War Of 1812 In Alta California? Please Be Seated As This Story Unfolds...

[Cal_Cobra]

I attempted to capitalize on my success from our New Years Day hunt where my first coin of 2022 was a beautiful 1825 reale ( https://youtu.be/EFZ5Wf3cy2I). On that trip I removed a large section of brush that low and behold gave up several good targets once cleared. This general area produced several Phoenix buttons, a reale, green copper, flat buttons, relics, etc. This trip I tried removing more brush right in what was previously a hot zone, but I was shocked after busting my hump that the thicket of bushes wasn't hiding a single target. Tom likewise cleared out a large swath of overgrowth and after he went through with his Deus and got nothing (camp lead and shotgun butts perhaps), I went though it with the EQX and I did get what sounded like a good chance to be a deep coin, but it ended up being a deep shotgun shell. I don't recall shotgun shell being punishing on previous hunts there, but they were on this one, and I see that Tom also got an equally larger number of them.

Then I moved to the area that I had cleared out on the last trip and thought it made good sense to continue expanding my pocket and aside from a couple pieces of large iron, it was devoid of targets. While I was bushwhacking Tom decided to freestyle it on the deer trails. This would prove to be a good move, as he soon started having success.

Finally after Tom had bagged TWO Phoenix buttons and a flat button, I started working my way to where I thought he was, but the bottom line is I spent the majority of the hunt either bushwhacking dud areas, or exploring an entirely different area from where Tom was that ended up being practically devoid of targets. Tom kept texting me, hey I got another flat button, hey another phoenix button, hey a small birdcage button. Geesh he was killing it.

I ended up with a single flat button way out in the bush, and when I finally returned closer to the "zone", BAM I landed a neat button! How it got there is completely beyond me?? I researched it and it's what's commonly referred to as a War of 1812 Royal Navy Officer 15mm gilt brass flat button. This Royal Navy Officers one piece button was manufactured between 1798-1812. What's that doing in Alta California?? Anyone in California ever find one of these? I know when Spain wasn't looking the British were trading there, and when Alta California was under Mexican authority, the British could trade there.

On our way out we wanted to check an area that I sampled last trip and it produced a flat button or two. We were more thorough this time and hit an interesting little patch. Tom pulled a flat button and some big bronze foot to a candlestick or chalice or? Not far from him I got these two little silver buckles. Funky signal, silver screamer with other signals mixed in, pulled several targets out of this little area mixed in with junk. Got the little silver D buckle first, then the larger silver buckle second. Then I waded through some (gasp) clad and got a screaming flutey silver tone, and saw a little silver disc fly out of the hole!! Ended up being a seated half dime, a nice early one too from 1838. To bad it wasn't an Orleans mint mark, it'd be a high dollar little coin then, but it's still a killer find from early Alta California.

 

Nothing else too exciting to be honest, Tom was on fire! I believe he ended up with something like nine period flat buttons, and 2 Phoenix buttons, and a bunch of period green copper. Hopefully he'll post his finds here.

 

This was the maiden voyage for my new Coiltek 10x5 on the EQX800.  My overall impressions:  I was concerned about depth, but now I think without an A/B stock 11" vs the 10x5, I think it would be hard to notice in the field.  I don't think it was any easier maneuvering through the brush, maybe it was, but in reality it seemed like the coil was getting hung up just as much haha  When I got the seated half dime, the area was junky and it did really well separating each target in the mix when going slow , the 11" coil probably would've smeared some of the targets together.  I didn't find the balance to be any different, it didn't feel lighter, I guess I'm used to slogging the stock 11" around.

Thanks for looking!
GL&HH,
Cal

[Tom_in_CA]

Great to get out for a hunt Saturday.  Expanding the picture of history at the site.

Are you sure those buckles are silver ?

And as for the British navy button :  There's been plenty of British Navy 1-piece buttons found in CA.  But I don't recall that exact one (with the crown on both sides).  Very interesting.  And good sleuthing ID work.

Here's my buttons.   11 total, of which 2 were phoenix buttons.  

[Tom_in_CA]

And here's some age indicators, which we don't mind .  Green copper slag, pistol ball, etc....

[Tom_in_CA]

And , with the the tune of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly playing on a Spaghetti western, and Clint Eastwood comes riding in from stage right, here's the obligatory modern junk.   Some of these shotgun butts were from zones where hardly ANY new stuff is found.  Ie.: most everything is "interesting".  So you can imagine the heart-stopper signals, in an area where it's *supposed* to be a button or a coin, haha

 

The rest of the junk was where we knew full well we'd have to tolerate some clad and tabs.

 

 

[JCR]

Sounds like a fun time. I often clear brush or mow hoping to find some goods. Sometimes it works out. You gotta try what you can on a good history site.

[F350Platinum]

Nice finds Tom and Cal! It is interesting to see that old a button show up there. Shows us Easterners got nothing on ya. 😀

Those buckles could be silver or chrome plated brass. I've dug plenty of nickel plated brass here too.

Good times. 👍 

[Elbert]

Great finds guys. Congrats.  Darn tracker doesn't seem to be working.

[Valens Legacy]

Those are some nice finds the two of you found, a lot of history in the digs.

Good luck on your next hunt.

[strick]

Nice work fellas and thanks for sharing. Do you guys ever find those button hooks? Just curious I got one the other day and did not realize what it was as I had not found one before. 

strick

[GB_Amateur]

16 hours ago, Cal_Cobra said:

Ended up being a seated half dime, a nice early one too from 1838. To bad it wasn't an Orleans mint mark, it'd be a high dollar little coin then, but it's still a killer find from early Alta California.

Or better yet, no mintmark and no stars around the obverse.  (Ok, none of those are known to have been minted.  But that's why you would want to find one.  If authenticated, instant retirement!)

Nice finds for both of you.  That British button looks to be in decent shape.  Your arid Western climate comes through again.  I'm curious to know what that copper baseplate(?) is, Tom.