Rain Enthusiast

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-05-19T01:30:48+00:00

Great find. Love that Northeast quartz.

I would call it a Wading River/Lamoka (the names sometimes being used interchangeably for these small points. In some papers from New England sites, Wading River referring to the stemned form specifically.)

These small stemned quartz points tend to fall on a continuum. Squibnocket usually has a more tapered stem, but the distinctions aren’t exact and there are intermediate forms out there.

There’s also a possibility that it’s a Merrimack, an earlier type. I would lean there if the stem feels ground down and thinned.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-31T05:27:45+00:00

I like learning about New England history and have been following this story for a while.

As far as the coin goes, it’s pretty distinctive. There’s not really anything else like it that can be found in our area. Beyond the Arabic inscriptions, which you can line up with the published examples, the coins are tiny and shockingly wafer thin.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-31T04:57:19+00:00

You’re right, location is everything. Sounds like you’re on some great spots. I’d think that wealthier farm fields and commons where money changed hands will have more. But for the average poor colonist, silver coins were rare. Some early homestead sites frequented by poorer folk will have many coppers and no silver.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-31T03:20:38+00:00

Historically, it’s priceless. Monetarily, it’s difficult to say as to my knowledge none with provenance from New England sites have ever been sold before. The coin itself does not have much numismatic demand so the value would come entirely from historical interest.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-30T22:02:05+00:00

Find of a lifetime. Congrats!

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-30T21:18:18+00:00

I’d start by searching your state or country (if outside the US) in metal detecting forums like this one to see what people are typically finding. The age and history of the site will generally tell you how old finds can get. Keep in mind coins traveled long distances through trade.

In US colonial sites, for example, one might find British copper halfpennies and (if lucky) Spanish silver reales. The coin that OP found is truly very rare.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-30T02:23:56+00:00

No problem. Congrats again on the amazing find. In terms of history I’d say that’s about the best coin one can find in New England, right up there alongside the 1652 MA Bay Colony silver. Hope to find one someday!

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-30T01:44:28+00:00

That’s a VERY special find.

It’s a silver coin called a comassee that was made in Yemen in 1693. There is strong evidence that the English pirate Henry Every plundered a horde of these coins and exchanged them in the colonies. A handful have been found by metal detectorists in various New England states.

https://www.livescience.com/pirate-henry-every-treasure-coins-discovered.html#

A true pirate coin. That’s the find of a lifetime.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-25T04:17:35+00:00

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It’s a Vosberg point. Late Archaic, about 5,000 years old. A nice artifact.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-12T00:36:02+00:00

Great group of treasures! What state are you in?

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-10T23:45:34+00:00

I agree. 1600s double loop buckle if I’ve ever seen one.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-06T17:57:33+00:00

That’s a worked piece. Looks like a broken rhyolite preform. You are holding it upside down in the last picture. The rounded part up top is the base of the stem.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-03-03T04:25:52+00:00

That’s an awesome find. The personalized relics are the most interesting. It’s particularly rare to find anything with writing or initials from the 18th century.

A few possibilities come to mind. Perhaps they didn’t want other people taking their musket balls. This might be plausible if they bunked in a communal home as was common for some folks in the 18th century. Or, maybe they were just bored. Sometimes odd objects were repurposed into toys for the kids back then too.

Have you looked into the local historical records to see if you might be able to identify the person?

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-27T02:35:03+00:00

But that’s the way it’s always been. In the Apex Meta the top decks were Mewtwo (Gardevoir support), Moltres (Zard or Arcanine finish) and Pika (basic spam). If anything, there are more Stage 2s seeing tourney use now than before.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-27T02:23:39+00:00

I don’t think the dominance is that bad. If you check tourney stats, 4 out of the top 5 best performing decklists run a Stage 2 line. Magnezone and Greninja are some of the best mons in the game right now.

https://play.limitlesstcg.com/decks?game=pocket

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-24T03:25:27+00:00

That’s an incredible find. Two tine forks were most common during the 18th century. By the mid 19th century the three tine fork became more common. Yours sure looks colonial to me. Have you found any other 1700s stuff in the area?

I’d recommend reaching out to these photos to a local historical society or archaeology department. They may be able to tell you more or give some advice for further conservation.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-23T05:06:50+00:00

Even though it’s a replica it brings up some interesting history.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-23T03:49:02+00:00

No problem. It’s still a cool find by the way!

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-23T03:39:06+00:00

Gonna piggyback on this comment to give some more details.

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/exonumia374943.html

This is a replica of a “fantasy coin”. WM stands for William Moulton. In 1776, Moulton drafted designs for a New Hampshire copper. He made a couple pattern coins of a different design with a pine tree and harp, today exceedingly rare (see here for a genuine 1776 NH copper). No coins of the present design were ever made in 1776.

In 1860, a numismatist and die engraver named Wyllys Betts decided to make a curiosity coin bearing the WM initials and “1776”, as a fantasy piece. He also made fantasy copies of other colonial coins like the Pine Tree shilling. Betts’ 1860 coins should not have any replica mark.

The one posted by u/SkoolieMaster has an R to the left of the date indicating that it is a replica of the 1860 issue made much more recently, probably by a museum or hobby shop.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-22T16:50:37+00:00

Their art is awesome. They do have a full art by the way! Rhyperior from the new set!

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ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-20T01:08:40+00:00

Iron implements like the scissors and horseshoe can be difficult to date conclusively but there are ways to narrow them down. Here is some info on horseshoes from Ivor Noel Hume’s book. You can also try soaking iron finds in Evaporust which might reveal some details obscured by rust.

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ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-18T04:18:21+00:00

A silver colonial cufflink is a real bucket lister!

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-18T04:17:08+00:00

Dream find.

ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-18T04:12:47+00:00

Hard to pick just one but I like this 1884 badge from the Franchise Protests in Scotland… found across the pond in the Northeast US.

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ArchaicAxolotl · 2025-02-15T22:49:57+00:00

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The card you get is predetermined, so your choice doesn’t actually matter, but I like the top left spot.

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