15th Aug 2008 Shipped finds - Uploading and ID'ing

I shipped out the last of the exports today, if you are expecting your finds to be shipped drop then me a mail as I have no more outstanding . All the find pouches with approved exports not shipped are designated for pick up on your next trip.

I am still uploading more of our finds to the database and improving the quality of the shots. I still trying to ID the unknowns and managed to get an ID on the 30th South Mayo button but the 23rd Regiment of foot is not in the reference books.

1770's style 23rd Regiment of foot - not in reference books - sent off for ID

The Royal Welsh Fusiliers

12th Aug 2008 More land and old clippings

I exchanged contracts yesterday with our two new landowners and picked up additional bonus fields for a September start. One of the guys has so many fields he forgot to mention another bunch across the main highway when I saw him last week !! . His Mrs meanwhile had found all the 1933 press clippings she had keep on the major finds ploughed up on their land that made headlines in the paper. The clippings were so old and fragile that they are crumbling but you could see all the pictures clearly. I took the details of the paper and will try and get a copy if it has been archived, fascinating stuff. It is amazing to think she kept all the paper clippings in her draw for 55 years. I took a drive around their land and one of the key fields has been harvested and disc' d already for the start of the season. Guys on the forum have been goggle earthing the site and there are some major crop marks. Research has shown that one of these groupings is a medieval village site long since disappeared. More details on members forum.

I have been uploading more of our interesting finds from all periods to our database.

Early bronze age flat axe C 2000 BC

10th Aug 2008 New 'hardcore' start option - Burger day added

Treasure hunter finds £25,000 Saxon gold cross with metal detector

Cal Jeff posted this story, what a great find, one of our farmer ploughed up a gold cross 30 years ago on our Celtic village site. We need to find another one of those !! More news stories here

Detecting to us here is about getting the maximum coil time out on our sites to improve your chances. Most of the senior members are now arriving a day early and staying at the airport hotels to be refreshed for the start of the tour. They have their machines built and detecting kit on prior to getting into the taxi to make an earliest start when they arrive.

The first day we start around noon and guys are like caged beasts at their hotel waiting for the taxi to pick them up.

The normal pick up times will still continue for the non 'hardcore' guys or those flying in that morning, 9am Gatwick and 10am Heathrow.

I have now introduced a new 'hardcore' start option on the first day for those that want it. Here is the new format. You can get picked up at any time, ie 4am, 5am etc (this option is only for guys staying at an airport hotel the night before)

Pick up at your hotel at say 5am
Arrive and quickly drop off just your luggage to the accommodation at 6.30 am
The same taxi then drops you straight off at a local site of your choice 6.45 am
I bring out the lunches to you after the 'normal' guys get in around 12.30

Generally an average week here gets a guy 70 hours detecting, hardcore guys use nightlights and get around 90 hours detecting. If you want this new 'pickup' option then specify 'hardcore' when you book. Members on the forum have already taken up this option as they are seriously hard core hunters.

We always serve hot food here lunchtimes out in the fields as it really hits the spot when you have been hunting hard and especially when it is cold. We serve Cornish pasties and hot soup, hot dogs with onions etc . The members on the forum took a vote and overwhelmingly voted for a new burger day so you don' get so home sick !!

I have been uploading more of our interesting finds from all periods to our database. I started a new album of our a axe head finds.

Read more about Mass Bruce's axe hoard find

7th Aug 2008 Exporting and posting

I received another wad of approved export licenses in the post this morning. More details posted on members forum. I am busy packaging and posting off the previous batch of finds that an export license was approved. We use the Royal mail international sign for delivery method which allows for the finds to be insured and delivered in around 5 working days.

If you are over in the UK detecting then check out our exporting page so you can get an export licence for your finds by contacting the MLA. They have just moved offices so their new address is.

MLA
Wellcome Wolfson Building
165 Queen's Gate
South Kensington
London SW7 5HD
Tel: (020) 7273 8265
Fax: (020) 7273 1424

I have been uploading the more interesting copper coins, Conder tokens, Tudor finds and cufflinks onto our finds database.

5th August 2008 Awards and another free 'pub quiz' competition

I dropped all this years awards to the engravers yesterday and ordered up a fresh batch for the coming season. I ordered up a new cup for the NS Greg memorial award for the 'most dedicated detectorist'. I will be videoing all the presentations this season and posting them on the site. The club is going to give away another huge prize for a new fun 'pub quiz' type competition this season. The questions will be multi choice and based on all information from our site. It will include, history, finds, treasure act etc. Some will be easy and some really tricky, it will be interesting to see who is the clubs history buff. Besides a free trip the winner will also get an engraved tankard to display with pride at not being a history heathen. Example questions and more details posted on members forum.

Uploading our best copper coins and jetton finds to our database.

In English a reckoning counter. Also Jeton (French) & Rechen-pfenning (German). A coin-like object used in the calculation of accounts. Most commonly made of copper or brass; but also silver (especially 17th century and after: very rarely gold. Lead jettons are also known but their purpose is obscure as they would wear out fast. Jettons are known from England, France, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain & probably other countries. Originally "jettons" would have been pebbles or pieces of pottery (the word calculate derives from Calx - pebble). The first specially struck jettons seem to be mid 13th century (French), the earliest English third quarter 13th century.

2nd August 2008 Forum competition and more Barn tours

The start of the hunts are fast approaching with just over a month to the off. I have just updated the free forum competition entries page with the latest guesses, remember the closing date for you entry is 5th Sept and no entries received after that date are valid. If you guess is not on this page then you have not entered.

Idaho Gerry has already got his 'Barn' team returning here for two weeks in November but several of his guys want an extra week so he has reserved the Barn for a further week from the 3rd to 10th Nov. He might have a couple of free slots if you want to join his crew, drop him a mail if you are interested. http://www.gerrysdetectors.com/

Georgian mount

Uploaded more of our finds to our database

England, after AD 1679

Jewellery, chiefly rings and lockets, is sometimes worn in memory of a deceased person during set periods of mourning. The practice of bequeathing a ring for remembrance was known from the Middle Ages, and by the seventeenth century it had become customary to engrave rings with the name and the dates of the deceased, with the decorative design on a ground of black enamel. People would leave instructions in their wills for specific sums of money to be used by the executors to buy rings, and the recipients would be named. As a consequence of the Great Plague in London in the 1660s, mourning rings had to be made in enormous quantities.

The designs were generally based on the title page of Bills of Mortality published by the Company of Parish Clerks of London, or on funeral tickets. These are usually enclosed in an arched frame, the borders of which commonly show a skeleton with an hour-glass, a symbol of the brevity of life, a pick and shovel, used to dig the grave, and a winding sheet, in which the body was wrapped. Above, a skull and cross-bones appear with the legend 'MEMENTO MORI' ('In remembrance of death').

1789 gold mourning ring, 3.48g 24.22mm

MONTEFLIORE/OBI 12 NOV1789 AE78*

Gold mourning ring of Richard Wall aged 80 died in 1797 - some black enameling remaining

Legend reads - OB 21st OCT 1797 // E 80 RICHD WALL

1st Aug 2008 First all Girlie hunt for Feb - exports approved

A batch of approved export licenses arrived this morning, list posted on members forum.

Minnesota Mindy is going to try and run our first girls only week at the Barn house in Feb 2009. Proposed dates are 6th to 13th for a 7 days or she might run a ten day event if there is sufficient interest. Cal Gail and Penn Christy have already signed up so there are a few slots to fill. If you are female detectorist and want to join a bunch of great hunters then drop me a mail. enquiries@colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk

This is the self catering go as you please hunt with full access to all the 200 + fields.

I am still uploading finds to our database.

1562 AD Hans Krauwinckel I Master German Lion of St Mark Jetton, 19.27g, 30.02mm

Lion of St Mark standing left with both wings shown. Book of the Gospels between fore- paws.Halo, rising into the margin, is surrounded by a star:

Obv *S*MARCVS * EVANGELLIST*GOTT***

Rev Imperial Orb surrounded by cross patty witin an ornate tressure *HANNS * KRVRENBER

The normal weight for this type is 7.95g to 11.30 g, this specimin weights 19.27g ???? It is actually two of the same type of Jettons stuck together

30th July 2008 Two more new sites added for Sept

Check out the land availability page for a quick overview of the sites.

I went and saw two more new sites yesterday and we can start detecting them from Sept. We have 4 new sites lined up for the new season now but we will probably start on just two to begin the hot spotting. One is a huge plot with a moated house site, church and an old Abbey. The other joins our existing best Celtic gold producing area so they both have huge potential. I have contacted a local historian that has written several books on the area to see if we can meet up. It has an amazingly detailed documented early history attached to this site as I have read his first book. I have not got the detailed maps of the new sites yet but I have posted the borders and location on the members forum. It is great fun 'goggle earthing' the sites prior to us starting to search them. Members are getting really good at highlighting existing crop marks, ring ditches, enclosures. moated houses etc for discussion.

I am still uploading finds to our database, fob seal are great relics.

Georgian Fob seals

28th July 2008 Early BC Roman and site summary

That Roman fragment 'cooked' up really well and Mark Lehman came back with a great ID as a Roman Republican 68 BC. This coin adds to out best year ever for early and rarer Roman artefacts and coins.

Apart from the year we found that Roman Republican silver hoard this last season saw some amazing early Roman coins found. Can Bill found the oldest coin ever found here with that stunning  Roman Republican Denarius - moneyer: M Aburius M.f. Geminus, 132 B.C. This came from one of our most productive Romano/British sites around a huge Celtic village area. Bill also got a 2nd Roman silver fragment of a denarius of Tiberius 14-37 A.D, Kentucky Allen got a pretty Vespasian 72 AD.

It's Vespasian - a silver denarius of course - dating to 72/3 A..D.

This site continues to be productive and has produced in the past the 3 rarest Roman coins found here like this Galba below.

'The "Aha!" moment has arrived. The coin is not of the Flavian Dynasty after all - it's Galba - and a very rare coin!

I had been laboring under the misconception that Galba struck no coins with counter-clockwise legends - had been told so by folks who should know - but I suppose they were referring to the coins' obverses - however, as I check RIC I, I find that even obverse CCW legends aren't unknown for Galba - from the mint of Tarraco in Spain - and yours has one. Now Galba is a rare bird - any Galba is - but the Spanish mint pieces are rarer still, and with the CCW legends, rarer still!
So I hope you're not displeased that it took me so long to figure all this out - but I have not only never handled or seen one of these in person, I didn't even know they existed, and some of the best-known numismatists on the web didn't know it either.

Your coin, dating c. April, through late 68 A.D. is RIC vol I, #13. The obverse legend reads counterclockwise from about 4:00: GALBA - IMP and shows his laureate bust. The reverse reads CCW from about 9:30: DIVA AVGVSTA and shows the deified Livia (yes, that Livia, if you recall "I Claudius") standing left, holding a patera (ritual libation dish - full of poison?) and a scepter. This coin is accorded a frequency rating of "R2", meaning there were only about 10 - 15 recorded specimens at the time the book was written (1984).

Woo Hoo! What a find! The British Museum probably already has one, but despite its state of preservation, this is a very valuable coin!'

Mark

This one is a Roman Republican denarius of tribune/moneyer N. Fabius Pictor, struck at Rome in 126 B.C (RSC/Babelon - Fabia 11

Billericay Mark found the 2nd oldest coin ever found here on a newer land that a farmer purchased last year. He also found only the 3rd Roman gold found here on the same site

388 AD Theodosius I gold solidus 4.40g, 20.26mm

Two other new sites showed huge Roman presence and again Republican silver. Tenn Brad got a 32 BC Mark Antony, Legionary silver Denarius. ANT.AVG.III.VIR.R.P.C Galley, Legionary Eagle between two standards. On the same site one of the rarest periods of Roman silver coins was found by Idaho Gene. 4th Century. This is an amazing rare find

Mark Lehmans reply when I sent it off to him of ID said it all

Another new site that Chicago Ron's 'Barn' team picked first to hunt was probably overall the top producer of the season for Roman finds. They found some amazing Roman coins and offering type artefacts and it is believed that they have found an offering site and a brothel for Roman soldiers. These were the more 'modern' Roman coins being predominately of the 1st to 2nd C era.

Hadrian, Trajan's successor, who reigned 117-138 A.D

Denarius of Trajan (98-117 A.D.)

I dropped another bunch off our Roman bronze and silvers to the museum today for recording on the National database. We discussed the significance of these pre invasion coin finds but it appears that they were either lucky pieces or just used as trade as any other Roman coin. Silver is silver no matter who's head is on it !!. Hopefully this season when we revisit the new sites, that we were just hot spotting last time, there are some more of these beautiful coins lurking around for us to dig !!

