Do not let this affect you or taint your way of thinking.
This was not metal, but when you do find some strange object just be careful.
I was jaded a little for awhile after I started.
I knew what was good and what was trash....I thought.
I found a round iron ball one day and almost tossed it out but didn't.
A couple weeks later I threw a picture up here asking for opinions and several members came right back and told me I had dug up a grapeshot cannonball from the civil war.
Close call, but this is better.
I was in a park and dug up a zinc signal target about 4" deep.
Large as a half dollar, totally encrusted with such a thick, hard cement-like coating of dirt I thought it was rust and dirt combined and no amount of rubbing could get any of it off.
Since old houses used to be in this area and I had found other old metal junk from old homes in this area before, I figured it was an old knock out plug and almost threw it away at the end of my hunt...but again for some reason I didn't.
Later on I attacked it with some water and a green scrubby and I thought I could see some writing starting to come through.
I tumbled it for awhile and then realized this was no piece of junk.
After about 2 years of keeping it in olive oil and taking it out periodically to scrape it with a toothpick I got it to this condition.
A very rare Alabama token with a 1922 date.
I am the only one ever to post a picture of this on the web, and the only token book that ever mentioned this one stated that there were only 5 or less in the world known to exist.
Nowadays I check out every find six ways from Sunday before I throw anything away.
Take a lesson from me, when it comes to any mysterious metal targets you do the same.