Sometimes it just isn't what you think it is!

[Finderskeeper]

Was out with the Excalibur II and the new earbud modification. I like to use the Excalibur II 1500, as I call it as it has the WOT coil on it, on land too. So I decided to hit a local school yard that I have hit in the past. It is right next to an old church and cemetery. I was hitting some wheaties and some clad quarters, dimes & nickles when I had a tremendous sound coming from my Excalibur. A sound like it never made before. Thought it was a can or some other piece of junk metal. Pin pointed it and started digging. Dug up a gold Waltham pocket watch. Down about 16 inches. It was heavy and it was old and it was gold....kind of. I've not heard of too many people digging up pocket watches. Not sure it that is a rare event or not.

When I got home, I did some research on the watch. As it turns out, it was made in 1913. It was not really gold, but gold filled. (plated) Walthams, when working, are collectors items. But this one was not working and was corroded inside so it was worth........$00.00. The pocket watch was pretty common back in the day and were the equivalent of today's wrist watch. So they were massed produced and most were either gold plated or as they called it back then "gold filled".

What I did learn was that metal detecting can make you aware of the past. I learned a whole lot about Waltham watches. I also learned that never get your hopes to high and never count your chickens before they hatch.

I've talked to several detectorists about the big find that turned out to be a dud. Seems that almost everyone has an experience where they thought it was worth a fortune and then learned it was just trash.

All I can say is you can sure learn a lot about history with a metal detector and an internet connection!

 

[Rick(ND)]

This one sure does look real good and could fool a person real easy when you first see it. Most pocket watches we find are the cheapies and find only the cases and other parts, but this one you found really looks nice and even though it is not worth a lot of money anyone would be proud to have it in their display collection.

Great find.

Rick

 

[bkravitz_spectrav3]

Ive been with two hunters this year that have both pulled waltham watches similar to yours right out of the groud.
Its still a cool find.

B

 

[JimmyCT]

Nice find! never know what you are going to find next to an old cemetery and church. Wow, that thing was down 16 inches? I hope you have nice easy soil to dig in. Thanks for sharing!

 

[GunnarMN]

I found a lid of a pocket watch , it was down 14" and was giving a full sound, I air tested it at 18", I dreem of finding a gold pocket watch when you start finding gold crowns you have dug to deep in the cemitary but i did find shell casings from the firing of guns at military funerals . sorry for the disapointment

 

[Critterhunter]

That's a great find. I've only dug the gears from a pocket watch once. It was near an old indian camp site (I think, based on the holes dug in a pattern for teepees or tents) and I have visions of some indian stripping the gold casing of the watch and throwing the rest away.

 

[Florida Keys Pirate]

Still had to be fun finding that !

 

[Finderskeeper]

Still had to be fun finding that !

Yeah it was but then again.......finding out it was worthless was a big let down. Oh well......I guess I'll just keep on trying.