Expert: Ralph Salier - 3/15/2010

Question
I have what i believe to be a cannonball that i found while digging in my yard for a pool. It is about 4 blocks from Fort Stanwix ,in Rome NY. The ball is about 3-3/4 to 4 inches wide,about 13 inches in diameter. Rusted from being in the ground , but looks great. Also I see some sort of marking , it is either a arrow or a 4k not sure.I see no plugs,but then again I don't want to mess with this or clean it up. Cleaned with with water when first found. What can you tell me about this possible cannonball ? should I clean all the rust off ? What could it be worth ?

                            Thank you, Pat

Answer
Hi Pat,

First of all please send me some pics of the ball.  (rsalier@hotmail.com subject cannon ball).  Secondly, handle it with care since it COULD still be live!.  Also please weigh it.  If it is less then 15 lbs, then it could be a hollow ball filled with black powder making it quite dangerous.

If it weighs more then 15lbs, it may be a solid ball but should still be handled with care.  Use a stiff brush to remove the dirt and debris, then a bronze brush to remove the loose rust.  I suspect that this will show that there is a plug some place on the ball about 1 inch in diameter, this would be the fuse.  The stamp 4K or arrow, should be gently cleaned until the marking is clear.  Please send me a pic of  this as well.  Place a ruler next to the ball for the purpose of scale.  

Do NOT drop it, Do NOT put it into a fire, Do Not play with it un-necessarily.  Do not let your kids play with it or take it to school for show and tell.

As for value, If it is a hollow ball, NOTHING!  Since it could be live ordinance, it can not be shipped any where, that is illegal.  You could donate it to your local historical museum to get rid of  the liability.  

Once you have it cleaned up and send me t he pics, I will be able to tell you more.  Do it gently please.

(oh, yes, these can still explode, especially the hollow ones, the last incident was in 2005 when a person hit one  with a hammer and it blew up.  It nearly killed him but it did kill his dog and little boy.  So, please be careful)

Ralph