E Pluribus Unum Political Button

[Metal Magnet]

Howdy folks. Got out tonight for about 4 hours. I hunted an area that has a home from 1865 on it. It also contained some other structures on the property and those were the focus of my hunt. I believe one of those structures was a log cabin that predated the 1865 house. Some areas have been graded so those were frustrating to hunt.

I found a depression that I think once housed the log cabin and hunt it. I immediately had 2 targets. The first was this button. I had no idea what it was as it was pretty dirty. I waited to get home to wash off with water and use soft toothbrush on it. Flat front with nothing. Back has shank and says "E Pluribus Unum" and has letters "ON" near shank.

I had read in another post that this may be a political button. Can someone who is good with buttons ID it? Would love a date too - and possible value.

Lastly, I need to know how to best proceed with cleaning - or if i should.

I love this thing! I apologize for the pic...best I could do right now.

 

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[Metal Magnet]

Based on what I am finding in the "What Is It?" forum, here:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=401693.msg2861635#msg2861635

I am leaning toward saying this is in fact an 1834 congressional campaign button.

 

[skunemonk-1]

Cool button congrats.

 

[Metal Magnet]

thanks, im very stoked about this find as it is my first button.

 

[fieldslayer]

Super and rare find ! - This is one of 2 varieties I know of ; the "Meriton" type, and the only one with a name. Found one myself a while back. I always assumed Mr. Meriton was a guy running for office , rather than the maker. Doe's anyone know who this guy was? I could never find a thing about him. I'm sure we both would appreciate any info found about him. Good Hunting !

 

[Metal Magnet]

Thanks! Yeah, very cool to find one of these. What state did you find yours in? I also have been looking around for an H Meriton and haven't had any luck. Only one in that time period I can find was a captain of the Exeter.

 

[fieldslayer]

I found mine in South Jersey ; in conjunction with other artifacts from around that 1830ish timeframe. Hmmm , Something just occurred to me. There's little doubt that these were if not political , at least patriotic. Perhaps we can solve this after all ; It may not be a person at all, but abbreviated LATIN , a popular phrase at the time ! ..... especially with the " merit " being part of the word. (those fancy English livery buttons of this period , for instance , are loaded with Latin phrases.) Any Latin scholars out there who can offer a possible translation and solve this mystery - Here's Hoping !!!

 

[Don in SJ]

The most probable reason for the name H Meriton on the back of the PC 106A button is like many other buttons of that time frame, merchants would have their names put on the back of the button. Mr Meriton could have been a merchant from one of the major cities at that time. If he were a candidate his name would have shown up somewhere.

Since it has E PLURIBUS UNUM on it, without a doubt it is patriotic, but it is and has been listed and considered a political campaign button ever since Albert's published his book.

I have found three E PLURIBUS UNUM buttons, the PC106B variety of the one shown in this post, where my variant has an Eagle and 13 stars on the back.

I also found a small cuffsized button with E PLURBIUS UNUM in a banner but it also has United States of America with that and it is on the front and Albert's has it listed as Unclassified, but is sold as a patriotic type button. UU132A

The one button there is no doubt about it being a Political Campaign button (Congressional Campaign of 1834, no presidential election that year) is my 3rd one that has E PLURIBUS UNUM on the front side along with a Liberty Cap and on the backside it says TRUE WHIGS of 76 & 34. (PC105A)


All in all, your button again proves it pays to clean those plain front sided buttons since the back side may be a Andrew Jackson button, or a Whigs Political button or even a Patriotic button, all of which are very collectible compared to a plain front button with a regular or no backmark.
I am sure there are a few out there who do no clean those plain flatties that are missing out on discovering they do have a neat piece of our history and did not even know it.

Don

 

[fieldslayer]

Very possible Don, and this possibility I have always considered a strong one. I just thought I would throw a line out there fishing for another more interesting explanation , or bit of new information that I have not come across myself. However much more mundane, I must agree your post is the most likely. At any rate , this in no way would take away from the rarity and historical signifigance of this most interesting button. I feel certain you would agree. P.S. - nice eagle varient you got yourself there!

 

[70monte68]

I have a jar of those plain flatties. Now I'm going to check them out! Thanks