Musket Ball - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 3,608
chzman Pillar of the Community United States 1137 Posts	Posted 04/30/2013 8:18 pm Got out with my new AT Pro and just getting use to it. In my back yard, I found a bunch of pocket change, pocket drop of wheaties (3), several dimes but no silver yet. The most interesting find in my 2 hours was this musket ball. Is there any way to date these things? Another enthusiast told me that the white color of the ball indicates that it is an older one. I was wondering if it may be from the colonial period or even the Civil War. I live just 25 miles East of Fort Ligonier and 100 miles north west of Gettysburg, its possible some of those troops passed through this area many moons ago. Report this Post to the Staff

Dave H Pillar of the Community United States 1436 Posts	Posted 04/30/2013 8:33 pm Very neat find. If only it could talk and tell you its' history... Report this Post to the Staff
Metalman Pillar of the Community United States 7123 Posts	Posted 04/30/2013 10:22 pm The best way to date the ball is first to do some historical research for your area, for instance were any revolutionary battles fought near you? can you detect any place that the filler over flow was clipped from the ball? todays lead balls have no such clip since they are machine made. Can you tell if the ball is 100% lead? many of todays balls are a composition of lead and fillers like tin to harden them a little. balls were for the most part replaced by the mini ball which is bullet shaped by the time of the civil war. my guess is if the ball is old it's from the revolution or before. nice finds for sure, any finds that have you puzzling the past are great finds. Report this Post to the Staff
chzman Pillar of the Community United States 1137 Posts	Posted 04/30/2013 11:18 pm This town was Settled in 1897, I do not believe that there were homes here during the civil war, not until they started taking the coal out of the mountains here. This is still a coal town, my home was built in 1920 and it was the first home on this property. I live in-between two colonial forts from the French and Indian Wars, Fort Ligonier and fort Bedford and close to Forbes Rd which connected these two forts and the rest of them all through PA and parts of Maryland. I am going back to my yard to see if there are any more of these around. Report this Post to the Staff
Left Valued Member United States 240 Posts	Posted 05/02/2013 8:23 pm Sweet, speaking of civil war my aunt owns a 4 acre property bordering a "historic battlefield" cant remember which one and also has land bordering mount vernon I can wait to detect there. (need my detector first which means I need to get my grades up ) :( Report this Post to the Staff
chzman Pillar of the Community United States 1137 Posts	Posted 05/02/2013 9:23 pm I wish you luck Left, it sounds like a good time. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 5 / Views: 3,608

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