I FOUND A BOX OF TREASURE! Rare coins, unique relics, Victorian thru Bronze age! 

How interesting. I love that feel of coming across old stuff stored away age ago, like refinding old friends.

Very interesting. In Scotland you can find pyrope garnets in Ruby Bay, Elie. They’re called “Elie Rubies”. Best time to go beachcombing is March and April after the winter storms

hi simon, the petrified wood could have been pyrited wood which will decay, its called pyrite decay, and tarnish metals and other bits in the surrounding area like the spoons and the coin :0)

I remember learning to write with a fountain pen 🖋 that had a nib like that. What a great treasure box. Have you thought to make yourself some display boxes with perspex tops that you can stack. Then if you are looking for a pipe they will all be together. You are a handy guy and I’m sure you know somewhere to source a wooden pallet to make the sides (cut down to say 2 inches high) and use heavy cardboard covered in velvet ( from op shops) for the base. If Perspex is too expensive just clear plastic to keep out dust. To stop you sword handle deteriorating any more try using a piece of plastic drink bottle and wrap it around the tilt then using the hottest setting on a hair dryer shrink it around the handle. It might stop oxidation for a while.

Thank you for showing us your treasures! So many awesome finds ❤️

watching your older videos & this was one of your most interesting. your a good artist too - love how u used the old type to embellish your postcard drawing.

This one was like a lullaby, your voice is soothing. laughed Everytime you turned off for drilling. Inspiring.

The finds were great. The postcard was brilliant! You brighten every Sunday, Si. Thank you.

It must be fantastic to rediscover finds you hadn’t seen in ages , love your videos so much Si best wishes and above all stay safe .

Pyritised wood from the East coast. Tons of it at the Naze found in the London clay (about 54 million years ago). It is very hard to keep and usually will disintegrate as you have found out. Keep each piece separate in a very dry environment for best results. I have a beautiful piece about 5 x 1.5 inches next to me with the grain clearly visible and the bark still on so you can get lucky

That was one of the most entertaining mudlark videos I've seen recently. I think a fair chunk of the enjoyment comes from your obvious excitement at refinding some of these wee treasures. I hope you've a few more such boxes stashed away!

Thank you for sharing your treasures with us Si, the sight of some things can evoke old memories indeed. I first started school in 1961 and at the time we still used nib pens and ink wells. The body of the pens had a tubular cavity in them to hold a reserve of ink and we used a variety of nibs depending upon the specified style of writing referred to as a 'font' today. We had to cover a small hole on the body of the pens we used with our finger to retain the ink once it was in the chamber. During 'calligraphy' classes we had to learn how to regulate the flow of ink from the reservoir in the pen using the aforementioned finger. We used to have cloth 'busy bags' sewed by our mothers which hung in the aisles between desks from hooks under the edge of our desk-tops. The lad I shared a desk with was a friend but also a bit of a 'wild child' who had a bad habit of running into the classroom despite such behaviour being strictly forbidden. One day the teacher became so sick of reprimanding him that she angrily told him to "go out of the room and enter in the approved manner". He promptly spun around and sprinted for the door at which time the nib of a pen protruding from a busy bag deeply slashed his leg inflicting a cut which from memory required about six stitches. So I suppose you could say that in some cases "a pen can quite literally be, at least as mighty as a sword". Sadly my former friend never mended his reckless ways and as a direct consequence was tragically killed in an earthmoving accident on a property he owned a few years ago now.

Simon, you are a man of many talents. I enjoyed the "un-boxing" of your finds. It's like finding them all over again. I particularly liked your post card artwork. Looking forward to more finds. Please keep yourself safe.

I'm gonna guess the acid in the newspaper started a chain reaction in the box, deteriorated the petrified wood which, in turn, emitted mild tarnishing vapors. Newspaper never good for long term storage because it's almost always acidic. The effluvium on the pipe might be something that was already stuck in the stem when you found it now working it's way through the clay? As always, Simon, just wild guesses!! Fun post even if your most sedentary one ever! you must miss the active life on the foreshore.

I love your friend, nice of him to hand over that pipe. He literally looks like an actor, I just can’t put a name to him. No more putting treasure in a box and forgetting about it.

Your enthusiasm is addictive.

