Trooper Bri
11-22-2014, 07:52 PM
Didn't get started all that early today. Did a couple things around the house and wondered if Lee was going to call, or if he was loaded down at work with Turkey Day so close. Finally hit the road around 10:30.
Went back to the park I was at last week, and started near the area where I found those deep farm items.
None to be found this week, but started in with clad spills. Biggest was maybe 10 coins. It's a distant corner of the park, so kinda weird to find them where they were. Big surprise was the war nickel spill. 1942, and with it was a 1942 and 1943 wheatie. So I did a small 35% silver dance. :happydance01: 1'st signs of old life in that park so far.
Kept walking the beat in that corner, got more clad, and then what looked like another copper penny or dime signal turned out to be a deeper Native American design silver & turquoise ring. So I did a big dance. :yahoo:Popped out the plug of dirt and saw a makers mark. Got a bit more excited as it could a real Native American jewelry maker.
That seemed to be the grand finale. I worked that that area a bit more with just lone clad to show, then went rogue and wandered for the next couple hours. More clad, then headed to the car around 3:30.
The maker's mark turns out to be from the Bell Trading Company. Founded in New Mexico in 1935. They sold Native American jewelry in tourist areas in the southwest. In 1972 they changed their name and makers mark, so I have a ring at least 43 years old, and it may be Native.
Here's a link to the Native American maker's mark site I found. http://www.art-amerindien.com/signature_picto-hallmarks.htm
The ring is too small for my big mitts. It would fit my pinky if I had it expanded a wee bit.
Sorry for the lousy indoor pics. She shined up better than it looks. I'll get one in the sun tomorrow.
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Went back to the park I was at last week, and started near the area where I found those deep farm items.
None to be found this week, but started in with clad spills. Biggest was maybe 10 coins. It's a distant corner of the park, so kinda weird to find them where they were. Big surprise was the war nickel spill. 1942, and with it was a 1942 and 1943 wheatie. So I did a small 35% silver dance. :happydance01: 1'st signs of old life in that park so far.
Kept walking the beat in that corner, got more clad, and then what looked like another copper penny or dime signal turned out to be a deeper Native American design silver & turquoise ring. So I did a big dance. :yahoo:Popped out the plug of dirt and saw a makers mark. Got a bit more excited as it could a real Native American jewelry maker.
That seemed to be the grand finale. I worked that that area a bit more with just lone clad to show, then went rogue and wandered for the next couple hours. More clad, then headed to the car around 3:30.
The maker's mark turns out to be from the Bell Trading Company. Founded in New Mexico in 1935. They sold Native American jewelry in tourist areas in the southwest. In 1972 they changed their name and makers mark, so I have a ring at least 43 years old, and it may be Native.
Here's a link to the Native American maker's mark site I found. http://www.art-amerindien.com/signature_picto-hallmarks.htm
The ring is too small for my big mitts. It would fit my pinky if I had it expanded a wee bit.
Sorry for the lousy indoor pics. She shined up better than it looks. I'll get one in the sun tomorrow.
44570
44571
44572
44573
44574