Plumbata
Well-Known Member
Whelp, it's been a while since posting any digs, so I'll be sharing a selection of the many discoveries made in my generous 1920s dump. It will take a while to round-up the many worthy finds made during this chilly digging season, so feel free to check for updates! For starters, here are the delicious precious metal eyeball finds I've made! Here is everything collected together. 113 grams of silver flatware in varying degrees of corrosion due to the chemically harsh environment of the dump. The 1946 quarter was eyeballed along a creekbank dump from the 1910s-1950s.
40.3 gram large Coin silver (0.900) spoon, engraved with "Johnny Jany 1st /68" on the rear, (New Years 1868). Pretty kickass find considering it was dumped 60 years after it was made. The "Matson & Hoes" firm was based in Chicago from 1864-1867, though clearly may have been in partnership for a short time in '68.
20.06 gram Sterling spoon with nice engraved floral design, found yesterday.
1.75 gram, 20 karat gold ring eyeballed before shoveling it out of my hole. My first "true" gold dump find (not including some gold dentures found in a 40s dump when I was 9)
And a Gold-Filled "Eversharp" mechanical pencil. I will probably try soaking it in concentrated Nitric acid to dissolve the copper alloy foundation underlying the gold foil. I think it is 14K but see no markings.
Some dig/in-situ shots. In this section of the dump, one can expect many milk and soda bottles. That big cylinder is an ungainly ~100lb hot water tank. Once removed, prime bottles were located piled up behind it.
A rusted bucket (part of the rim visible in bottom half and center of image) which i identified as the source of the 29 BIM cylindrical "Liquid Opeldeldoc" meds I've dug so far. Never dug one before. Definitely a late-throw-cache and very fun to find. There were 5 or so more of them beneath the 4 visible ones.
32 ounce BIM Higgins master ink
Scarce local soda:
Different area of the dump, which contains my prized late BIM local druggists.
I've dug many nice bottles and additions to the Peoria collection, so check back for more pics as I get around to processing all the stuff I've dug. Happy hunting everybody!