Last Session of the
Year
After stuffing my face with mince pies, chocolate and one or two heaving drinking sessions over the last week, it was time to get a bit of exercise and some fresh air do some coil swinging.
It feels as if it has been raining constantly for the last few weeks and as such the poor farmers fields are mostly underwater! Luckily for my farmer and for me, his fields have good drainage and have small puddles here and there. Today on the other hand was a beautiful sunny day, with a fair bit of wind, perfect for some detecting!
After my last outing earlier this month, I was lucky enough to gain new permission with the adjoining farm. With this in mind, and 'new field' hopes, I arrived at the chosen field, armed with my waterproofs and wellies. But after only ten minuets on the field, I felt as if I had grown an extra foot, with the mud on my boots. Its not much fun when its like this, as its so tiring dragging half the field about on your gear.
I gave it another ten minuets, and then decided to head onto the other farm, where there is a field still with rotting stubble and weeds. Its much easier and cleaner like this, so after a quick clean up I headed onto the field raring to go.
My first find of note was a button of the usual variety that we often find. I believe they are called Tombac buttons? Happy with the conditions and happy to be out, I concentrated on my detecting and slowed down my swing speed and pace. I enjoy this kind of detecting and like to see if I can winkle any smaller finds out.
I soon hit a bit of a noisy patch, finding quite a bit of lead dross and other bits of scrap. As I filled in a hole and checked to make sure I hadn't left anything behind, my GMP gave off a very quite signal. I brushed away a bit of stubble with my foot and the signal became a much more 'dig me' sound.
I retrieved the target with the first spade full, and set about narrowing down the clod, by breaking it up and checking it over the search head. The clod go smaller and smaller when at last I had a tiny clod of mud in my hand. As I squeezed it between my fingers, the heart stopping sight of a hammered edge poked out. I gave it a quick wipe and got my phone out for my favourite 'clod shots'.
With a huge grin on my face I put away my phone and had a closer look at the coin. I saw a Monarchs profile on one side and a shield on the other. I had a feeling it was a James, and when I got home and looked in my Spink book, I ID'ed myself as a James 1st Penny. With a LIS as the Mint Mark, which dated it as 1604-1605.
Happy Days
Happy Days
I put the coin in my tin to keep it safe and set about on the same line across the field. I carried on picking up small pieces of lead and a few more buttons, when I hit the second silver coin of the day. This time, its in the shape of a love token. I have only found one before, but this one is different as it has initials stamped onto one side.
With a pouch already full with a few decent finds, I was really happy that I made the choice to change fields. The wind had started to pick up quite a bit now and it was starting to get cloudy and cold. So with this in mind I decided to stay close to the entrance of the field, closer to the car in case the heavens opened up!
As I reached the end of the field, I turned around, moved two feet over and walked back up. My next was an old thimble, a find I always like to make.
As it was getting a bit late, and the light was fading fast, I decided to head back to the car, but take a slow route. I managed to find a few more buttons and a couple of worn Georgian coins and also a strange little thing, which I think could be a Victorian Hair Clip or maybe part of a brooch? It has a flower type of design at each end, and each end is gilded.
My last decent find of the session was a complete Spectacle Buckle. I always seem to find the broken ones. So I was really chuffed to find this one complete.
I was now at the entrance to the field, and back to the car, and with a pouch full of decent finds I was happy to call it a day.
Below is a picture of all of today's finds
Below is a picture of all of today's finds
2012 has been a fantastic year detecting for me. I was lucky enough to find 15 Hammered Coins, and some choice artefacts too, such as a 13th c Sword Pommel, a Roman Brooch and a number of other great finds.
It was also a great year in other ways too. I had a small article published in the October edition of the Searcher Magazine!!! A feat I am very proud of and one I hope to do again.
I also had the pleasure of detecting with my good friends on the British Metal Detecting Forum in sunny Scotland for the Bank Holiday Weekend in August.
If 2013 is half as fun as 2012 has been I will be one happy detectorist!!
Thank you for taking the time to visit and for reading my small reports in 2012.
Happy New Year
Carper
If 2013 is half as fun as 2012 has been I will be one happy detectorist!!
Thank you for taking the time to visit and for reading my small reports in 2012.
Happy New Year
Carper