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How old are these lead dice?

Trunkman

New Member
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
28
Location
Western NY
I found these two dice about 3 feet apart around 8" down. I had no idea what they were until I scrubbed them with a soft tooth brush. I believe they are made of lead as they are quite heavy for their size (.5" square).

I found them on a 1700s homestead. It was occupied by the same family until 1960.

Does anyone know how old these might be?
 

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Amazing find wow. Those are made out of musket balls by someone who had done that many times before. I tried to make some as part of a recreation display and I could never get them to look that good. I think they are definitely 1860’s or before. Theres a lot of white lead oxide on them. You got a good find.
 
The age looks like all the other 1800s lead I have. Amazing find!!!!! Especially having both!
 
Lead dice go back as far as the Roman era. I'm not sure there is a good way to date them, other than try to figure out what tool was used to hammer out the pips.

Amazing find, especially finding both of them. Congrats!
 
Thanks for the congrats and info. I had no idea what they were until I cleaned them up - very surprised! I have found numerous musket balls at this site. I suppose they could be carved from those. The coloring is the same as some of them. And the size is right for the British Brown Bess musket balls I've found there.

They rang up very strong when the coil passed over them even though they were deep.
 
Very unusual and nice find. Congratulations.

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The dots were made by square nails, they were probably not carved, probably hammered into shape.

Check the weight against known Civil War calibers..

Congrats!
 
Lead dice go back as far as the Roman era. I'm not sure there is a good way to date them, other than try to figure out what tool was used to hammer out the pips.

Amazing find, especially finding both of them. Congrats!

Looks like a square nail to me...

Skippy
 
If only they could talk! I seem to remember Aquachigger find just a single die. To find both is amazing! Icescratcher is right! You need to weigh them and compare them to weights of other musket balls. You might have found a pair from the Revolution or older. I’d almost bet you they predate the Civil War. WOW!! Congrats!
 
I am fairly certain the dice were carved from a British Brown Bess musket ball. The Brown Bess had a 0.75 inch bore but took a 0.693 inch diameter ball. I have found musket balls at this site that measure .69 +/-. I'll have to weigh the Brown Bess musket balls that I found and see how they compare in weight to the dice. If the dice are about 15% lighter then we might have a match.
 
I am fairly certain the dice were carved from a British Brown Bess musket ball. The Brown Bess had a 0.75 inch bore but took a 0.693 inch diameter ball. I have found musket balls at this site that measure .69 +/-. I'll have to weigh the Brown Bess musket balls that I found and see how they compare in weight to the dice. If the dice are about 15% lighter then we might have a match.
Wow great finds. They may not have been carved but rather hammered squarish, if so than would be about the same weight.

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Hey ECMO. You might be right about them being hammered. I have some round lead sinkers in the basement. I think I'll try duplicating these by hammering the sinkers.
 
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