Wherever there is an item, there is a collector for it. There is a definite market for "dug-ups".
Several years ago, a Mexican farmer dug up a lump of rust while plowing on what had been a battlefield during the war between Mexico and the US. The lump of rust, upon close examination, turned out to be the remains of a Colt Walker. The lump of rust ultimately was sold at auction for around $50,000.
In another case, another lump of rust was dug up in Northern California during highway construction about 25 years ago. This one, upon being x-rayed, turned out to be the remains of a Texas Paterson. Again, a 50K relic.
You guys should only to be so lucky as to find such "lumps of rust"!