Timeline of the Roman invasion of Britain

26th July 2008 Still cooking the Roman silvers

I am still 'cooking' our Roman silver coins and one has been soaking for over a month now. I am still not sure what to make of it, apart from a helmeted bust, so I am still cooking it some more. The 2nd Roman silver was found by Washington Tom and is 'cooking' up a lot easier with the great detail showing through.

Appears to be a Roman Imperial silver, still cooking it to fully reveal the bust, I have sent it off to Mark Lehman for his views 17.72mm dia

As dug and partially cooked

This is an Imperial type BC helmeted bust which I outlined, I have sent it of to Mark Lehman for his views but it appears to need more 'cooking'. it might well have a chariot on the back making it around 130 BC.

CC made a great find in the USA of a early pattern (1776-1781) The Kings American Regiment button. I have an unidentfied button found years ago that appears to be similar in design. I have sent it off to Tim the button expert for his views.

(1776-1781) The Kings American Regiment button and the 'unknown'

I have updated the froum competition page with the lastest entries. So far the guess have been as low as 89 to 2001 !!

25th July 2008 Our finds database is back on line

Our foundintheground database is finally up and working on a new server. I have already started putting up more of our finds on this powerful searchable database by any key word.

I will be starting new albums for all the various periods to group our finds together, Tudor, Georgian etc

This page lists all the current albums All Galleries

Admiral Edward Boscawen at the battle of Porto Bello 1737,37.27mm dia

24th July 2008 Added another time line - database still down

No luck getting the finds database fixed yet so it is still down. I have added a Norman page with a family tree and timeline.

'The Normans that invaded England in 1066 came from Normandy in Northern France. However, they were originally Vikings from Scandinavia.

 At the beginning of the tenth century, the French King, Charles the Simple, had given some land in the North of France to a Viking chief named Rollo. He hoped that by giving the Vikings their own land in France they would stop attacking France.

The land became known as Northmannia, the land of the Northmen. It was later shortened to Normandy.  The Vikings intermarried with the French and by the year 1000, they were no longer Viking pagans, but French speaking Christians'

23rd July 2008 Finds for recording, Treasures and export licenses

Solid silver medieval vessica seal 62.1g, 21.96mm L x 18.81mm x 5.51mm W (excluding hanger) currently with the British museum going through the treasure process

Medieval gold ring which is currently with the British museum going through the treasure process - 1.23g, 19.50mm dia

I have received a further list of finds from export duty to be taken to the museum for for recording next week including the gold nobel find. . I am still waiting the approval of several export applications and have left them a message to see what the delays are, further details posted on members forum. I spoke with the museum today and there are no further updates on our recent Treasure finds currently with the British Museum. I am particularly interested in the feedback of the two medieval finds above we discovered at a new site we only started searching a few weeks at the end of last season.

Amazing discovery - this rolled up coin turns out to be part of a monster sized gold coin, Edward III 1351-52 full noble, closed E & C type approx 36mm dia 136.7 grains. note the straightened 1/4 nobel for size comparison.

Our data base is still down and the re installation of the files is proving very tricky.

21 July 2008 New House of Stuart Page - data base still down

No luck yet getting our database back up, engineers are still working on it.

I have produced a new page of the Stuart era with a timeline of key events. Stuart family

20th July 2008 Coin hunter award - Tudor family tree page - data base still down

Florida Mitch has won the 2007/2008 club 'coin hunter' of the year award, congrats to a real hard hunter. His total of 74 coins in a week included 12 silver so it was great result. There must be something in the water in Florida as that is the 3rd time they have taken that title, previous winners, Fl Rolo and Daytona Steve. Mitch is back again in Oct to receive his award and I will do a members video of the presentation. Check out the Awards and prizes page for what is up for grabs this year. We have added a new Nova Scotia Greg award for the most 'dedicated' detectorist of the year.

I have updated the forum competition page with the latest entries

'Hi Everyone, Mitch King here, web master for the Team Garrett 2007 website.
I got my first metal detector in 1974 (age 14). It was a kit from Radio Shack that I had built. It was a BFO, find everything and reject nothing machine. I had a lot of fun with it for a few summers. I have been detecting on and off since then. I got my 1st microprocessor detector in the late 80's. I have used many machines by all the major manufactures. I have been Living in Florida all my life and now live on the east coast. I am an engineering technician for a company in Sebastian, Fl. This is a great location near all the 1715 Spanish treasure fleet wrecks, but it is a little shy of Civil War relic hunting opportunities. I mostly do the beaches or demolition of old buildings here in Florida. I have detected all over the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and England. I always have a detector with me, whether on vacations or business trips. I am also Vice President of our local metal detecting club, Treasure Coast Archeological Society. I have been the clubs Master Hunter of the Year 8 times in 10 years. This will be my 6th year attending the GNRS.

