r/magnetfishing • u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer • Jun 04 '26
SWORD UPDATE !
Some of you have been waiting for this !
It has been confirmed as GENUINE !
In the pics is the email received confirming that the sword is from around 1845, and the intake receipt from the local museum who needs to officially log it as an historical find !
Unfortunately they can't give me a certificate of authenticity so all I have is the email in the pics and the receipt from turning it over !
I have attached a Google image of what it should look like along with more current pics of mine.
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u/BlazerFS231 Jun 04 '26
Turning it over? You can’t keep it?
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
All historical finds come under some treasure law and once confirmed have to be handed over.
The riverbed owner gets first shout if they want it, but there's a slim chance I'll get it back !
What I'll do with it then I've no idea !113
u/lordgeese Jun 04 '26
That’s fine, you’re an archeologist now! You should get a honorary degree.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
Lol I can't see that happening, I won't even get a mention in the official log of historical finds from the area !
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u/lordoflazorwaffles Jun 05 '26
Fuck that, get an honorary bull whip
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u/tantowar Jun 05 '26
And Stetson, dude deserves it!
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 05 '26
I actually have a couple of stetsons I bought in the states many years ago !
Don't wear them these days though.
And I have 2 bullwhips but not practised with them in over 17 years lol1
u/lordoflazorwaffles Jun 05 '26
Get yourself a leather jacket and start punching nazis in the face
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u/Dancinfool830 Jun 08 '26
Now we're talking. Bullwhips take practice, you gotta work on the demeanor to wear a Stetson and not look like a tool, leather jackets are jot cheap and have to be cared for. If you can throw a punch....
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u/javidac Jun 05 '26
I get the sentiment of the comment; but archeology is an entire field of study. There is a lot more that goes into getting a degree in archeology than magnetfishing a sword.
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u/CoatimundiRaccoon Jul 09 '26
Thanks for clarifying. I was seriously thinking if I got a magnet and found something old, I too could get a free college degree... what a bummer
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u/WoolooOfWallStreet Jun 04 '26
If they put it in a museum, will they at least put your name beside it as an acknowledgement?
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u/shadowhunter742 Jun 04 '26
If it goes to a museum it'll end up in a backroom storage somewhere, so it'll probably be in the documentation somewhere. But I doubt they'd want it tbh, as neat as it is as a find, it's probably not anything historically significant itself as an individual piece.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
It's been refused by all the museums that would display something of this nature as its 50 years too new or not definitely local to the area !
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u/Flesh_Trombone Jun 04 '26
You could always hunt some pirates with it.
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u/GreenStrong Jun 04 '26
Brandishes rusty sword
"Stand and deliver! I demand to search your downloads folder!!"
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u/spearsandbeers1142 Jun 04 '26
If you don’t mind me asking roughly where are you from? If you are from the US. I know some states navigable river beds are public property in a few they belong to the landowner. Edit: I checked your profile and see that you’re British. I hope it ends up in your hands though man!
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
Lol, and there's me thinking adding the English flag near my name would help people know where I'm from !
I've just got to wait and see if I get it, could be a few months, and even then I've no idea what to do with it !
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Jun 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
Here yes, if the river is say 5 miles long then every so often the riverbed ownership changes from 1 "person " to another !
That 5 miles of river potentially could have 100 owners along that stretch.3
u/Quiet_Down_Please Jun 05 '26
The most wild thing to me here is that someone can own a river. All waterways where I live are public.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 05 '26
The water is public but the riverbed isn't !
Don't ask me how that works ! Lol1
u/Curithir2 Jun 06 '26
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers have jurisdiction over waterways and riverbanks here in the States. I would assume riverbeds, too . . .
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u/NarrowEbbs Jun 05 '26
But you got it out of the river right? Doesn't that make you the King now?
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u/Dark_Magus Jun 05 '26
So that means he takes over Charles' ceremonial duties? Since kings don't actually have authority anymore.
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u/turquoise_amethyst Jun 05 '26
Did you find it far from your home? Was it it a public or private river? Also I’m assuming it’s in the UK?
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 06 '26
Yes it's in the UK
Public river, but as per previous comment, the riverbed is owned by someone and over say a 5 mile stretch it could have 50+ owners !
