Amazing finds at a hunted out school

[bspkayaker]

Hey everyone, it has been some time since I have posted last, but need your help on these buttons I just found at a school that has been hammered to death, so I thought anyway. I
have not cleaned anything as of yet as I am not sure if the buttons are rare or valuable. If anyone can I.D. these, please do!

I first pulled up and walked to a spot and found this below (first hole).


Next couple of holes, I pulled this. It still has a little gem in the middle.


Then I had that gut feeling for some reason that I needed to go over to the other side of the field as there were some very old trees around. Just a hunch, that really paid off

The first hole I dug and I pull out three of the below buttons, I couldn't believe it!



Then about ten minutes later, I pull this "GOLD" Button! It certainly has some weight to it.



Below is the rest that I pulled out in the same area. All within an hour or so.




A day detecting like this was well needed! It has been slim pickings this year.

Thank for looking, Brian

 

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[Iron Patch]

Can you post the back of the USA and 34th button? The 85th is confusing to me, and a pewter thistle button seems a bit odd as well, but they put thistles on everything so who knows. But like I said the 85th I don't get, doesn't really seem to fit British or French, and that triggered the part of my brain that says reserve judgement.

PS: The 34th would be an enlisted button but it's an officer's that's posted as an example.

 

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[JeffInMass]

Awesome buttons- Congrats!!

-- Jeff --

 

[digger460]

Congrats on the great hunt. Sweet buttons and what looks like a clay marble?

 

[Silvermonkey]

Really amazing finds. The gold button is a beauty.

 

[trapperart]

Looks like some nice finds I'm going to follow this post to see them cleaned and maybe the backs of all very interesting stuff

 

[bspkayaker]

Can you post the back of the USA and 34th button? The 85th is confusing to me, and a pewter thistle button seems a bit odd as well, but they put thistles on everything so who knows. But like I said the 85th I don't get, doesn't really seem to fit British or French, and that triggered the part of my brain that says reserve judgement.

PS: The 34th would be an enlisted button but it's an officer's that's posted as an example.

Below are pics of the backs, they are not in great shape on the backs.

The USA button back


The 34th button back


Thistle button back is shown in my first post

thanks, Brian

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Brian
Can we see a side pic of the backs/shanks ?...thanks
Gary

 

[bspkayaker]

Brian
Can we see a side pic of the backs/shanks ?...thanks
Gary

Below is a couple sides of the back, sorry for bad pics in a rush

 

[Iron Patch]

Below is a couple sides of the back, sorry for bad pics in a rush
View attachment 1482693View attachment 1482694

\




From an old post.


"The original military pewter buttons of the era had either iron loop shanks, or cast pewter loop shanks. Never seen a drilled shank on any Colonial pewter buttons, military or civilian."


"Second is the style usually seen with most Continental American as well as civilian pewter buttons of the period, featuring a rounded wire-shaped loop, cast as one piece pewter along with the body of the button. This particular example is a USA entwined Continental button."


http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/287433-help-id-revolutionary-war-button.html

 

[Iron Patch]

Below is a couple sides of the back, sorry for bad pics in a rush
View attachment 1482693View attachment 1482694

What button is on the right? The Navy?

 

[bspkayaker]

What button is on the right? The Navy?

Sorry, yes that is correct, the left one is the 34th button, and on the right is the navy. I will have to take more pics, but will have to after, wife is calling

 

[Iron Patch]

Sorry, yes that is correct, the left one is the 34th button, and on the right is the navy. I will have to take more pics, but will have to after, wife is calling

The 34th I'm sure is a reproduction, the Navy looks good. If the USA shank is the same as the 34th unfortunately it does not look good.

 

[coinman123]

The 34th I'm sure is a reproduction, the Navy looks good.

Agreed. It is likely a kid from the school raided his dad's Revolutionary War button collection, that he maybe metal detected. And then dropped all the buttons in the schoolyard during recess. Perhaps his dad had some real and reproduction ones mixed in. The navy one looks like it was dropped a long time ago though.

 

[Iron Patch]

Agreed. It is likely a kid from the school raided his dad's Revolutionary War button collection, that he maybe metal detected. And then dropped all the buttons in the schoolyard during recess. Perhaps his dad had some real and reproduction ones mixed in. The navy one looks like it was dropped a long time ago though.

If the Navy is from the same site it would be quite a coincidence... but of course can happen.

 

[coinman123]

If the Navy is from the same site it would be quite a coincidence... but of course can happen.

I think he said he found it at an earlier time, at another site probably. I once got a weird signal, and dug it. A 1970's pull tab at two inches, and a really nice colonial find at 6 inches (that was in 2014, I forget exactly what it was, I think it was either a shoe buckle or a copper, maybe a beautiful dandy button).

 

[bspkayaker]

The 34th I'm sure is a reproduction, the Navy looks good. If the USA shank is the same as the 34th unfortunately it does not look good.

You think its a repro? That really hurts if it is. Its just strange as I have found other old relics in the same area. I found the flower piece, old spoon, musket balls, etc.
I was certainly on cloud 9 when I first found the buttons

 

[G.A.P.metal]

The shank on the Pewter USA button should look like this rounded .
Gary

 

[bspkayaker]

The shank on the Pewter USA button should look like this rounded .
Gary
View attachment 1482708

This is the back of the USA button


The front after cleaning

 

[G.A.P.metal]

Brian
The shank looks good to me !
I think the USA button is authentic.
Banner in my book !
Banner vote placed !
I must say that Continental USA button is one of the best i`v seen...the "Pie Crust" around the out side of button is complete .
Gary

 

[Iron Patch]

The USA does look better, but I think it only makes sense to question it being dug beside the 34th that does not, and an 85th that doesn't make sense, and the thistle button that strikes me odd being pewter. (I have a feeling it has the same shank as the 34th?) On the positive side if you dug old stuff there then it is possible to dig a legit button, and you'd also think if two fakes were found close they'd be made the same way. But I guess that doesn't necessarily have to be the case. Would still seem sort of odd because it would be sort of like a typical reproduction fake being found with a fake that was quite good and meant to deceive. I'd help look into it further to get confirmation, but would need a much clearer picture of the back.