1819 One cent coin from Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1867-1889
This one cent coin was recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. The cent, now commonly called a penny, was also called a large cent. The Matron head design shown here was minted between 1816 and 1839. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1823 Liberty Dime from Soldier Creek Crossing, 14OS1302
Date: 1823
This Liberty dime was recovered at a Santa Fe trail stream crossing site in Osage County. The silver dime, minted in 1823, is a type called "Capped Bust," meaning it was struck over a 1822 Liberty dime with the "3" of 1823 directly on top of the "2" of the 1822 date. The site was the focus of a 1995 Kansas Archeology Training Program event with Kansas Historical Society archeologists and volunteers from the Kansas Anthropological Association.

1844 Quarter from the Last Chance Store, 14MO367
Date: 1844
This quarter was minted in 1844 in New Orleans. It was recovered from the site of the 2016 Kansas Archeology Training Program, the Last Chance Store in Council Grove. It shows a seated Liberty on one side and an eagle on the other. The Last Chance Store was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

1853 Half Dime from Fort Zarah, 14BT301
Date: 1853-1868
This silver half dime was recovered from Fort Zarah during the 1969 Kansas Archeological Training Program field school, a joint project undertaken by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers. The obverse side shows a Seated Liberty with her right hand resting on a striped shield and her left hand holding a Liberty pole. Six-pointed stars surround Liberty and arrows are present on each side of the date of 1853. The reverse side has the words "HALF DIME" and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves. Fort Zarah, located along the Santa Fe trail in Barton County, was active from 1864 to 1869.

1866 Three cent coin from Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1867-1889
This three cent coin was recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. The three cent coin was minted from 1851 to 1889, first in silver and then in 1865, in nickel. This coin was minted in 1866 and has a Liberty head on the obverse side and a Roman numeral III on the reverse. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1876 Liberty Quarter from Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1876-1889
This seated Liberty quarter was recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. On the obverse side of the quarter Liberty is seated on a rock holding a liberty pole, resting her hand on a shield and surrounded above by 13 stars. On the reverse side is an eagle with a ribbon with the words "IN GOD WE TRUST" on it. An olive branch and arrows are positioned in the eagle's talons and there is a shield on its breast. The quarter was minted in 1876 in Carson City, Nevada. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1876 Penny from the Kaw Mission, 14MO368
Date: 1876
The 1876 penny was recovered during excavations at the 2018 Kansas Archeology Training Program field school at the Kaw Mission. The penny, sometimes called an Indian Head cent or Indian Head penny shows Liberty with a head dress on the obverse side. The reverse side shows an oak wreath and shield surrounding the words "ONE CENT." The Mission was built over the winter of 1850 - 1851 by the Methodist Episcopal Church South as a school for boys in the Kaw (or Kansa) tribe. The site was acquired by the state of Kansas in 1951 and it was listed in 1971 to the National Register of Historic Places.

1878 Penny from the Mine Creek Civil War Battlefield, 14LN337
Date: 1878
This penny dates to 14 years later than the Battle of Mine Creek, but still can help archeologists understand activity or disturbance at the site. The site was the location where on October 25, 1864 Union and Confederate forces fought one of the largest cavalry battles in the Civil War. The penny, sometimes called an Indian Head cent or Indian Head penny shows Liberty with a head dress on the obverse side. The reverse side shows an oak wreath and shield surrounding the words "ONE CENT."

1880 Liberty Head Half Eagle from Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1880-1889
This coin was recovered during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. The $5.00 coin is 90% gold and 10% copper. Minted in 1880, the coin has a Liberty or Coronet head on the obverse side and an eagle with shield on the reverse side. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1897 Liberty Head V Nickel from 14WY408
Date: 1897
This 1897 nickel was collected from a multicomponent camp site in Wyandotte County and donated to the Kansas Historical Society in 2018. On the obverse is Liberty wearing a coronet and wreath with the date. On the reverse is "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V E PLURIBUS UNUM."

1906 Liberty Head Penny from 14BN353
Date: 1906
This penny was recovered from a Brown County farmstead by Kansas Historical Society archeologists. The obverse side has Liberty with a headdress in profile and the date of 1906. The reverse side has an oak wreath, shield, and the words "ONE CENT."

