zeemang
Forum Supporter
Sure does look like a bunch of silverware melted into a basic blob, very cool find!
Any guesses?
- Thread starter NEA Farmer
- Start date
Foragist
Forum Supporter
He scratched it on his test block and applied the solution and watched it turn blue. He said given his decades of experience, that shade of blue is upwards of 85% silver, possibly .925.[/QUOTE]
Good answer. I bet it was mostly, if not all, sterling silver items; melted down. Now that I stared at it some more, I think I see Skippy's Aunt Marge's picture frame/fridge magnet in there.
Good answer. I bet it was mostly, if not all, sterling silver items; melted down. Now that I stared at it some more, I think I see Skippy's Aunt Marge's picture frame/fridge magnet in there.
Coin Operated
Senior Member
After reading the first part of that he probably had a heart attack and died. No further response necessary.That is a hammered silver paperweight used by Spanish Explorers to weigh down maps during their journeys. Based on the size and approximate weight, this is most likely belonging to, or have been lost by the Spanish Explorer Hernando de Soto, who explored the region in 1541, when he encountered the Casqui tribe in NE Arkansas. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casqui)
What is more likely is that the paperweight was traded with the tribe for goods, as it's one of those "things" that looks impressive when you're in court, but frankly is nothing more than a rock holding a map edge (of which there are plenty around, pretty much everywhere you go). It would have been quite something to know what he traded it for.
What you have is an EPIC find, there, my friend. Similar examples have sold upwards of $11,000, especially in that condition.
While Hernando de Soto explored in Arkansas in 1541, and met with the Casqui tribe at that time, in 2017, a guy named Skippy completely used that tale to spin a yarn on a forum pretending he knew what he was talking about. Basically, I just made up the above story. You are welcome for the experience, you no doubt had, while enjoying the history lesson.It is very much like finding a gold plated ring, btw. Awesome for a moment... The difference is, you still have a 12 ounce hunk of silver, even though I made up the story, and have no clue what that is.
WELCOME TO THE FORUM!
We're pretty friendly, here. And some of us are funny, too.
Cheers!
Skippy
Numil
Elite Member
Yup looks like a bunch of silver melted down. Could have been ill-gotten gains that a burglar snatched a bunch of Silver-ware and decided to melt it to disguise it. Yup I'm convinced you've found a burglar's hoard.
Dezertyote
Full Member
I would have to say it is coin silver.
US.coins are 90% silver and about 10%copper, more copper was add for strength to make flatware.
By adding the copper that's how the coin shop came up with 85% or better.
Coin silver flatware was in demanded to replace pewter, hence the reason
why there was a shortage of coins in the 1700s and 1800s.
just my 2 cents
US.coins are 90% silver and about 10%copper, more copper was add for strength to make flatware.
By adding the copper that's how the coin shop came up with 85% or better.
Coin silver flatware was in demanded to replace pewter, hence the reason
why there was a shortage of coins in the 1700s and 1800s.
just my 2 cents
SirFrancesDrake
Forum Supporter
Genius. The ability of this forums..ability to identify things is as amazing as this find.
Im glad that spoon handle outline was spotted - this was bothering me!
HannibalNectar
Elite Member
I would have to say it is coin silver.
US.coins are 90% silver and about 10%copper, more copper was add for strength to make flatware.
By adding the copper that's how the coin shop came up with 85% or better.
Coin silver flatware was in demanded to replace pewter, hence the reason
why there was a shortage of coins in the 1700s and 1800s.
just my 2 cents
Absolutely what I was thinking.
X2 ON THE COIN SILVER.
UP TO MID 1800's they even made jewelry outta coin silver. I was lucky enough to find one and it was even stamped/hallmarked "COIN"
Attachments
NEA Farmer
Junior Member
I doubt it was a chain. It would be virtually impossible to keep a chain perfectly straight, much less big pieces. Looks almost like a pecan cracker. Lol. They’re parallel, but intersecting.
Skippy SH13
Forum Supporter
Good answer. I bet it was mostly, if not all, sterling silver items; melted down. Now that I stared at it some more, I think I see Skippy's Aunt Marge's picture frame/fridge magnet in there.[/QUOTE]
Aunt Marge was known to be generous with giving out her fridge magnets. Could be!
Skippy SH13
Forum Supporter
HAHAHAH!! hope not!
Skippy SH13
Forum Supporter
MadTownScoop
Elite Member
12/17/17 9:19 PM Pic you can see what looks like "Wings" or something of that ilk from around 12 o'clock down to 5' o'clock. Upper right quadrant. I would say it looks like coins melted down into a form that had some kind of markings inside it making the "winged emblem" in the upper right. Upper left near "Chain" looks like letters or numbers or both diagonal from low left to upper right but still left of "chain". Also, My opinion is the impact marks in the middle may be from a metal rod or something used thru the bottom of the form with a hammer to pound it out of its form. Other than that, No idea what is used to be or is supposed to be.
