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Help me figure out what these damned things are

2K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  Smokin6-0 
#1 ·
On one piece of property we have there's an old wooden bridge over a bayou that was the main road through the area back in the 1800's. The bridges framework is original but we have redecked to top a few times to keep it usable.
We were out there yesterday and I was walking around under the bridge and I found some "price tags" in the lumber. I found some years ago but forgot about them but I found 2 more yesterday that I pried out and kept and several more that I left alone.
They are a solid copper "nail" with the end pressed into a price tag...they're stamped at 25 cents each...the stamped end is just bigger than a quarter I guess. The bridge was built abouit 1870-1880 as far as we know and these tags are just as old as the bridge.

I'll have a pic of one later.
I've been trying to find out what they're called but having no luck online.

They are out of a piece of timber that's 5"x12"x20' long. Find THAT for 25 cents nowdays. LOL
 
#2 ·
On one piece of property we have there's an old wooden bridge over a bayou that was the main road through the area back in the 1800's. The bridges framework is original but we have redecked to top a few times to keep it usable.
We were out there yesterday and I was walking around under the bridge and I found some "price tags" in the lumber. I found some years ago but forgot about them but I found 2 more yesterday that I pried out and kept and several more that I left alone.
They are a solid copper "nail" with the end pressed into a price tag...they're stamped at 25 cents each...the stamped end is just bigger than a quarter I guess. The bridge was built abouit 1870-1880 as far as we know and these tags are just as old as the bridge.

I'll have a pic of one later.
I've been trying to find out what they're called but having no luck online.

They are out of a piece of timber that's 5"x12"x20' long. Find THAT for 25 cents nowdays. LOL
Nothing cheap about copper now haha
 
#3 ·
Back then 25 cents was a lot of money. If you made a dollar a day, you were doing good. Transfer that into how much that timber would cost now. I bet all of those old timbers are from the heart of the tree also (you can see the center in the endgrain).
 
#5 ·
you may be able to find out more info by contacting some of the wood re-claimers. not sure if you guys haven them there, but up here theres a couple companies that tear down old barns and sell the wood for high end homes. some of that timber is unbelievable. they might have a better understanding of the 'symbology' LOL
 
#8 ·
Some guys on CompD knew what they are..they're called date nails. Mostly used by railroads but also on light poles and bridge beams from the very late 1800's through almost today.
Mine aren't price tags...that symbol is from International Creosote and the 25 is for 1925.
 
#12 ·
The "I" running through the "C" stamp separating the year 25 means they are from International Creosote and Construction company.
They had three plants Beaumont, Galveston and Texarkana.
Most of their products were used in bridge and pier construction or soil/sand erosion control.
 
#14 ·
I was going to say that these looked similir to date nails. I personally have not seen date nails with anymore than just the year on them. That's a pretty cool find.
 
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