Unidentified metal sphere mystery

Rich_by_the_Bay

Rich_by_the_Bay

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I'm passing this along for my DD who lives in Missouri (and, no it's not a jawbraker or bubble gum ball):

"Can anyone tell me what this is?

ball.jpg
​

I found it on our creek bank today. The closest match that I can find is that it might be a Civil War era musket ball. It is approximately 1.5" diameter and perfectly smooth and round, other than a distinct equator-like ridge. It has a few rust-looking spots on it, but isn't magnetic. Any thoughts? I'm very curious!"




 
That's way too big for a musket ball.
Obviously two half spheres joined together, so does it seem solid or hollow? Did you weigh it?
 
I think it is a ball bearing and the ring around it indicates that it was constantly spinning in the same manner. Theoretically they are supposed to move around occasionally in the bearing race but some will spin the same orientation.

That would be a heck of a musket ball, and probably required a pound of powder to move it.
 
Sorry for the misinformation - it would weigh between 6 and 8 ounces.
 
I've looked at some pictures of meteorites, but I can't find any spherical ones, and of volcanic beads, but these seem to be glassy, and you say the thing is metallic. An intriguing problem.
 
I have no idea what it is, but thanks for reminding me of a good movie. In Starman (1984) Jeff Bridges is a visiting alien that, according to Wikipedia, "has seven small silver spheres which provide energy to perform miraculous feats". :)
 
That's my fake eye, thank's for finding it! (stupid HMO wouldn't even pay for a glass one...)
 
Rich, I just have to take this opportunity to mention you look pretty dang sexy in that new avi of yours. Yowza baby. First time I've seen that picture :)

Let us know what you figure out with the "thingy".
 
Purron said:
Rich, I just have to take this opportunity to mention you look pretty dang sexy in that new avi of yours. Yowza baby. First time I've seen that picture :).
Click to expand...

:blush: I've changed just a bit ;).

The original was taken by my late mom in 1970. DW and I started out tent-camping in Virginia, got caught in an ice storm and were kicked out of camp by a ranger at 3 am. We headed south and barely stopped til we got to South Florida.

Mom and Dad had to contend with the hair, tie-dyed jeans, ambiguous sleeping arrangements, among otoer things. The pic (before cropping) showed us wringing out our wet, mud-covered tent the day after our arrival.
 
This sounds right, Rustic. The equator like ridge that Rich described would be a parting line from the original casting process.
 
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