I'll show you mine if you show me yours

Us-usual finds in the Gold Fields

I was just wondering what un-usual finds that others detectorist find on the gold fields.
Here are a few things that I’ve found in the last few days.
I have been working an area were there was at least 20,000 diggers in 1853 working that same area. I have found some very un-usual finds that they left behind in the way of relics at this site.
The first one was in a mullock heap about 16” down. Then I first pulled it out, I just thought it was an old top of a Kerosene tin. But looking at it further I noticed it may be made out of Copper or Brass and no Kerosene screw tops are made out of Copper or Brass. It was a sealed container of some sort, measuring 1-3/8” dia. ( 35mm) X 3/8 high (10mm). I did what all good detectorist do and put it up to my ear and shook it. Hearing a rattling noise I started to get excited, thinking that I may have just found an old times small Gold container. When I got home I weighed it and it came in at 22.5 gms Thinking that the container would go about 10-12gms that should leave me about 10gms of gold. Thinking not bad for a days work.
I cleaned it up and it turned out to be made of Brass with what looked like a hinged top that would not budge. After some attempts in opening it I finally go to see what was in side, but un-fortunately it also got damaged in the long run.
It turned out to be an old timers compass that he lost or got broken and he threw it away. The rattling that I heard was the broken glass face of the compass, and if you look hard you will see that the top has a dint in it. I don’t know if it happened when he lost it or it got dinted and the glass broke and he then chucked it. You can still see the gradualists of degrees. Petty it was broken but still a nice find.



After a clean up



In side was an old timers compass but with the glass broken.




The next one is a brass cylinder 1” dia (25mm) and about 2” long (50mm) with one end open and the other end has a complete round or dished bottom. Inside it also has lead that has been pored up to about 1/2'” from the rounded bottom, so when you put it on a table and try and push it over it stands straight up again. Also at the top there is a small hole on one side only. I think it could be used as a candle holder, but not sure.




The other final finds are, a top of a pocket watch, a very small press stud of a mans shirt.



“OH” I almost for got I also got 4 nuggets in the same area 0.1gm, 0.2gm, 0.5 gm and a 0.6gm. I still have many, many spots in this area that I have not even looked at as yet.




This is all the lead bullets that I’ve found since moving up to Maryborough 3 months ago and the reasons why I tell all new comers coming into this great hobby of ours that it is not a walk in the park. You will find more rubbish than Gold, fight of ants, spiders, fly’s and snakes, get grass seeds and burrs in your socks, not including ground noise and outside interferences to your detector and most of all you need perseverance knowing that one day you will find a piece of gold. If you can put up with all that you will make it in this hobby.


Well Boys & Girls I’ve shown you mine, so now how about you show me yours (un-usual finds)

Wombat

sorry Wombat, I thought you meant unusual junk

Shiraz Nice junk finds. That buckle on the top left hand side looks like an very old shoe buckle could be very rare.
Wombat

!!!!$$$$$$$$$$$$

Hi Wombat, Interesting post I have detected 3 compass's over the years one Darren at Gold & Relics purchased from me for his collection.
In the 80's we recoved many cricketing belt buckles sold one for $185.
Other items sutch as bullet molds, powder flasks & brass candle sticks.
Sorry no pictures.
Cheers
"TWO BOB"

very nice Wombat.
I like that area as there are few old diggers item around.
Very nice stuff there.
Will make few photos and post it soon.
Cheers

this is what i got yesterday in the triangle.... the nugget is 0.52gr. but what the hell is the other thing ,, i dont know..... after cleaning it up with a toothbrush,, i could make out the words.... GILT... BRITTISH...MAK??... last bit broken off.. i hope the stone is real.... any answers are welcome...

ok some of usual rubbish and some of unusual rubbish:



and i like this one:
i think its little finger protector when sawing called THIMBLES

Thanks Flyspecks for showing me your's. I don't know what that thing is with the Emerald in it (you hope ), and a nice little nugget as well, (they are getting bigger mate) Did you find them on Wed. Sorry I could not catch up with you, to many thing to do before Chrissie

Golden I have found thimbles made out of Sterling Silver, so it may pay you to clean it up a bit. My wife has also got one made out of 9ct gold that was found on one of the American Civil War battle fields. We got it of fleebay.

Wombat

Hi wombat, yeah, i went on wed. took the bike up for a spin, met another gold hunter(not forum member) .... and bingo these two items and lots of rubbish...... turns out to be something like a tie pin, the stone is a base stone, not worth anything, but i still have the nugget. will be back out again sooon cheers

Hi to all fellow seekers of GOLD. I found this at Waaneyarra on one of our trips last year. It was just across the creek from the camp and down about 15inches in some old tailings gravell. I also found a penny token (Annand Smith &Co 1949) in the same area and about 15 small pieces of gold for a total weight of 5gms. Dont tell anyone about the GOLD (it's a secret). All these items came from one of the most flogged places in the area. Cheers Grumpy.

Sorry people, I had a seniors moment while typing my last post. The penny token i found was made in 1849, not 1949. This was the first token to be distributed in Australia. One side has Brittania the same as the English penny of the same era and the other side has ANNAND SMITH & CO FAMILY GROCERS MELBOURNE. IF you want more information the Victoria Museum website has more details about these tokens. CHEERS GRUMPY.