WOW!!! River Relics Galore and my first US Plate!!!

[digitup]

Great finds, I am just north of you in Spotsylvania. I have found quite a few bullets up here but that's about it for civil war relics. Not a whole lot of places that I know of around that are legal to detect. I stick to the parks and my neighbors yards mostly.

 

[The Wolf]

Great finds, I am just north of you in Spotsylvania. I have found quite a few bullets up here but that's about it for civil war relics. Not a whole lot of places that I know of around that are legal to detect. I stick to the parks and my neighbors yards mostly.

Hey I just sent you a friend request. Spotsy is a really great place for relics. I've never hunted up there, but there's lots of history there. PM me sometime and we can get together for a hunt. -Wolf

 

[digitup]

Hey I just sent you a friend request. Spotsy is a really great place for relics. I've never hunted up there, but there's lots of history there. PM me sometime and we can get together for a hunt. -Wolf

Thanks Wolf that would be cool. With all the battlefields up here it's hard to find good spots to detect. I did check with the park authority and they said as long as I wasn't in a battlefield i could pretty much detect wherever. Fredericksburg is pretty strict too. My sister has 10 acres in Louisa that she said I could detect on and there is an old home site in her woods that I want to check out as well. I will contact you when I go down there or if u want me to come to your area that would work too.

 

[Equalizer]

WOW!!!! Very nice, its cool for me to see all the possibilities I just keep tellin myself one day it will be my turn lol. Continued good luck!!!!

 

[rob00000]

What is the plate worth?? I'm curious.

 

[The Wolf]

What is the plate worth?? I'm curious.

Im not sure. Judging by previous sales of similar plates and talking to a few pros, I would guess in the higher end of the $250-$350 range, maybe more. This one is quite rare because of the brass hooks on the back. The majority of the dug examples have iron hooks that are always rusted through, broken off, or missing. The brass hooks makes it more valuable. I like to know what my finds are worth, but I would never sell anything. Thanks, -Wolf

 

[Trickworm]

Wow!, beautiful plate!!

 

[BishopLynch]

Awesome plate. Just curious to know how you know its off a .69 caliber box. Ive never heard of caliber sized boxes, just different patterns from different arsenals.

 

[The Wolf]

Awesome plate. Just curious to know how you know its off a .69 caliber box. Ive never heard of caliber sized boxes, just different patterns from different arsenals.

Thanks. Soldiers were issued cartridge boxes containing different caliber bullets. Im guessing because .69s saw the most usage during the early war and so did box plates with brass hooks that collectors say the plates with brass hooks came from .69 boxes. My buddy told me that's what is was. He has been digging and collecting civil war relics for over 30 years and he said he's only found one with brass hooks. Sounded good to me considering where I found it was a very early war camp.

You can also look it up in this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/096707312X/ref=aw_d_iv_books?is=l&qid=1341801852&sr=1-38

 

[docbars]

Awesome finds, congrats

 

[Gilby31]

crazy stuff man good finds! were any in the water or just on the shore? i love the carved bullet and the plate.. it looks great even uncleaned!

 

[The Wolf]

crazy stuff man good finds! were any in the water or just on the shore? i love the carved bullet and the plate.. it looks great even uncleaned!

Thanks! We were just diving that day. Everything came from about 5-10 ft underwater. I have learned a few lessons on over cleaning relics, I tend to just get the dirt off and leave it alone. HH

 

[c.broyles]

That's some great finds.love the plate and carved bullets.

 

[relicranger]

Great finds , Those should give hope to everyone. I cant wait to see the results of your next trip. relicranger

 

[kshollywood]

Awesome

Great finds, i mean really great finds!

 

[Charlie Tuna]

Very cool!!!! Any of the bullets have U.S. or a star on the base cast into the bullet?

Charlie

 

[The Wolf]

Very cool!!!! Any of the bullets have U.S. or a star on the base cast into the bullet?

Charlie

There are two different types of bullets in this lot, but all have plain cavities. The two with the slightly more pointed nose are Confederate three-ringers and the others are Union. I have found the star base bullets close to this spot, those are called Washington Arsenals. I've never found any with US in the base, maybe one day. I love digging Civil War bullets! I saw that you just found some recently. Congrats. I like that US button. Nice finds. -Wolf

 

[JBEXPRESS]

wow, you got some really nice stuff there!! Congrats!

 

[smp3000]

Great finds!!! I'd be lucky to just find one bullet!!!

 

[Charlie Tuna]

There are two different types of bullets in this lot, but all have plain cavities. The two with the slightly more pointed nose are Confederate three-ringers and the others are Union. I have found the star base bullets close to this spot, those are called Washington Arsenals. I've never found any with US in the base, maybe one day. I love digging Civil War bullets! I saw that you just found some recently. Congrats. I like that US button. Nice finds. -Wolf

I found this place a while back, its just 120 miles to get there so I don't go every weekend. It is kind of nuts driving that far for a couple things but hey its fun. Out here I haven't found musket balls but of course these were cavalry forts out here so you wouldn't want to lug a 5 foot muzzle loader on horse back! All the bigger rifle bullets except for one are I believe Spencer bullets. There are two smaller I believe to be Henry bullets. Of course I did dig a 50 caliber musket ball and a couple 44 pistol balls as well as a couple 31 caliber balls but nothing really like a minnie ball. There is one that is a hollow based 2 ringer bullet. It truly is neat uncovering the history of these old places. Even if you know about everything there is to know about a site one scoop and wow, you learn something new. It is these kind of finds that make my blood boil for more. Even though the casings, bullets, and buttons aren't worth much, I wouldn't hardly trade them for finding a modern gold ring. Even though i of course wouldn't turn one down .

Charlie