Friday & Saturdays Finds

[chevyman52]

I went back to the honey hole Friday evening and found a 1919 Merc and a 1943 Merc., and the honey hole has actually been completely covered over now with dirt hauled in from somewhere else. My neighbor and I detected it and found nothing in the new dirt Weds. evening. I was by my self friday when I found the 2 Mercs. down at the very end of the site where they did not cover the old ground. We both have been over that spot before but missed them. I returned Saturday morning and detected that spot some more and found the 1943 P war nickle and this little ball bearing looking thing. The ball bearing looking thing was tarnished like silver would be but, has no holes in it to be a bead. I brought it home and dipped it in connoisseurs silver jewelry cleaner and swirled it a round a few seconds and the tarnish was removed. I use a AT PRO Detector and it read the same as all the silver dimes and had the same high tone as they did so I believe it is silver but, I am not positive yet. Anybody got any ideas what a small silver ball would be for? Now we will have to eventually find us a new honey hole. THANKS FOR LOOKIN AT ALL THE POSTS FROM THERE. Between my neighbor and I and a few other people that we talked to that detected there, there was over 100 silver coins found in that small lot. WOW. HH.

 

[knarfj]

Nice finds! Such a shame to cover a nice honey hole like that. But that's progress.......

My guess about your ball bearing thing is .......it's a ball bearing. Or more likely a steel shot designed for use in a modern slingshot manufactured by "Wham-o" or "Marksman". They make round steel shot in the 1/4 and 3/8 inch sizes.

HH

 

[chevyman52]

@ Knarf: That is a possibility but, it only weighs 3 grams. I think those steel shots are heavier than that but not sure.

 

[nolanation]

Doesnt look like silver from the picture, I would guess it is just a ball bearing as well.

 

[chevyman52]

@ nolanation and knarf: It passes the old magnet test. Does not stick to it like a ball bearing or steal shot would. I will take it to a jewelry shop to find out for sure and post what I am told then.

 

[runninnavaho]

That one mercury looks like its toning, if it is be careful trying to get the dirt off of it.

 

[chevyman52]

Where we were finding them there was a lot of bottle caps and other iron in the ground with them, so a lot of the dimes we found were stained by rusty iron.

 

[rlt9999]

I know what that is. It's a silver bullet used in a muzzle loading gun to kill werewolfs.

 

[chevyman52]

rlt9999: That is exactly what I told my wife. LOL.

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Nice digs !!

 

[MikeO]

Nice finds.

Old Mercs are so beautiful.

 

[chevyman52]

I had a acid test for silver done on the little ball. It failed the test so I do not know what it is except that it is not a ball bearing or steal shot or silver. Oh well wishful thinking. LOL.

 

[laserfeller]

Could it be a stainless steel ball bearing. Most stainless steel is not attracted to magnets.

 

[chevyman52]

I dug it at 4"- 6" I would thought it had been there long enough to rust a little if it was stainless, because the stainless at the shop I work at rusts a little after exposure to the out door elements. But, Its possible it might be a higher grade of stainless. It was tarnished like some silver would be.Its junk is all I'm thinking now.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Very nice !

 

[knarfj]

Could it be a stainless steel ball bearing. Most stainless steel is not attracted to magnets.

I've been home bound lately, my P/U is in the shop, so for the record, as I see it:

Most quality modern "cutlery" is made of good 400 stainless steel (no inclusions) and it is very responsive to a magnet, .i.e, magnetic field. As an example, a quality kitchen cutlery knife set, i.e., chef knife, steak knives, etc., will act accordingly.

Another example would be most any typical pocket knife with a stainless steel blade/blades. If the subject item is a ball bearing and is "used between steel races" it would also more than likely be of 400 series stainless steel and very responsive to a magnet.

An example of a common stainless steel item that would, most likely, not react to a magnetic field would be any 300 series stainless steel table flatware set or one of many other related cooking utensils. For what it's worth many "economically priced" fishing fillet knives are also made of 300 series stainless steel and are sold with a, as is, rolled (work hardened) cutting edge. As always, ya get what ya pay for!

Common, (ECU) Engine Control Unit.

HH