See my home page at http://www.geocities.com/hotking.geo

My clubs web page at http://www.geocities.com/tcas_club

I have added a new page to the site of the Tudor period Kings and Queens with a family tree and timeline of events

19th July 2008 Data base still down - Tudor period finds

Our foundintheground database is still down and the tech guys are still working on the problem. Meanwhile I am working on getting our Tudor and Stuart period finds ready for uploading.

House of Tudor, 1485-1603
Henry VII 1485-1509 (grandson of Henry V, wife's second husband)
Henry VIII 1509-1547 (Henry VII's second son)
Edward IV 1547-1553 (Henry's son by Jane Seymour)
Mary 1553-1558 (Henry's daughter by Queen Catherine)
Elizabeth I 1558-1603 (Henry's daughter by Anne Boleyn)

The five sovereigns of the Tudor dynasty are among the most well-known figures in Royal history. Of Welsh origin, Henry VII succeeded in ending the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York to found the highly successful Tudor house. Henry VII, his son Henry VIII and his three children Edward IV, Mary I and Elizabeth I ruled for 118 eventful years.

During this period, England developed into one of the leading European colonial powers, with men such as Sir Walter Raleigh taking part in the conquest of the New World. Nearer to home, campaigns in Ireland brought the country under strict English control.

Culturally and socially, the Tudor period saw many changes. The Tudor court played a prominent part in the cultural Renaissance taking place in Europe, nurturing all-round individuals such as William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser and Cardinal Wolsey.

The Tudor period also saw the turbulence of two changes of official religion, resulting in the martyrdom of many innocent believers of both Protestantism and Roman Catholicism. The fear of Roman Catholicism induced by the Reformation was to last for several centuries and to play an influential role in the history of the Succession.

A beautiful 16thC Tudor rectangular headed fastener with a raised central box section . Complete and undamaged with much of the original gilding 2.24g, 25.02mm L	1592-5 Elizabeth 1st hammered silver shilling (12 pence) Sixth issue Tun mintmark (exposed ear type) 31.21mm, 6.64g
Solid silver decorated pin head 16thC Tudor - 1.66g, 9.56mm dia	1554 Mary hammered silver groat (4 pence)
1526 -9 Henry VIII hammered silver groat - 2nd profile issue, London mint Obv shows reversed roman D for C in Henric, Im Rose Obv HENRIC VII DI GRA REX AGL Z FRANC	Tudor fretwork button
16thC purse bar	Henry VII 1486- 1504 Obv HENRIC DI GRA REX A** Z FR- Tun Mintmark - Class II Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint 1.37g, 18.94
17thC gold morning ring - Stuart period

17th July 2008 Database is being reloaded

Our foundintheground database will disappear for a short time to allow for an upload to a new package to increase it's capacity. I cannot upload any new finds un till this operation is complete so I will just be preparing the photo's ready to upload.

1st/2nd century AD enameled dress fastener - Romano British variant 29
Hattatt

15th July 2008 More finds uploaded - interesting news

Relic Made to Ward Off 'Evil Eye' Found

Rare artefact found at Roman site

Continuing to upload our finds to the 3 new albums, Roman, Medieval and Stuart.

17thC toy petronel	17thC sword hanger
Romano/British mount 38.68g, 55.64mm L x 15.43mm W x33.39mm H	Roman period buckle 4.73g, 26.71mm L x 12.57mm W

13th July 2008 Stuart period finds

I have started a new photo album on our data base of our Stuart period finds

House of Stuart, 1603-1714
James I 1603-1625 (great-great-grandson of Henry VII)
Charles I 1625-1649 (second son of James)
[Commonwealth 1649-1660] Cromwell
Charles II 1660-1685 (oldest son of Charles)
James II 1685-1688 (brother of Charles II)

