.5 size Includes over 1,000 full color images! Soft cover Product No: 1510000 $22.95
From the book: a photo of four Confederate plates dug by a group of Mississippi relic hunters.
Confederate Engineer, script E found in Caney Creek support camp Courtesy of Bobby McKinney
Confederate Rifleman, script R found in Fort Bend County Courtesy of Bobby McKinney
Relic Quest includes full color photo galleries to help relic hunters identify buttons, bullets, belt plates and other relic nds.
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Reliclocal HunterGarrett March - April 2012 Ask your book dealer for Relic Quest or visit garrett.com to nd your dealer.
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Discoveries in the news Class ring man lost during high school turns up 50 years later
By Anita Kissee KATU News and KATU.com
PORTLAND, Ore. - A Washington man has been reunited with a class ring he lost 50 years ago.The ring ended up in a creek in Winlock back in 1962 and incredibly, someone found it and then took the time to track him down. Dana Williams never thought his 1963 class ring would be back on his finger. The Chehalis attorney lost it when he was a junior in high school.The story of what happened to it is a little vague. Well, thats a long story, Williams said. Certain activities occurred outside the dance hall that maybe included consumption of alcohol and fighting and the like.The bottom line is the ring went into the water along Olequa Creek, much to his mothers dismay.She constantly reminded me that I was kind of a moron for throwing away three months worth of wages, Williams said. So how was it found?Well, J. Rouska just happened to be in that same spot decades later and she found the ring. It was tarnished and muddy and the only clue to its owner was the initials D and W.I just knew it had an owner somewhere, she said.Her first thought was to head to the Winlock Library to take a look at some old yearbooks. But the library had something better - a local historian.Roy Richards runs a mini museum at his home and in his collection he has rosters for every graduating class. There were three names with the initials D.W. in the 1963 roster and he called each one to find the rings original owner. I had no idea I would ever see it again, Williams said.
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He asked me how much do I owe you and I said owe me? No, its yours, said Rouska.This is the sign of a person with good character and Im very thankful to her, Williams said.Williams also told us that around Thanksgiving his wife asked him out of the blue if he thought he would ever get his ring back. He told her no way, it wasnt going to happen.
shows like Diggers on National Geographic where relic hunters dig up artifacts with the sole purpose of cashing in. A lot of information is lost, not only in the removal of these objects, but also in the techniques used by these groups, said Jack Gary, director of Archaeology and Landscapes at Poplar Forest. Gary heads up the Archaeology digs and says its painstaking, careful work. He is one of many archaeologists signing an online petition to stop the practices on the show. Most of the time metal detecting or relic hunting is searching for a single object and to get to that one single object they dig up a bunch of holes. Those holes are very destructive. They are destroying other artifacts and other cultural resources that are there, said Gary. The show producers do get permission from property owners to hunt on their land. But archaeologists also worry the show will encourage others to go on hunts of their own without proper training. Gary says if you are interested in hunting for relics, Poplar Forest is having a workshop on it this. Get more information on Poplar Forests website.
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Laid to rest in her best clothes and lying on an ornamental bed, she was probably of noble blood. Quite how the 16-year-old Anglo Saxon girl died and who she was remain a mystery. But she was buried wearing a gold cross suggesting she was one of Britains earliest Christians. Her well-preserved 1,400-year-old grave has been discovered by Cambridge University scientists, who described the find as astonishing. The burial site at Trumpington Meadows, a village near Cambridge, indicates Christianity had already taken root in the area as early as the middle of the 7th century.
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Is this Britains first Christian burial? Anglo Saxon grave reveals 16-year-old girl laid to rest with a gold cross
But progress is thought to have been slow and sometimes difficult, and Christians and pagans co-existed for many decades. The new find gives an insight into this transition period as she was also buried with a knife and glass beads to use in the next life a pagan tradition of grave goods which goes against Christian beliefs. Dr Sam Lewsey, an expert in Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, said: This is an excessively rare discovery. It is the most amazing find I have ever encountered. Christian conversion began at the top and percolated down. To be buried in this elaborate way, with such a valuable artifact, tells us that this girl was probably nobility or even royalty. This cross is the kind of material culture that was in circulation at the highest sphere of society. The grave is one of 13 Anglo Saxon bed burials to be discovered. Usually reserved for noble women, they involved being laid to rest on a wood and metal frame topped with a straw mattress. Such burials are not found
unusual, even before we get to the bed and cross. The mysteries of who she was, why she was here, and why her grave merited such lavish treatment have certainly captured our imagination.
