Unusual Chain

[Tom Hughes]

I've found lots of chains while metal detecting but nothing quite like this.

This apparatus appears to be made of a tin or aluminum alloy with the number "24" on the face of it. My wife thinks it probably went to a strong box and I should go back and look for the loot. In all serious, though, could this be a chain that secured railroad merchandise or bank items? I just don't have any clue and its really got my curiosity up. Let me know any thoughts....Thanks for looking!

 

[lelliott19]

View attachment 409030
I've found lots of chains while metal detecting but nothing quite like this.

View attachment 409031
This apparatus appears to be made of a tin or aluminum alloy with the number "24" on the face of it. My wife thinks it probably went to a strong box and I should go back and look for the loot. In all serious, though, could this be a chain that secured railroad merchandise or bank items? I just don't have any clue and its really got my curiosity up. Let me know any thoughts....Thanks for looking!

How big is it? Its hard to tell in the photo but knowing the size would be helpful in opining potential uses.

 

[bayouace]

Prisoner chain of some sort, maybe.

 

[Tom Hughes]

How big is it? Its hard to tell in the photo but knowing the size would be helpful in opining potential uses.

It's 13'' in length.

 

[drezac]

it looks to me like it's used to identify livestock - like on a dairy farm to allow them to track milk production.

 

[Tom Hughes]

it looks to me like it's used to identify livestock - like on a dairy farm to allow them to track milk production.

You are correct. I just heard from another source that this is definitely a cow tag. These type of tags that hung around the necks of the cows were early ways in which farmers/ranchers would tag their cows. Thanks again for the response.

 

[drezac]

@Tom Hughes - They are still used today. most livestock supply stores have them ( but now they are mostly plastic)

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

If anyone is going to find the broken blades to R.E. Lee's pen knife in that museum, it is going to be either Tom Hughes or @ucvrelics!

 

[UCVRelics]

I have agree with @drezac on the live stock chain as I have found the number plates before in what was once a feed lot that was top of a yankee camp and being aluminum way post CW.

 

[Seduzal]

Thanks for sharing this awesome article and photos. Enjoyed it.

 

[major bill]

Not being one knowledgeable about cow chains I have to assume the people who are know what they are talking about.

 

[Tom Hughes]

Not being one knowledgeable about cow chains I have to assume the people who are know what they are talking about.

Yesterday, I found one on the internet that looked much like mine.

 

[lelliott19]

Not being one knowledgeable about cow chains

Well.... if you think about it, there's probably not very many people any more who have even been on a dairy farm to have seen them.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

So, Tom, when are you going to find the broken blades of Lee's pen knife?

 

[Tom Hughes]

So, Tom, when are you going to find the broken blades of Lee's pen knife?

I will begin the search this weekend....I'm sure it's out there somewhere...lol

 

[Tom Hughes]

Well.... if you think about it, there's probably not very many people any more who have even been on a dairy farm to have seen them.

I only knew of the plastic tags that they put through their ears....From what I've read, these neck chains probably go back to the early part of the 20th century. I learn something new every day...lol

 

[drezac]

@lelliott19 - the only reason I was aware of them is that we used to raise and show pygmy goats, so I had a lot of catalogs from livestock supply companies that sold them.