1625 Charles 1st bust silver item- 0.58g, 13.54mm L - acquired by Colchester museum	17thC spur rowell
Description: A thin gold band, the exterior engraved with a skull flanked by pointed triangular panels with traces of white enamel in a lozenge pattern. Inside the inscription contains much of its black enamel:prepare be to follow me IK ob4 1st 67 (IK died 4 January 1667.The inscription is followed by the maker's mark, BW in a rectangular shield. The skull may once have been enamelled black. Note This is characteristic type of morning ring. There are some thirteen similar examples at the British museum dating from 1600s to 1730s(see Dalton 1471-1472). From British museum report on the ring On display in Colchester museum	Charles II flaming heart intaglio Issued in 1662 to commemorate Charles II marriage to  Catherine of Braganza

12th July 2008 Chess pieces ID'd

Great e-mail in from UK Simon finally ID'ing our outstanding 'chess' pieces. We found a whole series of different types from the same area of a fair site last season. All my investigation searching for a date and ID came up blank so I just assumed they were medieval bronze chess pieces. Simon had also found some and thought the same but sent them to Nigel Mills for further ID. They came back as 17thC seal top spoon handles. I quickly took out my Spoons 1650-1930 reference book by S.Moore and sure enough on page 5 there is an example of our 'chess' pieces !! Thanks to Simon for clearing up a whole series of finds ID's. It does however raise a couple of interesting questions. The ones we found did not have any seal on the end and it would be very odd that so many broke and were dropped in the same area. Several of them do not look like the stem broke off, Was this a stall at the fair where you selected your 'style' of spoon handle from samples and ordered up your set of spoons in silver ? Or did this type od spoon become unfashionable by the 1649 Commonwealth period when the first plain topped spoons appeared and they removed the chunky end ?

'Eating implements, until the end of the 17th century, consisted of a knife and a spoon only: the fork, despite being in use in some Continental countries and not unknown in Britain, was not yet in general use. Furthermore, one’s knife and spoon were personal possessions, in the sense that one carried them and used them when dining at other houses, as they were not supplied at table by the host. It follows that the material from which one’s spoon was made would be an indicator of one’s social and financial status.'

Brass seal top spoon

Stuart, around 1650

A brass spoon with a seal top end and fleur de lys stamped on the bowl.

In the 17th century people carried their own personal eating utensils as well as writing instruments. Most letters and documents at the time were sealed with wax, and so spoons were often manufactured with the owner's seal on the end of the handle.

PAS lists these spoon handles as EARLY POST MEDIEVAL (Certain), Circa 1500 AD - Circa 1599 AD

The designs of the silver examples I found indicate a date range from Elizabeth 1st to Charles 1st

James 1st seal top spoon

11th July 2008 Uploaded more finds

More medieval and Roman finds uploaded to the albums

Roman bronze key 41.19g, 55.95mm L	1st to 4thC Roman key 48.36g, 54.94mm L x 34.45mm W x 10.33mm T
9th/10thC Saxon key	C10thC Saxon bronze key 10.41g, 40.88mm Lx19.58mm W x 6.30mm T

9th July 2008 More fixed coins and updates - Coin hunter award

It is time to go back through the exports and count the coins found to see who won the 'coin hunter' of the year award for this past season. There was no apparent guy that stood out while I was processing the finds so it will be a close call. The average find rate is around 50 pre 1900's coins a week. Previous winners have been around the 90 mark but I think 70 plus will be a winner.

Great results again on the fixed coins especially on the James VI hammered silver Eight Thistle Merk which was very brittle and chewed on the edges. Updated the coin straightening page.

More updates to the data base and photo albums

1351-2 Edward III hammered silver groat (4 pence) Series C Mintmark Cross1 - annulet stops, lis on breast Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint 3.96g, 25.78mm 0.95mm T
Scotland 1602 James VI hammered silver Eight Thistle Merk, I shilling and eight pence (20 pence) Obv - JACOBUS 6 D.G.R SCOTORUM Rev - REGEM IOVA PROTEGIT 1602
1344 -1351 Edward III Third 'Florin'coinage hammered silver penny Obv + EDWR ANGLE DNS HYB Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON London mint 1.38g, 17.78mm

8th July 2008 Latest repaired coins

Another great set of result on the bent hammered coins just picked up from the goldsmith, posted them on the coin straightening page . The Henry VIII hammered silver groat looks perfect. Both the Edwards were very low silver content but still cleaned up OK. It is amazing how he gets them so flat like the profile picture on the left.