Excellent video once again. Also don’t ever worry about the background noise, I’d watch your vids no matter what. The “D” monogrammed spoon is my absolute favourite.

Really nice video - loved the subliminal flashes of “driller-killers” 😂. Your postcard is fab 👍

that sweetheart ring is lovely, there'll be a great story behind something like that

I enjoyed this video very much , I would like to see another one of some of your bits and pieces and odd finds . Maybe have them in a box as well and show a piece at a time ,you could talk about find . Basically the same as this one . You are the best .

It's like watching you mudlark, as your getting excited sifting through your tub! Yes it's been a (slow) corrosive reaction, that stuff on the pipe, is the pipe- something has made the clay bubble up- it almost looks acidic. That sword handle is something else! Its beautiful ❤

Thank you for sharing the box that kept giving. Si Finds never ending creativity. Our luck.

I believe "1686" is the service number of a soldier. (I found several of spoons like this one in Flanders fields).

My 'gone too soon' sister in law used to have a windchime on her back porch made out of old metal spoons. Yours made me think of her.

Watching from the US has helped pass the time staying at home! Thanks so much for sharing your treasures with all of us!!

Beautiful pen, stamp and ink drawing.

The fertility charm looks like a miniature Nigerian Benin bronze. There used to be an expert in bronzes at Hornimans Museum SE26, that I used to seek advice from. It does look old, and would have been cast in sand ! 🌍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🌍

I remember using similar pen nibs at school. They used to have to last a long time. They did tend to cross I remember

Gypsum and iron pyrite is commonly associated with fossils, these have lots of sulphates and sulphides which will tarnish silver and erode clays. Fossils should be stored apart from everything else. And no newspaper for good stuff, ever.

I don’t know nuth’n about nuth’n but you seem to be a true gentleman with enthusiasm for your hobby. Please stay awesome and hopefully soon the mud lovers can get back out on the foreshore.

Who knew you could mudlark out of a chocolate box - brilliant

Omg...i think i was as excited as you si...wrapped in paper...what is it gonna be....please stay safe...be glad when its over.....xxxx

Hi Si, so the mystery of the pipe corrosion is simply, salt the river has a fairly high salt content so any water left in the stem or in the pipe itself will leach out over time like that

Found your site today...enjoyed it so much I immediately subscribed! I can't wait to see more! Thank you.

3:51 It's heart shaped!

Glad you found your missing items. What a great artist you are. Thanks for sharing.

The little lead item is shaped like an anvil but on one side it had a meal of loaves and fishes and on the other a foot, I think it’s a pilgrim badge or religious pendant.

You neighbor is a gift that keeps on giving! Loved the treasure box!!!

Wonderful stuff Si. That box was quite a time capsule. I spotted the Byzantine coin. The symbol on it is called the 'chi-rho'. Which is a monogram made up of the first two Greek letters of Christ's name - X and P. Your ornate pipe with the elaborate coat of arms could have a Catholic connection. The coat of arms includes the crossed keys of St Peter - the symbol of The Vatican. Finally that little brass African fertility lady; I've got exactly the same one. I bought it years ago at a craft fair here in Australia. Cheers from Oz.

Lovely treasures...The impromptu Thames drawing at the end was awesome...You are mighty talented

Best channel on RU-vid and most interesting by far stay safe si-finds 👌😁

I think the snake was a striker for the flint to hit in an old musket... When you said latch it dawned on me I'd seen that shape before. Fun video. Thanks.

Love this channel so interesting what you can find

Natural colour of Silver when Oxidized it goes Black. Eg. Black & White Photo Graphic process. Nice Mystery Box finds, love that when you Re Find something u had Forgot about..! Great Video as Always. Stay well, stay safe..! Kim in Oz.😎

WOW 🤩 It IS like Christmas Day! Exciting to find your lost Treasure box 📦.. FANTASTIC! From..A to Zed. Thank you for a great adventure & incredible dig! ps. No worries about neighbors in background. It’s nice to hear ‘normal’ sounds again..

Those flashes of chain sawing stills during your video are hilarious.

You ought to have tested your bronze age axe's effectiveness on your diy neighbour!

Thank you. Stay strong an stay safe.

The sword handle is an amazing piece of art. I would have it stabilized and display it. Would be a shame to lose it.

