Another Military relic

[large cent hunter]

Found this in the grass panel of a sidewalk. I'm posting both images; front and back, so you can see what I mean when I say I think it looks like a cemetery marker, but I'm hopeful that it's something better.

Let me know what you think.

 

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[bakergeol]

WOW
What a find. Looks like a civil war US eagle breast plate.

http://www.virginiarelics.com/plates.htm

Nice Find
This should make the photo gallery of recent treasure found
George

 

[Montana Jim]

Nice find and nice ID... would love to find one of these pieces.

 

[wildrider]

Yep, an Eagle breastplate.

None of mine have come out that nice.

Burt

 

[nhbenz]

Wow! That was dug?!

 

[Capefearsman]

Mine shows rust on the face in just about the same spots. Nice find

 

[nahabit]

wow! respect! very nice find!

 

[Digginman]

Man, a beautiful plate. I have found one, not near as good as yours.

Congrats!!!!

DM

 

[relic lover]

Looks kinda familiar, I know I have seen one somewhere...

 

[dugupfinds]

Welcome to the forum.

I love it when someone finds something as nice as that & does know what it is.

Makes for a great surprise.

I'll swap it for a pint if you like

 

[Kas]

Nice find. Beauty, LCH.

Now about that pint. Let me dig through my stuff and see what I can find, and we'll talk it over in the pub with a couple of Killian's Irish reds.

 

[trk5capt]

Very Nice Find, Congrats. trk5capt...

 

[thinkin2]

It is indeed what is commonly referred to as an Eagle Breast Plate. Technically it's a union cartridge box belt plate. The belt would have been slung over one shoulder with the cartridge box about hip high. The plate would have been worn on the belt at about breast high, hence the name Breast Plate. Check the back carefully since many of them had maker's name and location stamped in the lead back. Really nice find.
Jerry

 

[junkdigger]

Visit the Civil War Relicman,a dealer and museum owner, for more information. He has a very interesting website!

 

[large cent hunter]

Thanks for the help guys. I've got more stuff to show you, having just joined the forum.

 

[nhbenz]

Glad to have you here LCH! The detail on the front of that plate is great... would make a nice piece of a display.

 

[{Sentinel}]

Relic Lover and Large Cent Hunter, you guys dont know how lucky you are to find these things. I have been hunting for quite some time and still have not found a breast plate. Almost everything else but this is what I want to find....A breast plate or ammo box plate.

 

[Gribnitz]

That is an eagle breasplate. Worn on the breast and often discarded by the troops because it was a bullseye for sharp shooters (google some images and you will see where it was worn). A boxplate looks just like a US belt buckle, but was mounted on the ammo pouch, again often discarded becuase it was just dead weight to lug around. Very nice find and in VERY good condition, minus the attaching loops !

 

[{Sentinel}]

Oh yeah, I know what it is, worn on the chest around the strap for the ammo pouch. But it is still a blessing to find one....My TH Buddy found one a few weeks ago. It was great.