More Medieval and Roman updates posted onto the data bases and picture gallery

1554-8 Philip & Mary hammered silver groat - Lis mintmark
1526 -9 Henry VIII hammered silver groat - 2nd profile issue, London mint Obv shows reversed roman D for C in Henric, Im Rose Obv HENRIC VII DI GRA REX AGL Z FRANC
1344 -1351 Edward III florin type hammered silver penny Obv EDWAR ANGL DNA HYB Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint
1344 -1351 Edward III florin type hammered silver penny Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London Mint
1566 - Elizabeth 1st hammered silver penny - rolled perfectly by the plough !! 3rd issue Portcullis mintmark

7th July 2008 More updates

More updates posted to database and albums

Celtic Woad cosmetic grinder - boat shaped with suspension loop 14.5g - 45.12mm L x 9.88mm T

Woad has been grown in Europe since the Stone Age and has a long association with East Anglia, notably with Boudicca and the Iceni tribe who used woad to colour their faces before going into battle. Further north the Picts also gained notoriety for their body painting with the blue woad dye. The Romans referred to these Ancient Britons as Picts as it is Celtic for "painted".

Production of woad in England declined because of imported indigo from South East Asia and the development of synthetic indigo, which was cheaper to create. Consequently the last woad mill in Lincolnshire closed in 1932.

Roman 1st to 4thC dagger handle	2nd C Roman blue and yellow enameled Plate brooch - 7.56g,28.1mm L x 15.46mm W
Legio XIX Roman legion ring	Roman bronze key 56.66mm L35.47 mm w 11.73mm t, 55.86g

5th July 2008 Roman updates

I have started to upload the Roman finds to the new database and photo album. Remember this database has a great search engine so type in any key word to display a find or coin. I am using a software package to improve the quality of the pictures as I up load them.

I sent Mark an e-mail about the last Roman coin he ID'd as to it's rarity. Here is his very interesting response.

Roman bronze winged Phallus pendant 27.87 - 49.02mm L

4thC Roman gold ring with green stone now on display in Colchester museum

Roman 1st/2ndC copper alloy votive offering 7.63g, 39.43mm H x 5.09mm T

3rd July 2008 Roman ID'd - More Members Ganes Creek pictures

Mark has sent me an ID of the Roman bronze from yesterday and it is a lot earlier than I thought at 65 AD . That's why I use a Roman expert to ID our Roman finds as I am useless !! I also got the date of the USA half cent wrong as the members tell me it is 'Classic Head, 1809 to 1836.'

Roman 25.46mm, 5.65g

Idaho Gerry has sent me loads more pictures of the members finds at Ganes creek over the last two weeks.

Gold finds with a Morgan dollar for size.

As some of you know I not only sell all 3 major brands of detectors, but I also offer 3 Day Field Training Trips for the Gold Detectors and I do the 'Barn' Hunts each Spring and Fall, plus trips to Alaska each June.

I am on the road a minimum of 1 week of each month and then in March, June, Oct, and Nov. I am gone 2 to 3 weeks of each month…So as you can see…it is hard for me to get my detecting business caught up when I return and then get the time to post and read the forums.

For the last 5 years I have been taking small 10 to 12 people groups to Ganes Creek, Alaska and hunting for Trophy Gold Nuggets. When I say Trophy, I mean the really rare ones of an ounce or larger. Sometimes we even get them in the multi ounce size or even in the pounders range…But the average person has a better chance at winning the lottery than finding a pounder. Anyway, we just returned and had a wonderful time.

Loads more photo's posted on the members forum

Here is a quick breakdown of the numbers.

Week #1 there were 13 of us (including Ark Gary) and we found approx 45 nuggets with a total just over 20 ½ ounces. There were 5 nuggets of almost an ounce or larger. Of those 5, three of them were over 2+ and the largest was a whopper of 3.40 ounce found by Buzz from Idaho. Buzz has been with me 3 other trips and finally broke the 1 ounce size on this trip. He’ll be with me this Fall there in England at the Barn House. Great Guy.

Week #2 there were 11 of us (including Nova Scotia Andy) and we found 42 nuggets for a total of just over 19 ounces. 3 of the nuggets were over an ounce and 2 of those were 2+ or larger. The largest was found by myself and it was a nice 5.22 oz piece I dug up the last day. Andy did as I expected and found 2 really good sizes gold nuggets with one of them coming while we did the Coin Hunt. He pulled a ¾ oz’er that we had missed earlier in the week using the F-75.

The 1st week I myself found a total of 12 nuggets = just over 7 ounces.
The 2nd week I found 7 nuggets with a total of just under 7 ounces.