I PRAY, you will do more drawings and put them up for sale... ☺ YOU fascinate me with AAALL your talents ! 😍 when you refurbished the OLD PUB table, how do you know it was from a pub ? Is there a certain design they used for pubs ? I'm just curious... 😁 You guys crack me up... ☺ When we find treasures in America, WE get EXCITED over things from the eighteen hundreds or early nineteen hundreds... There you guys are finding things clear back to fifteen hundreds... YOU are SOOO BLESSED !!! ☺❤☺OLD NOTTS. LADY, USA

Fun and interesting box reveal! Nice that you found some finds you thought "lost!" I wouldn't think newspaper is the best thing to wrap your treasures in - too acidic. As to petrified wood: it is formed when the organic remains have been replaced by minerals, creating an actual stone, often a type of quartz. Did you mean carbonized wood?

Hi Si! We love your box of treasure - some amazing finds! We also love your pictorial bleeps, lol! Stay safe and well, Gail & Alex xx

Tearing up laughing at the interruptions 😂

I love your channel! From a southern California ! You have a treasure trove of History!!!

The plant on the first pipe, looks not much like grapes to me, more like hop.

Si! That was awesome! Definitely a time capsule! With out the digging! Loved it! Kelly/Indiana

I think you are correct, its fossilized poo. They are called Coprolites

The neighbor's shenanigans didn't remotely distract from the thrill of seeing your old finds - quite humorous really! That sword hilt is especially fantastic. My Uncle does restorations on armory and weaponry, however, I don't know if he'd want to touch this, it's fantastic as is. Thanks for sharing, Si, great stuff.

That little disc with the hole is a pastry cutting wheel.

You are simply incredible love you Box of finds and I do so enjoy followin you and your Mud Lovin Friends!!!

Silver tarnishes to black....you can polish them back up though! Lovely tub of memories....or lack of! Lol Really enjoyed it (- :

a guided tour thru Si's Si-finds. cool. thanks for introducing your Patreon page too. lots more to see & partake, as we used to say in Ontario. we have 🚧 construction too locally ! I'll send up some photos to my RU-vid page, and any finds of note

Even refinding finds is exciting! I’ve been binging all your videos since I found you a couple weeks ago. Thanks for giving me something interesting to watch while I’m stuck in the house.

Thank you for showing your art with the pen nib! I have found two nibs on the beach this past year and I actually ordered a fountain pen, thinking that I could just switch out the nib to use my found ones lol I don’t know why I haven’t just tried them on their own by dipping them in ink 😂🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ that’s my learn something new for the day! Lol now if you could discover a way to play fragments of vinyl records, you’ll have solved both of my beach-find dilemmas 😉😂 great video as usual!!

Yay, you posted a video, it’s a good day, thanks for sharing

So exciting looking through the box with you. Such fun, loved the sketch with the homemade pen.

Heard a green woodpecker. ..

Fabulous! My favourite find was the lucky boot. Totally gorgeous! Cheers from DownUnder.

If you wish to wrap items up again, you can easily purchase acid-free tissue paper.

Just watched this tonight…February 2023! Great video Si, thanks!

i bet the foreshores will be packed when the quarantine is lifted in London

From pipes to poop...you really covered all angles today! I could listen to you talk (and chuckle) about your finds all day. My youngest bro is in the army and guards the queen, he’s on standby at the mo due to cv19. That sea urchin fossil is beautiful. So pleased for you to find things you thought you had lost, what a great feeling! Your skills are never ending - making that postcard with that old nib ingenious and you can’t help but love the Thames type. I did order Richard’s book weeks ago, is it a pdf? Doh...I will check, how funny if I’ve been waiting and I just had to download!! This really cheered me up after coming out of hospital, thank you for sharing Si. God bless

So , around the 6 min mark you show a pipe bowl with what looks like “Ich dien” on it , a Welsh Prince of Wales motto although I believe it’s German words meaning “I Serve”

The very ornately carved bowl is magnificent! 😊🇨🇦

Best Larker in London... 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧👍😎

34"02 Egyption . I loved watching you empty out your goodie box. I have a room full that needs just that and organized from all my finds. Love all of your videos. Susann

I wonder if the paper might have had some acidic quality?

