Edge Report post Posted January 31 I was given permission to metal detect in an abandoned mining camp yesterday. Mostly tin cans and broken bottles were dug up but I did find one intact perfume bottle. I started finding where the crucibles from the assessors office were tossed and was hoping to find an intact one when I hit a good target. Wasn't attracted to a magnet, nor was the oxidation and crust rusty at all. Too big to be a coin and weighs exactly 2toz. Put it in acid and vinegar overnight. Tests out .925 silver. Why was it there in a 19th century dump? It's obviously been poured into a crude mold or crucible. Could the crucible have been tossed out with the silver still in it? Normally the crucibles are crushed and reran through the smeltering process because 100% of the mineral content is not poured out, leaving small amounts of precious metals behind. However it got there, this mine produced 250000 ounces of silver in its day. I can now account for two of those ounces. 19 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildwoody Report post Posted January 31 Very interesting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil Carr Report post Posted February 1 Really cool. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted August 28 Well, I found another silver ingot at the mining camp. This one was a surface find while I was walking the 19th century townsite. Heavily oxidized and pocked with sediment, I recognized it was man made and the weight of the penny sized round made it worth soaking in vinegar and given a light brushing. Seemed like a curious weight. 12.77 grams of sterling. But when I did the math with the weight and silver values of the late 1800s, it hit me. The round would have been worth exactly 3 bits or .37 cents More proof the mining company was paying laborers in the very silver being extracted. 13 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mocha1545 Report post Posted August 28 Very Nice Tim! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Browns Report post Posted August 28 Very cool!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couzer Report post Posted August 29 You the man tim! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigorange Report post Posted August 29 Very cool finds. Thanks for sharing! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigbuckfever Report post Posted August 29 That is too cool. I bet you were like the proverbial kid in the candy store. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted September 26 Some other good finds... The ghost town keeps giving up her booty. Treasures, or booty if you're a history buff I guess. Left to right. .41 Remington rimfire .45LC balloon head .50-70 Govt or 1 3/4" Sharps with Beret anchor type primer. Without cheating online, which case do you think is oldest? 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mocha1545 Report post Posted September 26 Cool finds Tim! Love our state history. I'm going with 41 rim fire as oldest. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted September 26 27 minutes ago, Mocha1545 said: Cool finds Tim! Love our state history. I'm going with 41 rim fire as oldest. I should have mentioned, .41 and not .41 short. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wish2hunt Report post Posted September 26 50-70 govt would be my guess 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Edge Report post Posted September 27 The 50-70 Govt was first produced for the Springfield Trapdoor 1866-1873 and the 1869 Sharps. The .41 long and .45.long began production in 1873 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