The grave, in Trumpington Meadows, Cambs is examined by an archeologist. after the 7th century. The girls inch-wide gold cross, studded with cut garnets, has been dated to between 650 and 680AD. It was probably sewn into her clothing around the neck and may have been worn in her daily life. Four graves were found at the site, the others containing an individual in their 20s whose gender is unknown, and two girls in their late teens, who had no religious signs. It raises the question of whether the woman buried with the cross had an official role in the fledgling Christian church. Researchers will be doing tests on the bones to establish how the girl died, what her diet may have been and what medical condition she was in. Alison Dickens, who led the excavation for the Universitys archaeological unit, said it was a truly astonishing discovery. She added: If and how she relates to the other three graves is a key aspect of our investigation whether they are family, for example, as such a small set of graves is
Pulling cross from the ground. The grave of a teenage girl from the 7th century AD has startled archaeologists
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Club Hunts
Detecting Clubs
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MLO is a website that is member supported. It provides a wealth of information, finds and instructional video. MLO TV has great videos, tips and tricks that the Pros use and thousands of people who will share ideas and information with you. MLO is more than a forum, its a Worldwide Club!
Relic Hunter March - April 2012 59
Detecting Clubs
e are based out of the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. We assist in the recovery of lost items and work with the state in ongoing archaeological projects.
Individual memberships are $20.00, Family memberships at $30.00 Monthly meetings are held the last Saturday of the month at 9:00 am. Location is subject to change month-to-month. Up-to-date details can be found at our club website: www.onsd.club.officelive.com or contact our club president William Purkey at wwpurkey@aol.com Newsletter/Website Editor Contact: Randy Woolbright Old North State Detectorists randwool@hotmail.com www.onsd.club.officelive.com ONSD-TV YouTube Channel www.youtube.com/user/onsdclub
Volusia countys only metal detecting club for over 20 years. Meetings the 4th Tuesday of each month. Two Yearly seeded hunts, Finds of the month, Raffles, Prizes and Detectorists of all ages.
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Contact us at digging4nogood@gmail.com
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We meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month at: Gander Mountain. Intersection of I-75 And SR 40 at 6:00 PM
Officers Bill Beardsley, President beardsleytwo@aol.com Mike Sniegowski,Vice President mpsnig@aol.com Carol Seidman, Secretary cseidmank@hotmail.com Roger Ackley, Tresurer. ackleyr@yahoo.com
Detecting Clubs
Im Bruce Hudson and Ive been hunting and collecting artifacts most of my life around the Kentucky area since 1974. I have been very fortunate to have seen and studied many fine examples. I have many personal finds that have been documented and I still get a adrenaline rush every time Ive made a find. If you would like to be added to our mailing list for news and updates visit us on Facebook.
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Detecting Clubs
Welcome to the Three Seasons Treasure Hunting Club located in the heart of the Indianhead Country. We are located in Chippewa County in West Central Wisconsin. We area family oriented Metal Detecting club. We hold our monthly meetings at 7 pmthe first Thursday of each month at the Ojibwa Golf and Bowl 8140 136th St. Join our Forums and post your finds and ask any questions you may have.
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http://www.threeseasonstreasurehunters.com/
The Stone Mountain Treasure Hunters metal detecting club is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and protection of the hobby of recreational metal detecting. The club is made up of people around the metro Atlanta, Georgia area. Visit our website for more info: http://www.stonemountaindiggers.com/
Hi I am Wendell Mosley, Founder of Prospecting U S A We are located in Heflin, Alabama. This clubs goal is to give people a place to find some one near them to go treasure hunting with and to serve as a forum to display what youve found. Viisit our club on Facebook and on the web: http:/prospcetingusa.webs.com and yes prospecting is misspelled. Thanks Wendell email: prospectingusa@gmail.com website: http://www.prospcetingusa.webs.com
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RA EN
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