Original Item: Only One Available. Well, it makes a good story but the collector from whom this came swore up and down that it was recovered from the Chesapeake Bay after almost 200 years of being encased in solid hard silt on the bottom of the bay.
It is a typical cannon ball of the era, measuring 3.5 across making the m ass of the cast Iron ball a 6 pounder. It is heavy, half the surface is hidden in a large size clump of solid silt, 8″ across, almost like a hardened lava-like coating. One side has been chipped away showing a wonderful condition old British cannon ball.
The Battle of Baltimore which included a devastating cannon bombardment that lasted from September 13th – 14th, 1814 was the action that spurred Francis Scott Key to write the words to, what is now, our National anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.
Having said all that this Cannon Ball could have come from any Naval battle sight of the 17th-19th centuries, however, the silt covering is very much like those found on known cannon balls excavated from the Chesapeake.
An original item that formed some part of Americas history in a remarkable excavated condition, absolutely ideal for display. You could even claim to have recovered it yourself perhaps while scuba diving, certain to impress your friends!