Thank you

[NH Civil War Gal]

For all of you who have been patient with me over the past year in educating me on relics, etc.

I'm in Maryland these last few days for a graduation. Today, being a very rainy, drippy day, my sister and I drove over to Leesburg, VA. We stopped at a couple of antique shops. Just looking - nothing in particular. The dealer at one shop was from NYC but retired to Virginia. We talked a bit and said we were on our way to Ball's Bluff, and he immediately wanted to show my something supposedly from Gettysburg.

It was a display box with a center picture of Custer, a Minie ball (a drop), and a couple of buttons. All for $89.00! I am not an argue in public type of person (or even in private) and didn't here. But he tried telling me that 1) Custer was the main man at Gettysburg and 2) the bullet was a shot bullet that had "hit someone." My sister was eating this all up. I steered her away and thanked him, but no thanks. When we were out of the building she asked me if I wanted that box. I said it was 1) way too expensive and 2) I could go toe-to-toe with him on that bullet alone.

Oh, and he wanted me to buy it right now, because he got it from a 92-year-old man "the digger" in Gettysburg who is grandfathered in to dig at the farms in the area and when he's gone, no more is coming out of G'burg.

So thank you all for helping educate me over the past year or so in this stuff. I didn't get taken today.

 

[1867crete]

I think you were smart! How on earth would you know a bullet hit someone?? And a couple of buttons and a Minnie for 89. The buttons would have to been something more then the average run of the mill buttons. They may have been but I'm sure they weren't. And the last red flag was on the pressure to buy rite away. Nope the whole the thing smell to high heaven for me!!!! Of course he may have been on the up and up. And the buttons been nice examples. But again I think you did rite!!! Great job!!

 

[captaindrew]

Sounds like a tall tail. Hope you are having a great weekend @NH Civil War Gal even though it's wet and drippy.

 

[mofederal]

I guess that is a reason I restrict my buying to WWI, WWII and Korean War. The stuff I buy, no one is digging it up. One still needs to be careful. I know there are Civil War dealers out there, but it is best to be careful.

 

[UCVRelics]

Great story, Thanks for sharing. A few years back I did a semi qua-say study. If all the bullets that were purported to be from Gettysburg, then they would have had to have fired a kajillon rounds at that battle.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I didn't get taken today.

Good for you !

Geeze . . . what an idiotic sales pitch.

But he tried telling me that 1) Custer was the main man at Gettysburg

2) the bullet was a shot bullet that had "hit someone."

he got it from a 92-year-old man "the digger"

Snort laugh . . . plus,

 

[UCVRelics]

Oh, and he wanted me to buy it right now, because he got it from a 92-year-old man "the digger" in Gettysburg who is grandfathered in to dig at the farms in the area and when he's gone, no more is coming out of G'burg.

I too am Grandfathered in to being the ONLY one who digs in the Confederate camps here, so when I go (i'm not even close to 92 yet) that will be the end of the relics from here.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I too am Grandfathered in to being the ONLY one who digs in the Confederate camps here, so when I go (i'm not even close to 92 yet) that will be the end of the relics from here.

And then we form a line at your storage unit!

 

[Package4]

You were very astute to walk, there are bullets that show evidence of hitting an individual, but they are incredibly rare. I have seen balls that show the cloth imprint of hitting fabric, which could be construed as being worn, due to the disfiguration of the lead.

 

[redbob]

You've learned your lessons well grasshopper.

 

[MRB1863]

Does the antique dealer have any bridges for sale?

 

[JOHN42768]

I imagine way back when, we all bought something we were sorry about afterwords. Good call

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

Did you ask him if he had any pieces of the True Cross? I'll bet they would have been at least $99.

 

[Package4]

Did you ask him if he had any pieces of the True Cross? I'll bet they would have been at least $99.

$150 with a nail...….

 

[CW Watch & Sword Guy]

I called up an antique dealer near Gettysburg one time, because I thought he might have a watch with a Civil War provenance. The guy said he did, and at first it seemed like it might be a fabulous thing. He said he bought the watch from a now closed local museum, and that the watch had been found on the ground shortly after the battle. He apparently knew something, though not a lot, about watches, because he said it was a "Howard Series I" in a gold case. Well, a fully original gold Howard Series I is a pretty rare and historically important watch even without a Civil War provenance to enhance it, so he knew that much. But then he said it was in a "box-hinged case," which made no sense at all, because that style didn't come into existence for more than two decades after the war ended. So I asked him if he had pictures of the watch he could send me, and of course, he said he didn't. And then he went on to describe two other watches he allegedly owned with equally incongruous, anachronistic features. When I again pressed him for pictures, which can be created with a smart phone in a matter of minutes, he instead suggested that I drive 200 miles to come down and see the watches myself. I declined.

 

[vmicraig]

I wish I could take back a couple pre-education purchases I made. Smart girl!

 

[tbuckley]

Some antique dealers will say anything. I once stopped in a small antique shop in Ohio and owner tried to sell an actual piece of the coat that Colonel Elmer Ellsworth was wearing when he was killed and he also had a really nice Texas buckle with two bullet holes. I always wondered if he actually found a buyer for those treasures.
The best Civil War piece I ever saw for sale in an antique shop was a genuine Civil War dining room set. I didn't ask if it was Union or Confederate issue.