Dating a site by the trash

[Detector]

I thought it would be helpful to pass along some information that can help you date a site. This is important because it not only helps you know the potential of a site, but may also help you recognize the signs that a site may be worth further researching. We all pretty much hate a trashy site but you can learn a lot from the trash you dig, and it makes digging it a little more interesting.

Ever find a site that has a lot of nails? If not you eventually will. Knowing a little about the history of nails can help you date a site and the potential for the finds. Handmade/forged nails were used from the 1700's to the 1800's. Cut nails, or more commonly called "square nails" were used from the 1800's to the early 1900's. Round nails were used from the early 1900's to date. So, if you find a site with forged nails you have a site used from the 1700's to the 1800's. If you find a site with square/cut nails you might expect to find coins as far back as the 1800's. See how that works?

Bottle caps, don't ya just hate'em? Well next time you dig one use it to your advantage. Use it to date your site. Bottle caps/crown caps were invented in the 1850's and used wire to hold them on until the 1890's when the crimped cap was invented. The early caps had 24 teeth and now 21. In the 1960's the twist cap was invented and also the crimped caps height was reduced and the lining went from cork to plastic. So, next time you dig that annoying bottle cap take the time to look it over. Count the teeth, study the height because it may tell you more than you think.

Ugh! Pull Tabs! a TH'ers worst nightmare right? Well you can learn from them. The pull tab was invented in 1959 and became widely used around 1962. Pull Rings were used from around 1965 to 1975 when the "StaTab" was invented. Well we all know those StaTabs don't always stay on the can. Knowing your tabs can be helpful in knowing the potential for silver at a site. The were many different styles of pull rings that can help you date your site.

I have a site that is just littered with bottle caps that I now know was the site of an old carnival ground from the very early 1900's. I have hunted sites in the past that were also littered with bottle caps, but now I know these sites deserve more research and a closer look. Chances are it could be the site of a yet to be discovered hot spot.

Knowing your trash can help you find the treasure.

[devros]

Hey thanks a lot that was great info to use on my next outing. Thank you for putting all of that knowledge together for us.

[30U Plymouth]

Great Post........I have always dated my hunting area by the coins I find there.

This will be a big help when in those trashy areas.

[JBEXPRESS]

Wow nice info, Never really thought about looking at the nails.

[Romeo7]

Thank you very much for this post!!! It is worthy of printing in a book or magazine. Keep the tips coming!!!

-Mark

[s1ack3r07]

good tips thanks alot!

[randwool]

Good info to ponder on. Thanks a lot.

[Carol K]

Knowing your trash can help you find the treasure.

Totally agree!

[DigDog]

Thanks for taking the time to do the research and post it!!! Great Info!

[DougF]

Good post - here's a scan I made of the oldest pull tabs. These date from 1962-1965, and I have had good luck finding silver when I find these. BTW, I think these are in chronological order from left to right.

[ct01r]

Originally Posted by DougF

Good post - here's a scan I made of the oldest pull tabs. These date from 1962-1965, and I have had good luck finding silver when I find these.

I agree. There's been areas where I've found lots of tabs; persistance helped me find coins ( though nothing valuable). Found out later that there were picnic tables in the area of the tabs. I've gone back a couple times since the tabs have been mostly cleaned up, and it's been easier hunting. Still hoping to find a ring there. Curt

[BHNugget]

Thanks for pic and information Doug.I need to start keeping better records of the sites I hunt.I came across a bunch of tabs like the first one in your picture but draw a complete blank where it was.

[dfxing virginia]

im allways looking at the cans and such that i pull out to see what the time period was. great post.

[RIdetector]

Thanks for the info!

[Vlad]

Excellent information detector!
Does anyone have a picture of a forged nail?
I'm not quiet sure what the difference is between forged and square nails.

[dpitt8]

cool to know :-)...now who says trash can't be useful sometimes

[Detector]

Does anyone have a picture of a forged nail?

Here is a picture of a forged nail on the left and a cut/square nail on the right

[AlinMN]

Here are some square nails I found next to the ruins of a log cabin:

[2Xplorations]

never knew about the number of teeth on the bottle cap crimp thats some very interesting info to have

Ive used trash in a strata to exclude dates (on or before) especially tabs, steel beer cans etc

Ive never considered the dates on coins themselves to be very reliable I had a couple of wheats in my pocket the other day had I sat down on just the right bench or flipped them out of my pocket when getting my truck keys, I couldve lost them in 2009

[FelixtheCat]

Now to find places that old to hunt down here!