My combined 2 weeks were 19 nuggets of various sizes from a half gram up to the 5.22 oz'er. All pieces together came in at 14 ounces. If any of you are interested in going to Ganes Creek next June or the Barn House , please email me and I’ll try to get some info to you.

Enjoy the photos. Gerry

2nd July 2008 3 weeks of 'cooking' - USA half cent - Alaskan gold

This silver Roman is the hardest I have ever had to try and clean. After 3 weeks of 'cooking' there is still a ton of crud to remove yet. I am not sure what to make of it but there appears to be large lettering and 3 abstract patterns. Back in the cooker for some more then !!

BC Roman silver ? As dug to 3 weeks of 'cooking'

While processing Cal Jason exports I noticed an interesting black copper that looked initially like a French design. It is in poor shape but cleaning it up I was amazed to see it is a USA Braided Hair Half Cent (1840-1857). What is very interesting is Jason also found his oldest USA coin a 1830 USA Liberty 5c by one of our old churches and this was from the same area. This church has produced a lot of early foreign coins, German, Dutch, French etc so it was obviously a very popular tourist trap.

Great find by an old church 1830 USA Liberty 5c coin

Braided Hair Half Cent (1840-1857).

Very unusual back on this Roman coin find from Jason, just sent it off to Mark Lehman for ID.

3rd C Roman 25.46mm, 5.65g

Colchester Member's had a great second week at Ganes Creek searching for gold. NS Andy's first trip was very productive and he sent me these shots, that's his nice chunks above. I spoke to Idaho Gerry last night and he got the big 5 oz' er and a load of other nuggets. He is going to send me more pictures to post. Congrats to the members.

1st July 2008 More updates

More find lists and pictures just posted on members forum. More of our finds added to database.

Medieval dagger quillion

Saxon (c.550-650AD) dagger pommel end piece

9thC Viking engraved silver strap end 5.82g, 44.44mm L x 11.91mm W

26th June 2008 More early Medieval finds - more land

Just a couple more exports to process then it is off to look at the new land for September. I am not certain it is a good idea to take on all that is on offer yet. Of our existing 200 + fields we have there are still a dozen or so fields that no one has walked on yet and these were in a very productive area that we only started searching for a few weeks at the end of the season. It is almost impossible to see new land and gauge what will be found. One of our most important finds. Mass Bruce's axe hoard, came from an ugly area in the middle of no where. A beautiful ancient Roman and Medieval church site was one of the worst producers we have had and in the end the guys decided to ditch it as it was so bad. Our main problem is too much land and half a dozen guys 'whistling Dixie' on it each week. I will be reporting back after I have seen the new sites on offer and let the members decide what to take on next via the forum.

Still updating our database with finds.

C 10thC Saxon key	10th/11thC Late Saxon stirrup mount - Type 12 openwork version Page 7 - fig 312, David Williams 20.10g, 46.78mm L x 27.47mm W x 4.99mm T
Incomplete harness strap distributor (probably a bridle cheek piece) of the late Anglo-Saxon to early Norman period

25th June 2008 More updates and ID's

Just got an ID and date back from Tim on the Irish button, great find.

More updates to our databases including some of our really nice Saxon and Viking finds,

Thor's hammer pendant - silvered base metal 2.45g - 22.59mm L Museums feedback 'The pendant is Viking period, so 9th-11th century. It represents Thor’s hammer which was called Mjollnir. I would suggest that it is Scandinavian rather than a copy, as it is securely placed within Viking mythology.'
1475 Dutch -Karel de Stoute -silver DOUBLE STUIVER
c 8th C Saxon bronze brooch 3.80g, 25.46mm L 15.24mm W
Late Saxon stirrup strap mount Class A Type 11a Sub tringular mount depicts a Lion looking upwards with its front paw raised and tail curled between its legs and over the back

24th June 2008 More exports and unpublished finds

MN Rob had some real nice bonus do dads in his export pouch including 3 rarer miltary buttons. I have sent off the Irish Kilkenny Regiment button off for dating as is it is not in my refernce books.

Irish Kilkenny Regiment button - one piece - sent off for dating	South Wales copper Conder farthing token dated 1793. Obverse: Bust to right: "SOUTH WALES FARTHING". Reverse: Prince of Wales crest within shield above sprigs of flowers: "PRO BONO PUBLICO 1793