nugget108 1,743 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Hello everyone, hope you all are making it outdoors to enjoy the spring time weather. I took the boys out on Sunday along with my friend Larry to our usual spot. No nuggets again this trip but my oldest boy found a 1903 s barber dime and a few cool relics. My youngest boy found a lot of rusty stuff which he loves. Larry found some old Levi buttons and rivets and lots of square nails. I got a really loud reverse signal and knew it was (junk iron) but figured I would dig it anyway just because. Over 30 inches later I found what looked to be a piece of cast iron pipe at the bottom of the hole. Got it cleaned off some and noticed there was a base on it. Got it out finally and I was pretty happy. I just dug a cast iron mortar that was in perfect shape. Probably my coolest intact relic I have found. I searched and searched for the pestle but had no luck. It cleaned up nice though and has some cool designs. I'm pretty happy with this one. Sure wish I knew the history behind it. Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hardtimehermit 512 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Great relic find! i would be pretty darn happy to find that guy, that's fun digging for that unknown target screaming at you, never know what might pop out of the hole! Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Swampstomper Al 1,336 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 WOWZA..!! Super kewl finds all around, Dan..! I hope you're able to locate the pestle in the future for sure..! And that '03 S -- I'm pretty sure it's the most key post-1900 Barber dime there is..! Swamp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nugget108 1,743 Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 Hold the phone........ my mistake. It is a no mint mark. I repeat no mint mark. We were talking on the way home how cool it would have been if it was a S mark. Sorry everybody. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SanDomingoJim 459 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Great finds for sure, congrats and thanks for sharing!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Swampstomper Al 1,336 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Oh wow -- bummer about the no mint mark.. Still a nice find though.. Plus the coins y'all have found in the past give you a decent time frame for when that area had been worked in the past, which is always nice to know in relationship to the local mining history.. And, as you've already proven in the past, you're in a really great location for finding mint marked coins.. I'm waiting for one of y'all to beep a Carson City.. Swamp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Au Seeker 3,173 Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 Very nice , I love finding old coins, but that mortar is awesome, you need to put it to use if and when you find some suspected gold bearing ore/rocks even if just to try it out!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nugget108 1,743 Posted April 19, 2016 Author Share Posted April 19, 2016 I have one similar that my grandpa gave me, just not as old. I used the pestle from it to crush up some gold baring quartz. It works haha. Now it's sitting on the mantle here in the house. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spa in nv 45 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 (edited) Nice Dan! Wouldn't you like to know who used that last? The mortar that is. Edited April 20, 2016 by spa in nv Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nugget108 1,743 Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Heck yeah, I would love to know the history behind it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mike C... 713 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Nice finds Mike C... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oregal1976 271 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 That's so awesome!! Congrats on some very cool finds! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Swampstomper Al 1,336 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 15 hours ago, nugget108 said: I have one similar that my grandpa gave me, just not as old. I used the pestle from it to crush up some gold baring quartz. It works haha. Now it's sitting on the mantle here in the house. Dude.. Character.. That's what it's all about.. I bought a new one last year, and while it's perfectly functional it isn't something I'd even consider putting on a mantle.. It looks like one of the wet sand casting projects we did back in 8th grade shop class -- when they still started teaching skills in Jr. High.. No character to it at all; just reversed sand pits & bumps and rasp marks where they filed off the burrs.. The shop teacher might have given it a B if he was feeling generous.. Most likely it would have gotten a C.. Swamp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
H-2 Charlie 187 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Cool find . Is it a old yurn of some sort ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nugget108 1,743 Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 Charlie, It is a mortar for crushing ore. They are used for crushing a lot of things actually but they are most commonly used for crushing and sampling ore or getting gold out of its host rock. This one was found in an old mining camp so Im pretty sure it was an ore crusher. Sorry if I went into too much detail. You might know what one is but just couldn't tell by the pic. Dan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nugget108 1,743 Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 I agree swamp. Character is everything. That's why it's up where it can be seen by all haha. It's a nice piece, my luck I'll start using it and it will split in half or something. So I'll use the one grandpa gave me and stare at this one and ponder the history behind it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steel Pan 327 Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I used to use a mortar and pestle when I was doing assays. You could get samples very fine for better dispersion of values throughout the sample. Great find! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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