Nano second surprise!!!! Update…

[Ronstar]

Took the pendant to the Catholic Church and the helpful folks there took a look and tried to help see if the initials and date could be tracked. Seems the Catholics have a nationwide data base for these type items which shows communion or confirmation dates etc. we thought with initials and a date engraved it was highly possible to get it reunited, nope. Unable to match it up….

A couple opinions on the metal went from gold plated brass to bronze to whatever. In my experience those can discolor and or where it broke off the chain on top would have revealed the base metal and some rust. It is slightly larger than a nickel but weighed in at 4.52 grams, it is very thin as well. Decided to take it to a local reputable jeweler and explained the back story, it was 6-7” deep and what you see is how it was recovered. They looked at it under a loupe and then said to wait a couple minutes and disappeared. The young girl assistant came back and said “well I have good news, its solid gold!”
I thought she meant 24k and I think seeing the pale look on my face was enough to quickly then say it was 14k pure with no base metal. She told me the owner looked at it under a high power microscope and another instrument and confirmed the metal. I left with a pretty good smile and the blood slowly coming back in my face!!!
Someone, at some time was wearing it when the pendant broke off and probably didn’t know it until sometime later. It’s possible too that they didnt report it as lost to the Student Housing Office as they have no record of it either (if over 20 yrs they delete those reports so at that depth most likely way beyond 20 yrs). The clues are there but I found it past its report life, if anyone has any other ideas on researching please let me know.

 

[jim tn]

Dang nice surprise and solid return effort. Nice! H H jim tn

 

[laplander]

Congratulations on a gold more valuable than a coin in my opinion. Your item is one of a kind. If you want my opinion on something else, you won't find the owner because He or She has been gone a long time as I feel the date is 1887. That style of engravings is similar to love tokens I have found from the 1850's to the 1890's.
HH Jeff

 

[fwcrawford]

That is great to here that it is indeed gold.
To be that deep and come out of the ground looking like that, there was little doubt in my mind..
Nice find!!

 

[Donna(NJ]

W

Took the pendant to the Catholic Church and the helpful folks there took a look and tried to help see if the initials and date could be tracked. Seems the Catholics have a nationwide data base for these type items which shows communion or confirmation dates etc. we thought with initials and a date engraved it was highly possible to get it reunited, nope. Unable to match it up….

A couple opinions on the metal went from gold plated brass to bronze to whatever. In my experience those can discolor and or where it broke off the chain on top would have revealed the base metal and some rust. It is slightly larger than a nickel but weighed in at 4.52 grams, it is very thin as well. Decided to take it to a local reputable jeweler and explained the back story, it was 6-7” deep and what you see is how it was recovered. They looked at it under a loupe and then said to wait a couple minutes and disappeared. The young girl assistant came back and said “well I have good news, its solid gold!”
I thought she meant 24k and I think seeing the pale look on my face was enough to quickly then say it was 14k pure with no base metal. She told me the owner looked at it under a high power microscope and another instrument and confirmed the metal. I left with a pretty good smile and the blood slowly coming back in my face!!!
Someone, at some time was wearing it when the pendant broke off and probably didn’t know it until sometime later. It’s possible too that they didnt report it as lost to the Student Housing Office as they have no record of it either (if over 20 yrs they delete those reports so at that depth most likely way beyond 20 yrs). The clues are there but I found it past its report life, if anyone has any other ideas on researching please let me know.

WTG !!!! Never hurts to get it tested !!!!

So glad it turned out for the better !!!!

Congrats.
Donna(NJ)

 

[Listener]

Great news, excellent find and bountiful result. Makes up for all previous nano streaks.

 

[Ronstar]

Laplander,
You caught me off guard with your observation……. If you look at the 7 it has the horizontal line across it. Didnt that become a thing when the computer age invaded us and it was added to tell the difference between a 7 and a Z? I have seen the dots between the numbers instead of dashes more prevalent in European dating styles than American. Also, in enlarging the 8 it appears it was engraved more like a backwards S (with loops closing).
Thoughts? This turns out to be 1887 and the cognac on me!!!

 

[Odanscoils]

Oh man Awesome.

 

[rick in mi]

Nice job ronstar. You definitely followed through with your investigation... hhricknmi

 

[Ronstar]

A bit more of what I was able to confirm today……
Went to the University and contacted a couple professors in the Geology, Archeology, and (something ology) Building. Under high magnification they were able to tell the pendant was cast, not rolled or pressed. It’s more likely the item is quite old but the engraving on the back may be much newer. The engraving is hand done and probable to a European craftsman due to the style. A theory is maybe the pendant was great grandmother or grandmother’s and given as a gift to the granddaughter and thus 1987. It will take another professor to run the XRF machine and some other machine to see if the engraving is consistent with 1887 and original.
Cant get access to the other Prof until next week. I will continue to update on this thread.

 

[laplander]

I am sticking with my "opinion" LOL European tends to be hallmarked. Ultimately a cool unique piece congrats again!
I can already taste the Cognac LOL
HH Jeff

 

[Odanscoils]

Anxiously awaiting results.

 

[bwstephen]

Laplander,
You caught me off guard with your observation……. If you look at the 7 it has the horizontal line across it. Didnt that become a thing when the computer age invaded us and it was added to tell the difference between a 7 and a Z? I have seen the dots between the numbers instead of dashes more prevalent in European dating styles than American. Also, in enlarging the 8 it appears it was engraved more like a backwards S (with loops closing).
Thoughts? This turns out to be 1887 and the cognac on me!!!

Looks like 4/8/87 to me, you got a good eye!

 

[Ronstar]

UPDATE!!!!
Got s call back from the university guys. I had a Geologist and an Archeologist with differing opinions. They have an instrument available to them for research purposes, not for walk in folks off the street. A preemptive test was taken to satisfy their curiosity and the result was the gold was 64% positive for being N Europe and most likely mined between 1850-1900 (they could be more exact but again Im not paying for it so it was given to me in looser parameters). Thus more likely to confirm Laplander’s opinion of 1887 than 1987. Another clue is that pendants back then, when poured molten, are more likely to be one sided
The engraving on the back is highly thought to be more recent so the theory this was a hand me down and engraved at a much later date is strong.
The stuff we find!

 

[Ted S]

Pretty cool Ron!

 

[Odanscoils]

UPDATE!!!!
Got s call back from the university guys. I had a Geologist and an Archeologist with differing opinions. They have an instrument available to them for research purposes, not for walk in folks off the street. A preemptive test was taken to satisfy their curiosity and the result was the gold was 64% positive for being N Europe and most likely mined between 1850-1900 (they could be more exact but again Im not paying for it so it was given to me in looser parameters). Thus more likely to confirm Laplander’s opinion of 1887 than 1987. Another clue is that pendants back then, when poured molten, are more likely to be one sided
The engraving on the back is highly thought to be more recent so the theory this was a hand me down and engraved at a much later date is strong.
The stuff we find!

Interesting.
Be a nice return story.
Best of luck finding that owner.

 

[Ronstar]

Unfortunately a return may be statistically unobtainable. IF, and thats IF, the date is 1871 then it most likely came from the old houses nearby that were demolished in order to expand the Greek houses and the independent living dorms a long time ago. I have contact info now for the Facilities Management CAD specialist to see what info may be accessible that way.

 

[Odanscoils]

Unfortunately a return may be statistically unobtainable. IF, and thats IF, the date is 1871 then it most likely came from the old houses nearby that were demolished in order to expand the Greek houses and the independent living dorms a long time ago. I have contact info now for the Facilities Management CAD specialist to see what info may be accessible that way.

Love to hear your results.