Wow🤩 that was really fun. Real treasures 😍 I've moved a lot and unpacking lost boxes always feels like Christmas 😊Thanks for sharing

AWESOME FINDS MAN I WISH WE HAD THE CLAY PIPES HERE LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE THERE IN LONDON i never seen one till this channel

Fun looking at the finds. And terrific drawing on the postcard!

I grew up with petrified wood around my family's ranch. I have never witness nor heard of true petrified wood falling apart nor causing damage like that. And certainly in that short length of time. Not when your petrified poo did not.

You are so funny and talented, you make me laugh and admire your work at the same time. I just started watching these mudlarking videos and I am hooked. This is one of my favorites so far, love the guys with the chain saws. The Christmas gift opening in the red candy box, lol, I've done the same thing put something in a box to discover later it had a toxic effect on other things in the box. The Byzantine coin was a terrific find. Since I was 18 back in my hippie-dippie days 1969, I have moved 40+ times and am now at 71 an expert on moving from place to place and could give lessons on it. This old body can hardly move herself anymore and it saddens me not to be out and about searching for finds, so I will live vicariously through you, Nicola, all your buddies, and others. God bless you all, keep on keeping on.

The fossil "poo" looks like a mudfossil. I have a collection of similar sized fossils, but, mine are composed of iron pyrites, are are distinctly once "flesh & blood" living creatures. ???

Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. Glad you shared your memories n finds.

Yeah I think it's a turd

Thanks for this! I'm working from home with the Colorado stay at home orders. I enjoyed this! A neighbor started up a leaf blower or something. I had to close my windows. (I'm taking a break from work, not surfing on the job, don't worry.) Stay safe, be well, thanks again!

How fun! Don’t rush us! I’m having a great time looking at these treasures!

Thank you for sharing your treasures, and thank you for mentioning the book!

Once again great video Si 👍 My favourite things in your treasure box was the thimble, pipes and spoons and the postcard ❤❤❤ My partner thought your sword handle is British Navy Napoleonic. He said he saw a similar picture of one at Edinburgh Castle. Anyway looking forward to seeing more of your tresures, thanks for sharing 😊 Deb

It's good to go through old finds. I've been doing that and found nice old coins. Thanks for sharing, Si.

I'm new to your channel Si, i find it fascinating what you find on the Thames. I did like the ring with the gemstone in it it's so pretty, keep searching for all the fantastic finds

That was a fun watch going through that box. Loved your drawing with the pen tip you've got nice drawing skills. It's like you made a quick post card.

Hiya from Chicago! Thanks for your channel, always enjoy your adventures! I appreciate that you bring in your finds to the museum, and are so honest. Our family is from Greenwich, so get a kick out of seeing things from home! And you have an absolutely lovely garden, thanks for sharing!

Hello mate... I'm late watching this week.. What a great video.. All that fun from one box.! That item around 30:40 is a saxon brooch. pretty sure i've got one similar.. square headed knee type i think. you can just make out remnants of catch plate..

Hello Simon from Canada. Love your videos! My guess is there was some moisture in the box and the crusty stuff on the pipe is efflorescence, which is moisture passing through. You see it a lot in damp basements, when moisture passes through brick or concrete, and the moisture leeches out the minerals in the clay or cement.

What a great box of treasures! Sometimes petrified wood is found with pyrite. Once exposed to air (oxygen and humidity) pyrite can decompose into sulfuric acid (amongst other things). Maybe that is what happened? Great little ink drawing at the end, cheers from Australia.

Excellent mystery box mate. Absolutely love the large advertising pipe. Keep them coming bro,excellent quality videos👍👍

There could have been hidden moisture in the wood and I know that moisture will leach out calcium from plaster or clay objects. You can scrape it off but you scrape to much and there will be a hole. I would just leave it like that as a reminder to keep every thing dry. Silver after cleaning and dried really dry can be put in zip lock bag and you will not have to clean again. Susann

An early Christmas! Every time I have ever moved I’ve ended up opening boxes long after settling and feeling the excitement of finding something I had forgotten I’d had! Just like Christmas!

Awesome thanx for sharing...the fossilised wood had not completely fossilised if it deteriorated but the coprolites are solid. Great drawing and such an interesting collection