The Tin Cup Dig

[Doc Bach]

So lately these days now that I am starting to age quicker and slow down a little faster I have been backtracking and frequenting some of my old haunts. Some dating back to the mid 1960's when I first became an antique bottle digger and soon afterward discovered metal detecting.That is at least the sites that haven't been destroyed by vineyards, poor logging practices and all of the other numerous types of changes and development.After all I have far better equipment to use now and way more knowledge but unfortunately far less strength and stamina.So anyway I will cut to the chase here is some of what I found recentely at a site that I discovered in 1975 and pretty much walked away from around 1982.Using the deus 1 in a modified goldfield program with the small elliptical coil to navigate the star thistles i hit the tin cup at around eighteen inches in a rich ash layer laden with artifacts.A few days later I returned with my sifter and other related tools and proceeded to do an excavation.

Some very beautifull calico buttons as well as Chinese coins and opium bottles.

The calico buttons first appeared in the 1840's and were made until just after 1900.

This multisided style of opium vile with the Chinese characters embossed on the base is quite rare.Unfortunately they are prone to self destructing when they come out of the ground just from even the most subtle change in air temperatures.This one badly fractured.Below are a few more pieces of big iron and the tin cup that were detected at the site.

My homemade sifter and and other essentials..

I found the plans for the sifter in treasure found magazine or other publication back in the mid seventies.

[Old Miner Don]

27 minutes ago, Doc Bach said:

So lately these days now that I am starting to age quicker and slow down a little faster I have been backtracking and frequenting some of my old haunts. Some dating back to the mid 1960's when I first became an antique bottle digger and soon afterward discovered metal detecting.That is at least the sites that haven't been destroyed by vineyards, poor logging practices and all of the other numerous types of changes and development.After all I have far better equipment to use now and way more knowledge but unfortunately far less strength and stamina.So anyway I will cut to the chase here is some of what I found recentely at a site that I discovered in 1975 and pretty much walked away from around 1982.Using the deus 1 in a modified goldfield program with the small elliptical coil to navigate the star thistles i hit the tin cup at around eighteen inches in a rich ash layer laden with artifacts.A few days later I returned with my sifter and other related tools and proceeded to do an excavation.

Some very beautifull calico buttons as well as Chinese coins and opium bottles.

The calico buttons first appeared in the 1840's and were made until just after 1900.

This multisided style of opium vile with the Chinese characters embossed on the base is quite rare.Unfortunately they are prone to self destructing when they come out of the ground just from even the most subtle change in air temperatures.This one badly fractured.Below are a few more pieces of big iron and the tin cup that were detected at the site.

My homemade sifter and and other essentials..

I found the plans for the sifter in treasure found magazine or other publication back in the mid seventies.

Impressive set of tools. Those buttons ARE beautiful!

[Valens Legacy]

Impressive hunt with great results.

Good luck on your next hunt and stay safe out there.

[F350Platinum]

Wow! Nice assortment of unusual finds. Goes to show that there is much more to discover than just metal.

It's sad to know that many were heavily addicted to opium and its by-products back then, might explain the calico buttons 🤪

[JCR]

Very nice.  Quite a few of the best aspects of life are mis spent on youth.

[Dig It]

Nice find's, especially on the opium bottle, I have only dug up pc's, hoping my time will come yet.... The Dillon Montana museum has a couple of them on display, then at the Winnemucca Nevada museum they have a couple of the opium tin's that are extremely hard to find because they just rust away, Very Nice Find's Doc Bach !!!!

[CPT_GhostLight]

Great finds, Doc, that's some serious relic hunting, well done!

Love your tool pack too. I'm going to have to make a portable sifter now! 😎

[Doc Bach]

Thanks CPT.

The sifter design is a little crude perhaps but I have always liked the low profile and comfort that it provides by working on the ground and not standing up in plain site all day.Out of site out of mind as the old saying goes.

[Doc Bach]

6 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

Wow! Nice assortment of unusual finds. Goes to show that there is much more to discover than just metal.

It's sad to know that many were heavily addicted to opium and its by-products back then, might explain the calico buttons 🤪

Thanks 350!

Yes the local opium trade back in the day was largely a direct byproduct from the California gold rush.

Opium runner clipper ship from the California gold rush era that wrecked in 1850 on the Mendocino County coast on its way to San Francisco. I stiil have trouble with sending links but if you google the frolic story at www.pointcabrillo.org it's an interesting story and insight as to what was happening.

[Fredneck]

Great follow up 40 years later to a very cool relic cache !! Love this story.