A little Gold in the morning

[clovisoid]

I've just been absolutely swamped with work, and have spent some time day-dreaming about the good old days of being able to dig/hunt multiple times per month...
Venezuela was pretty much ignored archaeologically by the Spanish explorers because there was very little gold, and even later archaeologists spent little time because there wasn't much "sexy" happening archaeologically speaking (no ruins, no gold, etc.)
Anyway, here is the 80% of the gold I have had the pleasure and surprise of finding.  (One piece isn't pictured here.)
These are all nose rings that were traded in from Colombia.

[gregszybala]

Wow! That is awesome, thanks for sharing those Jeremy, had no idea.
Is the bottom right gold too? The patina?

[clovisoid]

Greg,
Most of these are tumbaga, which is a gold alloy with very little gold.  If there is a lot of surface copper, they corrode like that.  The heavy green one was dug on a small island, and salt water really brings out the green patina.
Here is a little better picture that shows them.  They are surprisingly hard to spot while digging, the soild usually just cements around the oxidized part and they come out just like a dirt clod, I'm sure I've missed more over the years.

[TexasHarper]

WowweWOWWOW!!!

[rmartin]

Now there is something you don't see everyday! Thanks for bringing those to the forum Joshua.