Button ID help....thanks! <Solved near as I can tell!>

DMN

DMN

Bronze Member
Apr 19, 2009
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Found this button today, about 4" down. After cleaning it with a soft bristle tooth brush and water it appears to be a military button, probably Navy based on the anchor in the eagle's claws. The back is really rusty so I can not determine manufacturer's name. It looks like the loop to attach is a flat piece in the back rather than a proud loop soldered to the back. Some of the gilt is still on the button.

Anyone know anything about it? A general date would be great! If the pictures are hard to discern I can take more.
Thanks!!!
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

On further review, it looks like it might be a WWII button for a Petty Officer. Can't be certain be cause the back does not match. In some cases, the eagle is facing in the opposite direction. I'll continue checking.
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

Blazer button not very old 1930's-40's or so maybe.I've found a couple like that back attachment. :thumbsup:
Take Care,
Pete, :hello:
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

:hello: Since the fluke of the anchor is in front of the left wing date range would be 1870 to 1940s. If you had the back mark I could be more accurate date. It looks Indian Wars time period to me. Have fun...Jim
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

Heres another like it I found from the same era.! :thumbsup:
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

I believe it is a blazer button now. As much as I wanted this to be military I looked at a number of Navy buttons out on the web. The discrepancies:

1) It is not brass because there are rust spots on the face and the back is all rust
2) All the buttons for Navy that appear to have the same face are brass
3) To the exception of one button (pic attached) all the buttons have a back with a shank. The one without the shank has a 4 hole single piece back.

So, it might be somewhat old (maybe 40's?, who knows) it certainly isn't military. Frustrating because this area has been peopled for over 300 years. But this just keeps me wanting more!

Timekiller, thanks for putting me on the right track! :thumbsup:
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

DMN said:
Frustrating because this area has been peopled for over 300 years. But this just keeps me wanting more!
Click to expand...

Lucas' Rule of Stuff:

There are many more people now than there used to be.
People in the old days didn't have much stuff... until the Sears Catalogue Era.

So, there is probably a ton of newer junk for every super cool early find.
 

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Nearly all Kepi Buttons for the hats were made with Iron Backs so it could be a kepi button. What size is it? If its a smaller button, say less 15mm than it could be a Kepi or newer Hat button. Its definitely a U.S. Navy design but the back is indeed unusually and would date it to the 20th century IMO.
 

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{Sentinel} said:
Nearly all Kepi Buttons for the hats were made with Iron Backs so it could be a kepi button. What size is it? If its a smaller button, say less 15mm than it could be a Kepi or newer Hat button. Its definitely a U.S. Navy design but the back is indeed unusually and would date it to the 20th century IMO.
Click to expand...
The button is about 23 mm wide. Hard part is, all the buttons I have seen to compare against this one are brass. I'm just getting settled with the opinion the button is a knock off rather than an original. I'll take the "oh well" approach and keep swinging 'til I ind something more legit! Thanks for the replies to this...it certainly helped.
 

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Re: Button ID help....thanks!

Lucas said:
DMN said:
Frustrating because this area has been peopled for over 300 years. But this just keeps me wanting more!
Click to expand...

Lucas' Rule of Stuff:

There are many more people now than there used to be.
People in the old days didn't have much stuff... until the Sears Catalogue Era.

So, there is probably a ton of newer junk for every super cool early find.
Click to expand...
I would generally agree with you however this spots I've been hunting have had activity for a few hundred years, at least. On the same token, I'm probably not the first person to sweep these areas with a detector. But, I know nothing is completely hunted out so I will dig, dig, dig. Something's got to show! Thanks for the philosophy! :thumbsup:
 

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DMN said:
{Sentinel} said:
Nearly all Kepi Buttons for the hats were made with Iron Backs so it could be a kepi button. What size is it? If its a smaller button, say less 15mm than it could be a Kepi or newer Hat button. Its definitely a U.S. Navy design but the back is indeed unusually and would date it to the 20th century IMO.
Click to expand...
The button is about 23 mm wide. Hard part is, all the buttons I have seen to compare against this one are brass. I'm just getting settled with the opinion the button is a knock off rather than an original. I'll take the "oh well" approach and keep swinging 'til I ind something more legit! Thanks for the replies to this...it certainly helped.
Click to expand...
Here's a few from Tnet also DMN, :thumbsup:
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=340701.0
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=116483.0
Take Care,
Pete, :hello:
 

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This eagle design was used by the US Navy from 1850-1941 and I think its US Navy, but I guess I should keep possibility open that this may be a post 1941 civilian button with a pre 1941 obsolete Navy design.

Sentinel said they also used iron backs on hats and
Im looking for the old thread IDing iron backed Navy buttons.
 

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bigcypresshunter said:
This eagle design was used by the US Navy from 1850-1941 and I think its US Navy, but I guess I should keep possibility open that this may be a post 1941 civilian button with a pre 1941 obsolete Navy design.

Sentinel said they also used iron backs on hats and
Im looking for the old thread IDing iron backed Navy buttons.
Click to expand...
That's a neat post BCH, :thumbsup: I missed that some how. :dontknow: And would say you have it right going by it.I don't see it being CW though.Good research. :read2:
 

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Timekiller said:
bigcypresshunter said:
Timekiller said:
Here's a few from Tnet also DMN, :thumbsup:
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=340701.0
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=116483.0
Take Care,
Pete, :hello:
Click to expand...
Not the same button Pete.
Click to expand...
Yea mainly talking about the steel backs and attachments. :thumbsup:
NO not the same eagle or size.
Take Care,
Pete :hello:
Click to expand...
Ah OK Now that I realize the type of back, it must be a modern button with an older obsolete US Navy design. You are correct I am wrong. Now go try and solve the uniform in the ground because I give up lol. :icon_scratch: :dontknow: ;D
 

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