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Ancient locks – great relic finds for building coin collections

During my 39 years of metal detecting to build coin collections, locks have been one of my top categories of relics to trade or sell. In this article I want to tell you about five of my favorite locks. Four of these locks are railroad locks and could tell some wonderful stories about the events and happenings that shaped West Florida in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

My best lock was a beautiful 1888 Orange Belt Railroad Lock that was shaped like a heart and was approximately 3 inches wide by 4 inches tall. This beauty was almost a foot deep and in very good condition. In fact, I dug the key that fit this lock, 30 feet away. This lock was made by Slaymaker Locks in Sharon, PA. I sold it for $ 350.00 and could probably have gotten six or seven hundred for it.

Another great metal detector find is an 1896 Eagle lock used by the railroads as a switch lock (found in the same vicinity as the previous lock). It was used by the Atlantic Coast Line that followed the Orange Belt on the central / west coast of Florida around 1902. This is a 5-lever lock and is very strong. The manufacturer of this lock was Eagle Lock Company of Terryville, CT., The largest lock manufacturer in the United States at the time.

The third lock is amazing. It is a Laclede lock with 6 levers that is opened by inserting the key at the bottom. It is not necessary to turn the key to unlock it, as the dryer system opens when the proper key is inserted. This was found in the same area as the other railroad locks, but it is not marked as a railroad lock. It is a very strong, high-tech lock from the early 20th century and was popular with rail and agricultural companies.

The fourth lock is also an ACL rail lock and is worth three or four hundred dollars. It’s another Lancaster Slaymaker Lock and it’s a turn of the century model. The key works with the lock, but it is a replacement key from that time period, not the original. I found it inserted into the lock and pouring out the dirt led to a smooth opening.

The fifth padlock is indescribable, since I cannot find traces or legends on it. However, it is a nice brass padlock that makes for a great display item. It is in very good condition and the workmanship is extraordinary.

I estimate the value of the four locks to be about $ 1000.00, but they are not for sale as I gave them to my father-in-law who is a lock collector. I have dug over 100 locks from around the world and have sold or traded many for several thousand dollars in collectible coins. There are excellent books on antique locks and a wealth of information on locks that can be obtained from a Google search on the Internet. Don’t be left out of the fun of finding and selling these great relics. Here’s to “dig it”! Larry

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