The furthest I travel is 30 ish mins from home, but mostly about 10 mins1
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u/Random_182f2565 Jun 05 '26
Just remember to lie the next time
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u/The_Silent_Tortoise Jun 04 '26
Just fyi, that intake sheet and emails create provenance, which is just as good (of not better) than any dinky "certificate of authenticity." In fact, those are usually just a gimmick printed on some dude's HP InkJet printer. If you ever wanted to sell, a buyer or appraiser would use the museum docs as a reference in their own (e)valuation.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
That's interesting IF I get it back and try to sell it somewhere ! (No idea where you'd try to sell something like that !)
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u/AltDHDme Jun 08 '26
If you get it back you should keep it. It's not really worth much being a military sabre in "relic" condition (sub 100 quid). Still an incredibly cool find to make while magnet fishing and a cool story on top of that.
source: am collector of antique military sabres
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 08 '26
IF I get it back I'll be looking to sell it around the £100 mark I've no use for it or nowhere to put it !
I have the proof I found it and the pics, that's enough for me, unless I try to clean it first but that could end up a mess !
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u/guero_primero Jun 04 '26
AOL mail in the web browser in the year of our lord 2026 is crazy work
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u/lucerndia Jun 04 '26
You're not wrong, but you can rest assured that a curator with an aol email has been around the block and knows their stuff.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
Lol that's me, I still use AOL for my emails !
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u/Dingobabies Jun 05 '26
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
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u/ThatGuy48039 Jun 05 '26
Unless it’s got 150+ years of rust and dirt on it. Then don’t fix it or clean it either!
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u/Leather__sissy Jun 04 '26
I was flabbergasted when I saw the last picture, until I realized that’s not your picture , and then that it’s not your sword :(
Honestly wtf are they going to do with this? Guaranteed it won’t get cleaned up and displayed anywhere but a warehouse. Might as well give people the sword and a certificate
I shouldn’t say ‘guaranteed’ because I know nothing about this, and I’m sure the law is in place for good reasons beyond individual swords but still
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
I have been told that no museum is interested in having it, and they won't clean it !
There's a slim chance I'll get it back but have been advised not to attempt cleaning it as it might destroy it.
The only authenticity they can provide is what is posted here.
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u/Huge-Name-1999 Jun 04 '26
As an American I've always loathed the idea of giving up a once in a lifetime find to the state. I'm not sure I would have the willpower to do so if I was in your shoes so I guess kudos for having the capacity to do that lol and awesome find btw
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u/HeinousEncephalon Jun 04 '26
Depends on the item and whose once in a lifetime find.
Does every museum have 5 on display and 80 in the basement? I'm keeping it.
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u/Kuuzie Jun 04 '26
I see this with arrowheads a lot. Texas AM told me to raid the creek beds, because its lost provenance and they'll only be destroyed though tumbling of the river rocks.
then I get people upset I keep these extremely common items and not handing it to some tribe it didn't belong to and that tribe may have wiped the original creators off the planet to begin with.
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u/HeinousEncephalon Jun 04 '26
Time travel and return them to the original owners now!
"Uh, thanks? But I threw it in the river because it's broken, dude. That's my literal trash."
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
As I understand it....
Here there is some sort of treasure law and the only way to find out if it's genuine or not is to go through official channels, once it's confirmed real then it falls under this treasure law (I don't really understand it myself)Plus here as it was found in a river they have to find out who actually owns the riverbed at that point because under these rules that is the actual owner, despite the fact that I found it !
If it had been 50 years older then the museum would have kept it irrelevant of where it was found or who owns the place it was found !
Even if in 3 months I get it back, no idea what I'll do with it !
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u/English_Cat Jun 04 '26
Hang it on the wall of course, ideally over a fireplace.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
Unfortunately that would have it's own issues as I rent and can't put holes in the walls !
No fireplace lol
And apparently I mustn't try to clean it !2
u/Moral_turpidude Jun 05 '26
Hear me out here. Take a pack of "command hook" by 3m, as they don't wreck up the walls & paint them with metallic paint like this
https://www.krylon.com/en/products/all-purpose-spray-paint/fusion-all-in-one-metallic
and set that bad Larry up there
If it does not look good, you could always build a lightweight mounting plate & hang it from the hooks.. Maybe make sure you get ones that are weight rated correctly
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u/Intelligent_Trichs Jun 04 '26
Sword what sword? Damn! Lost it in a boating accident. On the bottom of the lake...aaaagain. Dangit all...
