MSCguy
Full Member
Got out to a house site on Wednesday, overgrown and house is dilapidated and abandoned. Found 9 Wheat pennies so far, earliest is 1920's and most recent is 1946. No silver yet. 
Offer that up as a way to help folks understand the site this object came from.
It rang up as 22 - 24 on my Nox 800. When I pulled it out of the ground I thought it was a child's sheriff badge as I had just dug pieces to a toy gun.
It is very cool that the date is on the object. The back has two brass discs that rotate. ( after much time spent cleaning!
) The object is about 1 and 3/4 inches in diameter.
The larger, inner disc is numbered 1 through 26. As the disc is rotated, the value in the left "window" on the front of the star changes. The smaller disc with the dimples changes the value in the right "window", always a letter. The letters do not occur in alphabetical order on the disc, and not every letter is represented.
It appears to be a mechanical computer, but I have no idea what it computes. I think there was a label on the front, on the bar across the star, but it is gone. No idea what "ROA" could stand for. The two skeleton style keys in the top of the star could be a clue?
I would love to know what the heck this thing is!!! Thanks for looking and any insight you may have.
Offer that up as a way to help folks understand the site this object came from.It rang up as 22 - 24 on my Nox 800. When I pulled it out of the ground I thought it was a child's sheriff badge as I had just dug pieces to a toy gun.
It is very cool that the date is on the object. The back has two brass discs that rotate. ( after much time spent cleaning!
) The object is about 1 and 3/4 inches in diameter.The larger, inner disc is numbered 1 through 26. As the disc is rotated, the value in the left "window" on the front of the star changes. The smaller disc with the dimples changes the value in the right "window", always a letter. The letters do not occur in alphabetical order on the disc, and not every letter is represented.
It appears to be a mechanical computer, but I have no idea what it computes. I think there was a label on the front, on the bar across the star, but it is gone. No idea what "ROA" could stand for. The two skeleton style keys in the top of the star could be a clue?
I would love to know what the heck this thing is!!! Thanks for looking and any insight you may have.
To confirm it, I used the "search for image" feature that is in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Right click on any picture, and you'll see the option to run an internet search for the picture.
