Brass To Hire Tag

[bigkid4]

I found this at a construction site well over a year ago in Brunswick County just across the river from Wilmington NC. It is 2 ¾” wide and 2” tall. The construction site had several old home sites on it and lots of colonial buttons and coins were found as well as some Civil War relics. Since I found this one two more have turned up in the Wilmington area. One of them is the same size as mine and one is a little smaller. All three have: TO HIRE
1818
Above the TO HIRE I think mine is stamped No 27 but I’m not 100%. The other two are stamped with a number but I do not remember if the number is the same or different. My first thought was that it had to be a license for a buggy or carriage but that is just a guess. Thanks for your help.

 

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[curbdiggercarl57]

All I know is if that's the date, (1818), you have one decent find there. Not much help, but someone here at this site will always be able to supply you with more info than you started with. Got a feeling you are gonna be surprised. First thought was a possible tag that a freed slave might use, someone not from South Carolina.

 

[idahotokens]

I think you are probably on the right track - it is probably like a license plate that the town sold to the equivalent of taxis or dray rigs - like a dog tax, only this tag was to be affixed to the buggy or wagon. The number 1818 probably relates to an ordinance number and the stamped number relates to the order of issuance. I could be way off, tho...

John in ID

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I wonder if its stamped or engraved? Look at it with a loupe or magnifier. The two 8's look different.

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

Check out this site. I think it's a slave hire badge, if it is they bring a nice price. Great find!


http://www.stacksarchive.com/viewcat.php?auction=ST0106&heading=15647&headinglevel=1

 

[IronSpike]

I can see the thought of slave tags, but wasn't that only in Charleston, SC?

 

[COUNTRY GIRL]

314 - BILL OF SALE FOR LEA AND HER CHILD, August 27th, 1791, 8" X 10", manuscript bill of sale for 100 pounds describing Lea as about 18 years of age along with her child as being warranted against all claims. These slaves were sold in the State of North Carolina.

 

[IronSpike]

314 - BILL OF SALE FOR LEA AND HER CHILD, August 27th, 1791, 8" X 10", manuscript bill of sale for 100 pounds describing Lea as about 18 years of age along with her child as being warranted against all claims. These slaves were sold in the State of North Carolina.

Slaves sold in NC as well. The Charleston slave tags were a license issued to slave owners for leasing out their slaves. Thought these slave tags were unique for Charleston only.
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...&prev=/images?q=slave+tags&ndsp=18&hl=en&um=1

 

[Steve_UK]

Just a thought... wouldn't a Slave Tag have just the one hole?

This has several, looks like it was fixed to something.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I think you are probably on the right track - it is probably like a license plate that the town sold to the equivalent of taxis or dray rigs - like a dog tax, only this tag was to be affixed to the buggy or wagon. The number 1818 probably relates to an ordinance number and the stamped number relates to the order of issuance. I could be way off, tho...

John in ID

Im thinking like vehicle for hire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_for_hire

 

[JimDon]

It could be a tag from a Hack or Coach but I am leaning towards a hat pin for a taxi driver. I agree that 1818 is probably a driver number not a date but this should be researched.