Worked an old mine site for a total of 13 hours over two days last week . Hard going in heavy bracken . I thought it may have given up a few more good finds than these , but hey , that’s detecting .
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Can’t complain about that, the shilling is a beauty and there’s a couple of other interesting bits and pieces there. What’s the tubey thing on the bottom left? Looks like silver
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Thanks Dave , the tube is silver . It has solid wood through it . The only thing i can think off would be a conductors baton ? I like the cufflink too . I have looked everywhere for the cricket buckle body without result .
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I wonder when they stopped wearing cuff links at mine sites? I would put money down that it’s not a conductors baton. The 1800’s prospectors must have lived in world we don’t understand.
Nice finds Curt and good luck on the next trip.
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If it was in WA I’d say it was definitely an upper class fly swatter! Maybe a stick to hold those old glasses and monocles???
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Maybe a cigarette holder or cigar older or part of a fancy pipe
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Of course they didn’t wear cuff links at old mine sites - they were camped close by with all their worldly possessions.
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I did suspect a pipe stem at first , but with no hole through the wood ? The silver tube is quite thick , no hallmarks . Looking at old photo’s of miners shows that dress was much more formal in those days . Even when working they often wore vests and waist coats . They still had their finest in their huts and i have found many cuff links at old hut sites .
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I recon its the end piece of an 1800’s driving whip.
Here is a similar one.
They used holly wood because it’s straight and tapered. There are still holly trees growing here. An antique carriage builder told me about holly trees.
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The shilling is nice. The date is so clear.
The silver covered tubing is the handle from a magnifying glass. These were often sued by prospectors as the small magnifying loupes we currently use were not prevalent at this time
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Mystery Solved !
Yesterday i was looking at the silver tube when i noticed the wood inside had dried out and shrunk . When i pushed out the wood it split into two halves revealing a square pencil lead in the centre . This was a fancy pencil , maybe they were cashed up !
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Case closed. I guess they slid new pencils into it. My guess would have been bigger so I should have compared to the cuff links. Keep on diggin 
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Thanks Karl , i have been informed that it is known as a clutch pencil .
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