New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

i shoot lots of goats are they the same?

I knew a guy who grew a groatee - are they the same.

I have never heard of anyone finding a groat in Kiwiland but someone will one day as they would have been legal tender...unless someone on the forum already has...I do seem to have a vague recollection and maybe someone has found one.

For those who do not know what a groat is then it is a four pence coin, silver and a little bit bigger than a three pence.

I found a groat on the mudflats of birkenhead, auckland near chelsea sugar works two years ago. 1846 date. good order. photos on here somewhere.

Another interesting coin found here in Kiwiland was either a 1/4 a 1/3 or a 1/2 farthing but it was not found with a detector - when I was a wee fellow it was found when they demolished the 'White House' in Beach Street, Waikouaiti. It was a large imposing building and had once been a hotel in the mid/late 1800s and stood where the Beach Street Motels now stand.

To the best of my knowledge the chap in the photo is a good old Kiwi but lived in Australia for a fair while - his first name is Bill. I know him quite well though in the photo he looks a bit different as I know him. I have always known him with a beard but he has cut if off.

I had a huge argument with this museum some years ago before the present committee as they were selling off historic gear donated by old Waikouaiti families who had lived in the district for well over a hundred years - they were selling their War souvenirs - as a wee fella I remember the museum first opening about 1960 and one of my grandfathers WWI friends gave them a trench periscope which I used to go and perve, ponder and drool over every year - until they sold it about ten years ago. As it was it didnt sell at auction and was to be put on Trademe so I went bananas and it was sold to me at reserve price...at least I know where it is.

For those who dont know what a Trench Periscope is then this is one - the highest number I have heard of is about 22,800 and most are dated 1918 - this one here is serial number 37 overstamped 79 and dated 1916 so one of the first - what right did Waikouaiti museum have to sell it? None! As a kid I loved it and thus I care for it until the day comes when maybe it can go back to where the family wanted it to be...it cost me $400 - what price history - the museum put money first...thank goodness Bill and his committee have a grand sense of direction for this museum and care for its artifacts and will ensure that nothing else goes missing.

Bill came back form Aussie and now they have an entire new committee and they have ensured that absolutely nothing more is ever sold off. Ironically the dimwits who sold the items off were new comers relatively speaking to the district - one 8 years, another 20 years.

At the time it was sold the president who had been in Waikouaiti for 8 years stated that Military History had nothing to do with Waikouaiti so they didnt want that stuff - I threatened to go to the media and reminded her that Military history had a more profound affect on Waikouaiti than any other time in history post settlement as the number of men who served overseas testified and the number who were killed left a large gap in Waikouaiti and caused more anguish and sadness than anything else that has happened and these dimwits said that Military history had nothing to do with the place!

Waikouaiti museum is well worth a visit and it is thoroughly recommended to all forum members to go and have a look.

I am also a member of the Waikouaiti Historical Society - museum and my great great grandmother I think was the first Maori woman ever baptized by missionaries here...we still own a house here and I still know 'secret spots' where old Snider bullets can be found and many Maori artifacts. By Kiwiland standards it has a great history.

Back to groats - from the comments above some guys have found the odd one or two here in New Zealand BUT be aware that over the course of Britains history it has over 123 DIFFERENT types and denominations of coins - some of course will NOT be found here like a Stater or denarius or dupondius, some are unlikely to be found here like a 'Royal' some might be found here like a 1/3 Guinea and I am just waiting to hear that someone has found a silver penny halfpenny or a silver twopence - they will be out there and some one will find one before too long.

Edited by user Friday, 12 April 2013 12:37:42 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I always give people an earful when they say "why don't you give it to a museum" as that kind of moral advice doesn't cost them anything , and chances are they themselves are probably so tight they wouldn't shout in a shark attack. If I give stuff to museums I have my eyes wide open, I insist on a letter of acknowledgement to start with. And I always start with the attitude that I don't trust them. And if they have a little knowledge then they are probably arrogant fools. Lammerlaw's story is a case in point. Having said that I have given lots of stuff to museums including a WW2 military diary, glass negatives of early dunedin, and other early dunedin photos, an early dunedin sunday school attendance record, chinese pots and artefacts from central otago. Still doesn't mean I trust them. Lots of complete arseholes work in museums, and it doesn't surprise me that they hock stuff off, biff stuff out, or perk stuff that takes their fancy. Remember the medals from the army museum. Taken you guess it by museum staff.

Edited by user Saturday, 13 April 2013 12:59:21 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified