Waterhead
Senior Member
Hey Folks,
I did a little detecting on some farm land off the James River in Virginia this afternoon. A previous post showed some of my digs which were found at the same place I found these. Again, I have dug very early colonial relics, War of 1812 relics and Civil War as well.
Today I dug a number of early colonial flat buttons, a brass rosette, a number of gun flints, shoe buckle parts, a bewildering array of musket balls and lead shot, another fishing sinker (or pendant) and another rare lead dram cup; used for pre-measuring gun powder for the Brown Bess Muskets.
The fishing sinker or pendant actually has small pieces of oyster shell cast into it when it was made. The lead dram cup is the third I have ever dug. It made me sick, not so much that the cup is smashed but that I hit it with my shovel; nicking off the corner. I'll fix it and you won't be able to tell. I will post it again after the repair.
I have attached a couple of pics showing the three dram cups. One of the cups is a different style than the other two. Although they don't look like much, they are very rare in my book. I know a lot of diggers here in Virginia and even with all the war history, not many are dug. I'm really happy to have found what I have. If they were pristine, these lead powder cups would look like little shot glasses.
The photos also show a couple of musket balls next to them. One is a .69 caliber the other is a .75 Caliber for the Brown Bess Musket. I pretty much put them up there for size. I dug 38 round balls today and what’s in the group picture is a sample.
I just can't believe that I have not found even one Spanish silver coin or an early copper at this site. I always look forward to finding a 1773 Virginia Half Penny at these early sites. No coins and no clay pipe stems, it drives me crazy. I'll keep plugging away and maybe I'll get lucky.
I hope everyone is doing well and wish everyone the best and good luck!
I did a little detecting on some farm land off the James River in Virginia this afternoon. A previous post showed some of my digs which were found at the same place I found these. Again, I have dug very early colonial relics, War of 1812 relics and Civil War as well.
Today I dug a number of early colonial flat buttons, a brass rosette, a number of gun flints, shoe buckle parts, a bewildering array of musket balls and lead shot, another fishing sinker (or pendant) and another rare lead dram cup; used for pre-measuring gun powder for the Brown Bess Muskets.
The fishing sinker or pendant actually has small pieces of oyster shell cast into it when it was made. The lead dram cup is the third I have ever dug. It made me sick, not so much that the cup is smashed but that I hit it with my shovel; nicking off the corner. I'll fix it and you won't be able to tell. I will post it again after the repair.
I have attached a couple of pics showing the three dram cups. One of the cups is a different style than the other two. Although they don't look like much, they are very rare in my book. I know a lot of diggers here in Virginia and even with all the war history, not many are dug. I'm really happy to have found what I have. If they were pristine, these lead powder cups would look like little shot glasses.
The photos also show a couple of musket balls next to them. One is a .69 caliber the other is a .75 Caliber for the Brown Bess Musket. I pretty much put them up there for size. I dug 38 round balls today and what’s in the group picture is a sample.
I just can't believe that I have not found even one Spanish silver coin or an early copper at this site. I always look forward to finding a 1773 Virginia Half Penny at these early sites. No coins and no clay pipe stems, it drives me crazy. I'll keep plugging away and maybe I'll get lucky.
I hope everyone is doing well and wish everyone the best and good luck!
