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That Plaque is in excellent shape..I'd leave it as is congrats on your first relic...looking forward to your next one!

strick

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Great find. Thanks for posting.

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most excellant?

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I found some surprising facts regarding this plaque. It was known as a Naional Honor Tablet and dates back to WWl - 101 years old. I mistakenly believed it was from WWll at the time I posted. The pictures below show an example of one in pristine condition. The italicized text is copied and gives the particulars.

Also, the day after my OP, I found a 1944 s wheat penny near the location of the plaque discovery  ... A WWII era penny that is 75 years old, found the day after the 75th anniversary of D-Day! Still of the belief that both finds (the plaque and Wheat) were WWll era-related, I was astonished at my luck. I am now really excited that my first permission has yielded both Great War and WW ll finds.

My friend, fishing buddy, neighbor and lifelong resident (he'll turn 94 years young this month) told me a story about, possibly, the first WWll casualty by gunshot on American soil.  It is hearing firsthand the tale of Mr. Poncie's death that actually piqued my first interest in taking up detecting as a hobby. It also lead me to seek specific permission to hunt this site. 

The brief tale as relayed to me: At the outset of America's involvement in hostilities, many domestic sites were ordered to be guarded due to their vital nature. Mr. Poncie's property bordered by a river over which ran a railroad bridge that was suddenly under guard. With this High Alert in place and unbeknownst to him after returning from work, it must have seemed a normal evening as Mr Poncie took his usual stroll along the river and to the fateful RR bridge. The young soldier shot Mr. Poncie dead. It shocked the entire small community. The trauma and emotion were evident on my friend's face, and in his voice, seven decades later as my friend finished telling the story.

While we both sat in silence, I believe I caught the metal detecting bug. It was within a few weeks that I found this forum, purchased an Equinox 800, obtained permission from the landowner to detect for some sort of evidence of war era relics. 

Like I said my backstory is inconsequential,  but in light of finding out some provenance, I thought the enlargement of my first post would be of interest to others on this forum.

This bronzed National Honor Tablet features a relief insignia Great Seal of the Unites States and embossed text: "THIS IS THE HOME OF A SOLDIER DEFENDING THE CAUSE OF GOD HUMANITY AND AMERICA." 
An advertisement in the May 11, 1918 Collier's Magazine shows that such door plaques were distributed by the Hart-Ickes Co. of Toledo, Ohio at that time.
Material has a bronze colored finish, but seems to be a soft, grey, non-ferrous metal, perhaps copper plated. 
As found condition; on the back there is illegible, hand written, pencil script; we can only faintly make out "Army" and the scratched year "1918." 
Condition as pictured. No significant bends or dents, very little wear or scratching. 
Measures 5 inches high, 3 3/4 inches wide, and about 0.05 inches thick. Object's net weight is 4.6 ounces/132 grams. 
No maker's mark or label. 


 

 

 

 

 

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