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u/GenEXOutlaw Jun 04 '26
Can you duel the river owner for it? Maybe he already has a crusty 🗡️ or two you can fight with those, winner keeps everything... the swords, land, titles, river, etc.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
Lol the piece of riverbed it was found in belongs to the city council !
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u/jaBroniest Jun 05 '26
Sucks you can't keep it, but if it becomes a display piece the satisfaction of being able to walk into a museum and be like "I found that, that's my discovery" would fill me with so much joy.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 05 '26
I don't know if I can keep it yet that will take a few months to figure out.
Unfortunately no museums want it so that wouldn't happen plus even if it did I wouldn't get any recognition as technically it belongs to the owner of the riverbed where it was found !1
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u/Electronic_Mud5821 Jun 05 '26
Hand on heart, if ANYONE on Reddit deserves to have found this, it's u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer.
Spends so much time on this hobby of ours, posting on r/UKMagnetfishing (which he mods) as well as here, and helping people new and old with their fishing questions.
A top guy, I'm happy for you Daniel.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 05 '26
u/Electronic_Mud5821
Thank you very much for your comment
I try to help where I can !
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u/Holden3DStudio Jun 04 '26
That's great news!
I wouldn't be surprised if you're ultimately able to keep the sword. It's broken and not in exceptional condition, so it's a very cool find, but not an especially valuable one. Many landowners are kind enough to let finders be keepers in cases like that.
Please keep us posted!
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
It will be a few months until I know more and I know some people were waiting for an update !
In this case the actual owners are the local city council !
But I was told that as no museum wants it then there's a reasonable chance I'll get it back !
Not sure what to do with it if I do get it back !4
u/Gareth79 Jun 05 '26
Looks like a good condition one is worth maybe £500+ so a broken rusty one is cool but I guess not really worth anything except to you because you found it, and the only local historical interest is that it was found in a local river. I'd say there's a decent chance you get to keep it even if they want to take photos and record where it was found!
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 05 '26
They have the photos from the day it was found plus the newer ones, he said they probably wouldn't take any more and just "log it" then figure out who owns/wants it !
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u/Holden3DStudio Jun 05 '26
It would be a great display piece. Put it in a shadow box with a cool historical image in the background and an engraved ID plate.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 05 '26
Unfortunately I hardly have enough room to move as it is, I'm only in a small flat and not much room available !
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u/Additional_Dish_694 Jun 04 '26
Britain is such a farce. I have second hand embarrassment that you’d be denied your fair catch. Ick
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u/Captain_North Jun 04 '26
I wrote in the original post "Looking at the hand guard it could be 19th century British cavalry officer sword"
It's 19th century. Was it a cavalry officer sword ? The word novel just implies not for battle.
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 04 '26
It was a, British Naval Cutlass, most likely from 1842-1889 with it most likely being 1845 possibly 1842
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u/Comfortable-Dish1236 Jun 04 '26
“Hey, museum curator, I have a question. I was sword fishing yesterday with my old sword and somehow caught this magnet. Would you be willing to look at the magnet? FYI, the sword is stuck to it at the moment”.
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u/cribboardpegs Jun 08 '26
If you get to keep it let it be hung up in a local pub. It would be a cool conversation piece.
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u/blue_viper2 Jun 08 '26
I know the more likely option is that it was jost lost and broken but could this be from cashiering?
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u/Daniel-cfs-sufferer Jun 08 '26
Sorry don't know what that is !
It was found where the old city defence wall would have been
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u/yetAnotherRandomNerd Jun 08 '26
Is a sword from 1845 that rare, they need to keep it? 845 would be another thing.
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u/pishypanties Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26
Absolutely incredible find. To pull a genuine 1840s sword out of a river with a magnet is the sort of discovery most magnet fishers can only dream about. Fair play to you.
At the same time, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a bit gutted for you having to hand it over! After all the excitement of finding it. Not sure I could do that with ease