tippyhound
New member
Not at sure this is the correct place to make this post (if not please move to the correct part of the forum), but I could use some help identifying this obviously old object.
My wife and I have been hunting this old golf course that closed down in 2009. It was named the Lincoln Trail Golf course. So named because a portion of this old trail used by Abraham Lincoln and other legal staff that followed a trail through out central Illinois practicing law. (The trail was used from 1839-1853)
It is one of the few areas that you can make out the old trail quite clearly. It passed through the old Lincoln Trail Golf Course for perhaps 300 yards. It is about 3-4 feet deep by 10-12 feet across. I have not hunted this to any real extent but plan on doing so when the weather cools down. The old golf course was sold to the city after it closed down in 2009.
To date no coins have come from the depression but I plan to hunt it a little closer latter on. The item I am going to show you was found on the upper edge of the depression and was only about 4 inch;'s deep. The depth doesn't mean much as the golf course was always making changes to the land scape over it's 93 year (1928-2009) it was in use. Many coins and pieces of jewelry has been found on these grounds and we are only beginning to scratch the surface, but this object intrigues me, and I could use some help figuring out what it is.
It is about 4 inch's long is made of either copper or bronze (I'm betting on bronze as it is quite heave and very ridged) It is all hand forged as though it was made by a Black Smith. There is no welds so it was cut and formed by hand.
My impression is it was used as a form of horse tack, possibly a bridle piece to hold a mouth bit, or maybe a harness piece. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It read 12-40 12-41 . I love coins but finding something like this really helps keep my interest up, and that's what makes this hobby keep going for me.
Thanks in advance. Rick IL
My wife and I have been hunting this old golf course that closed down in 2009. It was named the Lincoln Trail Golf course. So named because a portion of this old trail used by Abraham Lincoln and other legal staff that followed a trail through out central Illinois practicing law. (The trail was used from 1839-1853)
It is one of the few areas that you can make out the old trail quite clearly. It passed through the old Lincoln Trail Golf Course for perhaps 300 yards. It is about 3-4 feet deep by 10-12 feet across. I have not hunted this to any real extent but plan on doing so when the weather cools down. The old golf course was sold to the city after it closed down in 2009.
To date no coins have come from the depression but I plan to hunt it a little closer latter on. The item I am going to show you was found on the upper edge of the depression and was only about 4 inch;'s deep. The depth doesn't mean much as the golf course was always making changes to the land scape over it's 93 year (1928-2009) it was in use. Many coins and pieces of jewelry has been found on these grounds and we are only beginning to scratch the surface, but this object intrigues me, and I could use some help figuring out what it is.
It is about 4 inch's long is made of either copper or bronze (I'm betting on bronze as it is quite heave and very ridged) It is all hand forged as though it was made by a Black Smith. There is no welds so it was cut and formed by hand.
My impression is it was used as a form of horse tack, possibly a bridle piece to hold a mouth bit, or maybe a harness piece. Any help would be greatly appreciated. It read 12-40 12-41 . I love coins but finding something like this really helps keep my interest up, and that's what makes this hobby keep going for me.
Thanks in advance. Rick IL