1966 Excavations at Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1966
These photographs were taken by Kansas Historical Society archeological staff during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County in 1966. The excavations took place in the area of the sutler's store and house. Shown is the archeological excavations in progress, a group of square bricks, a trash pit, and an aerial view showing the excavations, golf course, historic trails, and modern roads. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1967 Excavations at Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1967
These photographs were taken by Kansas Historical Society archeological staff during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County in 1967. The excavations took place in the area of the Commanding Officer's Quarters and a fort dump. Shown is an excavated foundation, artifacts at the bottom of one of the fort's dumps, and a view of the excavations in progress. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1968 Excavations at Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1968
These photographs were taken by Kansas Historical Society archeological staff during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County in 1968. The excavations took place in the area of the officer's quarters (Officer's Row). Shown are two views of the House 4 cellar excavation, the archeological excavations of the foundations for Houses 2 through 6 in progress, and a toy dish discovered in the House 5 excavations. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1969 Excavation at Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1969
These photographs were taken by Kansas Historical Society archeological staff during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County in 1969. The excavations took place in the area of the fort hospital. Shown are the southeast support of the east hospital wing, the east center support of the west hospital annex, the east drain into the hospital cistern, and a bayonet discovered during excavation. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1969 Excavation at Fort Zarah, 14BT301
Date: 1969
These images were taken at Fort Zarah during the 1969 Kansas Archeological Training Program field school, a joint project undertaken by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and Kansas Anthropological Association volunteers. Fort Zarah, located along the Santa Fe trail in Barton County, was active from 1864 to 1869. Shown is a complex of dishes, grinder, and other kitchen detritus, progress views of the exposed footings in structure 1 and 2, and a plan view map of the excavated blockhouse.

1970 Excavations at Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1970
These photographs were taken by Kansas Historical Society archeological staff during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County in 1969. Shown is a view of the completed excavation of the fort's coal shed foundation, a view of the main living area of the surgeon's quarters, and a young man drawing profiles of features 834 and 822 at the site. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

1979 Excavation of Tusk at 14JW310
Date: 1979
Shown are images taken at the excavation of a tusk (possibly mammoth) at the Lovewell Lake in Jewell County in 1979. The tusk was exposed in an eroding bank. Shown are four views of the work in progress.

1995 Excavations at the Havana Stage Station, 14OS1301
Date: 1995
Shown are eleven images taken during the excavation at the Havana Stage Station in Osage County during the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school in 1995. The Havana Stage Station was built along the Santa Fe trail in 1858 and by the early 1870s had ceased to function as station and became part of the outbuildings of a farm. Shown is a view of the former station taken in the 1950s, a sketch of the site in 1995, a sketch of the station ruins in 1995, five views of the station's foundations and walls, two views of mapping and recordkeeping, and the nearby stone corral.

2002 Excavations at Cottonwood Ranch, 14SD327
Date: 2002
These images were taken at the Cottonwood Ranch site in Sheridan County during the Kansas Archeology Training Program field school in 2002. The ranch was established by Abraham Pratt from Yorkshire, England, in 1878 to raise sheep. The 2002 excavations were exploring the possible location of the icehouse. Shown are volunteers excavating a unit, soil screen in windy conditions, a progress shot of the excavation, three shots highlighting soil stratification in the excavation units, and an overview of the site.

.38 Short Colt Cartridge from the Grinter Place, 14WY316
Date: 1867-1900
This cartridge casing is a ".38 Short Colt" and was recovered from Grinter Place State Historic Site in Wyandotte County. This was an early metallic pistol cartridge often used in conversions of the popular Colt 1851 Navy .36 revolver, a popular sidearm during and immediately after the American Civil War. The .38 Short Colt was superseded by other .38 calibers soon after it was introduced and is now very uncommon. Grinter Place is a two-story brick home overlooking the Delaware Crossing on the Kansas River, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Moses and Annie Grinter, the latter was a member of the Lenape (Delaware) tribe, owned and operated a ferry and trading post there.

3-cent National Defense Stamp of 1940 from Fort Hays, 14EL301
Date: 1940
This postage stamp from 1940 was recovered by Kansas Historical Society archeologists during excavation at historic Fort Hays in Ellis County. The stamp features an uplifted torch symbolizing enlightenment. It was part of a set of three that was issued on October 16, 1940, also the first day of registration for the peacetime draft. The stamp postdates the occupation of the fort. Fort Hays was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is a State Historic Site.

.50-70 Cartridges from Fort Wallace, 14WC303
Date: 1865-1882
These .50-70 cartridges were recovered from Fort Wallace in Wallace County at the Enlisted Men's Barracks. Both were recovered in the vicinity of the Enlisted Men's Barracks. Fort Wallace was built in 1865 along the Smoky Hill Trail and abandoned in 1882. Archeologists from the Kansas Historical Society conducted excavations at the fort in 1997.

.54 Caliber Bullets from the Mine Creek Civil War Battlefield, 14LN337
Date: 1864
Shown are three of the many bullets recovered during the 1990 survey and excavation at the Mine Creek Battlefield by Kansas Historical Society Archeologists and crew. All of the artifacts are .54 caliber lead bullets. The one of the far left was manufactured by Sharps and has three grease rings. The other two bullets both have concave or hollow bases. The site was the location where on October 25, 1864 Union and Confederate forces fought one of the largest cavalry battles in the Civil War.

.58 Caliber Minie Balls from Fort Zarah, 14BT301
Date: 1855-1869
These five minie balls were excavated at Fort Zarah in 1972 by Kansas Historical Society archeologists at the site of the original fort building. The minie balls are .58 caliber, have three grease grooves and conical or hollow bases. The fort was a small outpost on the Santa Fe trail in Barton County occupied from 1864 to 1869.