Detecting in South Africa

Idaho, know what you mean. Hunting out here in the "colonies" isn't nearly as exciting as hunting the English countryside unless you are into stone artifacts. Especially out where you are and where I am here in Florida. The Spanish started Colonizing Florida about 1574 in St Augustine Florida. It was primarily a shipping point and a missionary station. Not much in the way of European population until about 1800 then mostly scattered settlements and the farmers were poor as church mice. It started to pick up when the railroads came in after the war between the states. By 1880 the place was booming. There was a land rush in the 1920s and after the bust the population grew gradually until after WWII when there was a boom. That is when I came here at 3 years. The town I grew up in was founded in 1914 as a sheep camp and railroad stop. I helped excavate two 'pioneer' (1823 and 1845) homesteads in Polk County Florida and in a week of detecting,trenching and screening a privy pit. we found buttons, broken glass, musket balls, an axe, and one coin. These people must have been dirt poor...The beaches are another story. Spanish galleons loaded with gold and silver went down all around the southern end of the state and that gold is still washing up. I guess we just have to be happy with what we find. I am. My latest find was a 1935 toy cap pistol. see attached.

Peter, Show us the gold!

X, Get well soon!

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg254399.html#msg254399

South Africa inland really only started in the Boer war (1890's) before that, no finds  But coming to England has opened up the world to me with age of finds.... Gambol, so far no gold, but I do have silver, so I am halfway there  You will soon know when I find gold 

I love that cap gun, a great find that  nicely framed also  Anyone heard for X yet?


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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg254458.html#msg254458

Ok, I have sms'd him but not sure what number he uses these days, so hope he gets the message... If I hear anything, I will let you all know 

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg254478.html#msg254478

Yeah, sure he is ok,,, but still would like to hear from him though  he likes making us squirm   

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg254486.html#msg254486

I've sent you all a PM

 

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,19144.msg254580.html#msg254580

Xavier