M1850 US Cartridge Box Plate....

[Bushrod]

...one of many US plates I've dug over the years, but one I'd never part with...if you look closely at the back of the plate, you'll see the initials "WM"...my initials! (William Moss). This plate came out of a site near Mechanicsville, VA in the late '70s...one that was loaded with US plates (and mason jar lids-lol)...I dug this plate from deep beneath the roots of a tree...didn't want to damage whatever it was, so I plucked it out with my WWII bayonet digging tool...as I washed the dirt off the lead backing to look for a maker's mark, I was knocked on my butt by what I saw...now what are the odds of digging a plate with your initials on it in a campsite from 1862? For those of you long-time subscribers to North/South Trader magazine, the story of this find was published in 1977...one last tip: dig every signal...on one trip to the site, after many mason jar lids, I got discouraged and headed to the car...on the way there, I got one last good signal on my trusty Nautilus..."another da_n mason jar lid", I thought...but what the heck...a turn of my shovel unearthed a beautiful US eagle breastplate...just goes to show ya...don't ever give up!!

[Dustin Mills]

That's a good story.

Hope I get to find one of those someday. You're right, the odds are pretty slim.

It was meant to be.

[Boaz]

MAN SWEET THAT THANK FOR showing it

[RELICUS MAXIMUS]

There are two kinds of trash I love to dig on a CW site; mason jar lids and beer cans.

[Dirtfishergabe]

Wow, That is a great find!!!

[Knoxtique]

beautiful plate...................