So, Does This Count As A Find?

[ckhd]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...3284145827&rd=1

[+happycycler]

Several P 98s in the GC database but I did not see any RESET 1948. The photos do not show much use or abuse. Maybe never set?

[Z15]

Years ago we helped a NGS guy move a triangulation station, dig 2 holes and help with instrument work. He was wearing a belt buckle made from an old station mark.

[+Colorado Papa]

Several P 98s in the GC database but I did not see any RESET 1948.  The photos do not show much use or abuse.  Maybe never set?

I did a search of all states at NGS earlier today and came up with the same results.

NADA!

[VT ARL 784]

Remember that USGS benchmarks are not included in NGS, in general. The USGS information is mostly still on paper, from what I understand.

[CallawayMT]

Remember that USGS benchmarks are not included in NGS, in general. The USGS information is mostly still on paper, from what I understand.

 

You are right about the USGS, but this is a USC&GS marker and they are the pre-NGS agency.

[+GeoMaine]

As they say, possession is 9/10ths of the law! I can already read the NEXT AD soon to appear on E-Bay...

 

I bought this Geodetic Survey Mark on E-Bay back on April 4th of 2004. Since then, I've paid $26.01 for the marker itself and paid $4.50 for to have it shipped to me. I brought it into work and showed it to a friend who claimed that I couldn't possibly have one of these things. (Turned out his DAD worked for the something called the 'NGS department' or whatever...)

I THEN paid a lawyer $6,700 to help keep me out of jail, but only if I pleaded guilty to the tampering and destruction of government property and further agreed to pay a $250.00 fine.

I now need to sell this object to help me pay off my lawyer, pay my fine and since I lost my job because I'm now considered a felon.... get me caught back up on my house payments, car payments, electric bill, cable bill and cell phone bill, not to mention my AOL account which I'm going to need in order to close this sale.

Because of this, the bidding will have to start off at $10,000.00 just in order for me break even. I'd like to make a few more bucks over that, just so I can give my wife some flowers because she's been talking about taking the kids and leaving me...

Because of my slightly unfortunate experience, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that the winning bidder NOT be a US resident since all this could happen to you too. Will ship to Canada for an additional $10.00 and all other foreign countries for an addtional $15.00. I just hope that I can sell this and mail it to you without getting caught again. Insurance is NOT available due to the nature of the product.

Good luck, and have fun bidding!

[ckhd]

FYI --

 

I sent the link to Deb Brown, and she sent me an e-mail that she is looking in to it.

[+bons]

Dang. Bidding is closed. That would have been an excellent FTF prize. Since many benchmarks are no longer in existance, the fact that this one isn't where it's supposed to be doesn't particularly bother me. I'm quite sure the local landfills have a number of benchmarks buried with the debris from previous construction projects. A quick "I have this, are you particulary worried about it?" e-mail and I could have probably had a good FTF prize for a cache.

[+Colorado Papa]

Dang. Bidding is closed. That would have been an excellent FTF prize. Since many benchmarks are no longer in existance, the fact that this one isn't where it's supposed to be doesn't particularly bother me.

Bidding is open again for this Ebay Benchmark

You can stamp in your own HERE NOW

 

Edited May 1, 2004 by Colorado Papa

[Z15]

Darn.........................We had a 5 gal pail of all kinds of these at work from over 30 yrs of finding destroyed marks. I could supplement my pension. :D

 

I know where there is a complete 5 ft long post washed out. Its 8-inch at top and 12" square at base. Wonder what S&H would be?? hmmmmmmmmm

Edited May 1, 2004 by elcamino

[mloser]

This disk has looks used but there is no designation. Anyone have any ideas what it could have been for?

[+Colorado Papa]

My gosh! People are willing to pay over $50 for one of these with no designation? Probably doesn't have a designation since you can't trust its elevation or coordinates.

[+jwahl]

It doesn't look that used to me from my observation. More like someone just filled the marks with plaster or toothpaste or something of that kind for decorative purposes.

 

Because the date is stamped, it could have been left over from a batch that were premarked with the date, but for some reason could not all be set or someone didn't count correctly. It could have been discarded or lost at a site, or kept by a hand when the job was done. Also, note the stem behind it seems intact? 'So Joe, we're ready for that tablet now... I already gave you one, where did you put it? I duuno, I don't see it here, just give me another one so we can get this done...'

 

- jlw

[mloser]

jwahl,

After some consideration I ended up bidding on and winning that disk. I figured it hadn't been used so I wasn't committing much of a felony, since it had been left unused for almost 70 years.

The stuff in the lettering was brass polish, poorly removed. I worked it over with brasso and used a tooth brush to clean the letters out and it looks good now. I believe the mark WAS unused--there is no evidence of concrete on the back of the disk or stem. The top of the disk is scratched, so it may have sat with other marks or tools for a while.

It makes a pretty cool desktopper though.

[Z15]

NGS often provides these disk to state agencies or other cooperative surveyors who help out in preserving or moving bench marks. I always had a few in my work truck in the event I had to go out and reset a mark. It was not unusual for use to have to set several per construction season that were in the way of road work. In 2002 I had to move 4 of them that were in rock outcrops along US41 as there were cutting back the rock for safety reasons. Our office (DOT) also had blank USGS, USCE disks as well. It would have been easy for some of my seasonal workers to help themselves to one of them.

 

Just because its stamped 1935 does not mean it was stamped in 1935, and there in might lie the reason it was never used.

Edited December 11, 2004 by elcamino

[+PFF]

As long as I'm shopping on line at E-bay for benchmarks, how many of these shall I order as Christmas Gifts for the esteemed professionals in this forum? [grin]

 

-Paul-