300 year old relic

Acey

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Oct 28, 2013
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Wayne and I went back to the Union Fort yesterday and hunted a field in back of the fort. We could see bits of brick, pottery, glass, ect. on the ground and Wayne has found some flat buttons in the area in the past. Old, old house site. We hunted slow in the area and in two hours of hunting each of us had a piece of silver Spanish coin. My piece was worn smooth with nothing on it but the piece Wayne found had the date on it and it was very clear. It had 1723. Now that's getting close to 300 years old. I had two pieces in my collection I had found in the Suffolk area and Wayne has serveral. Here's some reading about what the American colonist used for money. Acey http://time.com/4675303/money-colonial-america-currency-history/
 
Old saying; "When your hot your hot; when your not, your not." Wayne has a friend who just recently purchased a metal detector and this friend gave him a call this morning and asked Wayne if he wasn't doing any thing could he take him out some where so he could try out his new machine. Wayne tells him where to meet up with him and they go to the same field and hunt the same location in the field where Wayne and I hunted yesterday. You all have guessed what's coming next. :shock: Wayne just got off the phone with me and has told me his friend found a piece of silver, Spanish coin just like ours of yesterday. His piece of coin also had the date on it. Year, 1720. Only other good signal they had was the plug of a Williams cleaner round which was chewed up by an animal. What's the odds of three pieces of silver Spanish coins being dug in two days by three different hunters. Acey
 
Would love to be in a spot that has potential for Spanish silver!

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Just hung the phone up with Wayne. He didn't have anything to do so he went out the same area where we found the pieces of Spanish silver coins. He said he only hunted a few hours and found two flat buttons; old, a small piece of brass that had the old N. C. State Seal on it and a what we both agree is an old British coin. Can't read the one side of the coin but the other side has a crown with the letters QR underneath the crown. Wayne says the QR stands for "Queen's Rangers". I have a picture book which is Wayne's book he gave me to look a few weeks ago and we both think there is a picture of that coin in the book. Acey
 
What Wayne found is not a coin we now believe. At the start of the Revolutionary War Units were formed who supported the British government. They were named "The Queen's Rangers"; or The Queen's American Rangers. I just read this morning that the Local Parrish Church at that time in the old Nansemond County; The Glebe Church, now Driver, Virginia had a Minister who left the church and went and join The Queen's Rangers. He was put into the position in the unit as it's minister. He had a son in the same unit who was a Captain. What's funny is this Church is about 2 miles from the site where Wayne found the button or hat emblem or what ever it is. The Queen's Rangers was made up of men born here in America not over in England, and chose to fight with the British Army in the War. It was a unit of the Queen's Rangers who won the battle for the British at the Battle of Brandywine, Penna.. We feel it is off a uniform of a member of the Queen's Rangers. Anyone have any additional info? I haven't seen it but Wayne says it is Crown and under the crown is the QR in large letters. Oh, within 1/2 mile of the area where Wayne found it is a Va. State Historial roadside sign which says in that field by the road was a Revolutionary Camp. Need to get by there and read the sign. Acey

A little something to read on the subject. Acey
http://www.bing.com/search?q=Revolu...-47&sk=&cvid=542C8BB80AA140ECB5A8113E664D395A
 
Was looking at the large relic book of Wayne's and found under the index "Queen Rangers" a button which had under the picture an explanation of the button. There was a crown; under the crown was a "1"; and under the 1was the word; "American". The explanation by the author of the book said that the crown represented the "Queen's Rangers"; the 1 indicated the 1st Regiment and the word American told that the person wearing the uniform was a member of the "Queen's American Rangers". Getting bits and pieces together in identifying Wayne's button. Acey
 
Thank you GeneralQuarter's. I do love to research and it does bring back memories from my Civil War Relic hunting days back in the 70's, 80's and 90's. What I have been able to research that this point of land where we are hunting was the site of a early plantation back in the 1600's. I do believe the brick, glass, pottery and other items in the soil are from the plantation house itself. Wayne has found two South Carolina buttons, the Queens Ranger (what ever) and the numberious pieces of silver which makes me believe the site is not a slave's quarters. Do know for a fact that the Plantation had a ship which was kept on the river and probably brought crops off of the local farmers and carried them by ship over to Norfolk to be sold. I found it documented that the plantation had the ship up for sale in 1752. This could be the reason for so many pieces of silver being found in the site; because of the commerce being carried on around the plantation house in purchasing the crops off of local farmers and the farmers where probably paid in cash for their goods. Down on the river there are still piling which can be seen at low tide. Now I don't know how old they are but is it possible that is where the ship was kept? Interesting. Acey
 
Fantastic read, some of which still rings true today. (fiat currencies being bad)
 
Haven't talked to Wayne in a day or so but I just found a picture of this button on the internet. Getting close. Acey

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODY0WDg1Ng==/z/HukAAOSwrklU9aBM/$_35.JPG
 

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Zeemang you are right on from what I have read. The Spanish silver coins from Mexico was just about the only currency in use in the Colony. They did use tobacco leaves and some other items in trade but the silver Spanish coins was the "money" of the day. I read that the coins where cut (quartered) by individuals who where certified by the Spanish government in doing so down in Mexico. It was their job to see the coins were cut exactly as to contain the proper amount of silver as to that which they were valued at. Acey
 
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