🥇 BANNER Civil war dog tag. Are you kidding me?!!!!!!

[Turbo21]

I decided to go digging at lunch time today and went to one of our local parks that was opened in 1914. We have pulled many silver coins and cool relics from this park but never in a million years did I think I would find a civil war dog tag!!!!

I had a good signal and was thinking half dollar

Duh the hole and out pops a big disc. I was thinking large cent as soon as



Being the curious person I am I started cleaning it in the field. Was confused when I see 1861 and a shield. I didn't know what it was so immediately started looking online



I first thought it was a civil war token but noticed some writing on the back. I then found it was a civil war dog tag. How the heck did that end up in this park!!!!

I am still in the cleaning stage but it's coming along nicely. It's in really good shape and just some peroxide made a lot of the original brass color show up

I still have ore cleaning to do but it just amazes me the history behind this.

Here is a pic of how it's coming along


The back still need some cleaning but the writing is all legible

The back says
Caleb r foster
COB
13 reg
Vol




I suck at research so a big thanks to kiros32

He found that Caleb r foster was in the 102 regiment Pennsylvania infantry company b
He was wounded at wilderness va
He mustered out with his company on June 28 1865
He died at 78 from pneumonia and he is buried in chartiers cemetary which is about 10 miles from here

I have started looking at values and looks like at auction it could go from $1750 to $2200. Wow

I am still shaking and this is definitely my best find ever its gonna be hard to top this one!!!

 

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[Xraywolf]

As far as cleaning. The back was barely readable because of all the crud and corrosion. And the value lies in being able to see the information I think making the back readable increased the value imo

And totally agree with you about the return

Tooth brush and warm water and maybe an olive oil soaking is about as far as I would have gone.
Coin/token collectors can spot a whizzed piece a mile away, and this now has that look. No one expects to see shiny new on a metal alloy item that has been in the ground a century +
IMO will affect value, but since it is very historic and highly collectible, maybe not significantly.
Tough to gauge as an item like this is worth exactly what you can get someone to pay for it. I guess $1,700 would be the benchmark for a readable ground dug ID tag.

My opinion, don't take personal. Some guys get bent out of shape when the topic comes up - Bottom line, not what I would have done but yours to do with as you please.
Hopefully you can find some info about this guy.
Wilderness was a viscous struggle, as most of them were, but had unique elements that made it particularly bitter. Many if not most involved in that were vets of other famous battles, but only being 17 at the time probably not the case for him, though possible.

 

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[nolanation]

Tooth brush and warm water and maybe an olive oil soaking is about as far as I would have gone.
Coin/token collectors can spot a whizzed piece a mile away, and this now has that look. No one expects to see shiny new on a metal alloy item that has been in the ground a century +
IMO will affect value, but since it is very historic and highly collectible, maybe not significantly.
Tough to gauge as an item like this is worth exactly what you can get someone to pay for it. I guess $1,700 would be the benchmark for a readable ground dug ID tag.

My opinion, don't take personal. Some guys get bent out of shape when the topic comes up - Bottom line, not what I would have done but yours to do with as you please.
Hopefully you can find some info about this guy.
Wilderness was a viscous struggle, as most of them were, but had unique elements that made it particularly bitter. Many if not most involved in that were vets of other famous battles, but only being 17 at the time probably not the case for him, though possible.

Totally agree!

 

[Cassews]

Great piece of history .. Great find !

 

[gsxraddict]

I voted banner, it's a super rare find.

 

[Turbo21]

Tooth brush and warm water and maybe an olive oil soaking is about as far as I would have gone.
Coin/token collectors can spot a whizzed piece a mile away, and this now has that look. No one expects to see shiny new on a metal alloy item that has been in the ground a century +
IMO will affect value, but since it is very historic and highly collectible, maybe not significantly.
Tough to gauge as an item like this is worth exactly what you can get someone to pay for it. I guess $1,700 would be the benchmark for a readable ground dug ID tag.

My opinion, don't take personal. Some guys get bent out of shape when the topic comes up - Bottom line, not what I would have done but yours to do with as you please.
Hopefully you can find some info about this guy.
Wilderness was a viscous struggle, as most of them were, but had unique elements that made it particularly bitter. Many if not most involved in that were vets of other famous battles, but only being 17 at the time probably not the case for him, though possible.

Actually the gold gilt on the front appeared from just rinsing with water. Look at the picture where I just reveled the date and if you zoom in you can see the gold just peeking through.

This park was founded in 1914. And was probably not dropped until sometime after this soldier passed away and was lost by a relative. If he himself had dropped it after the park opened he would have been in his 60's and the area I found it was some steep wooded terrain. Can't see someone in their 60's being in this area.

Just trying to get the point across that this wasn't a battlefield find that has been buried since 1861. It could have been lost last year for all I know

Just washing the dirt off exposed the guilt. And as far as the back. I will stick with my claim that having the info clearly readable is better than having original patina and needing a magnifying glass, a bright light, and the perfect angle to be able to barely make it out

 

[neodetectorist]

Speechless

 

[Xraywolf]

I realize it wasn't a battlefield find, most likely unknown what the plot of land was previous to 1914.
No sense speculating how/when it was lost and by who, could have been dropped in 1865, 1960 or anywhere in between.

As for cleaning, everyone has their preferences and tolerance levels.
I know guys who unearth ancient coins commonly use peroxide, I wouldn't because you are initiating a chemical process which could have detrimental affects which may manifest itself instantly, in hours, weeks or months, or not at all. Acetone is more neutral and hence safer but can cause discoloration issues.
Honestly looked fine to me and now it looks artificially cleaned, which it was [compare to the other you posted, which was not]. May be more aesthetically pleasing to most, but serious coin collectors hate that look.

don't want to dwell on it though, sensational find and I wish you many more.

 

[park pirate]

Wow very cool congrats....

 

[paulb104]

Sweet find, hope you haven't hurt its value with all that cleaning.

I would in no way consider trying to track down relatives, not like a 20 year old class ring or something. Even if there might be someone living that personally knew the person, maybe. But that person died at least a generation ago.

With sites like ancestry.com and findagrave.com, it's actually fairly simple to do this. I've done it a few times myself for a number of items. I start with ancestry.com or a US census search, and, typically in about half an hour I'm at facebook looking at a great grandchild.

 

[gusnuts]

Amazing find. Congrats! What does everyone mean by banner vote?

 

[TRanegar36]

Def shouldn't have cleaned it - but can't go back in time. At least it's readable...

It came out of the ground looking good!

 

[CRUSADER]

2 more pictures. I did a mineral oil dip because it was super dried out. It really pops now

View attachment 1430099
View attachment 1430100

Looking good!

 

[CRUSADER]

Tooth brush and warm water and maybe an olive oil soaking is about as far as I would have gone.
Coin/token collectors can spot a whizzed piece a mile away, and this now has that look. No one expects to see shiny new on a metal alloy item that has been in the ground a century +
IMO will affect value, but since it is very historic and highly collectible, maybe not significantly.
Tough to gauge as an item like this is worth exactly what you can get someone to pay for it. I guess $1,700 would be the benchmark for a readable ground dug ID tag.

My opinion, don't take personal. Some guys get bent out of shape when the topic comes up - Bottom line, not what I would have done but yours to do with as you please.
Hopefully you can find some info about this guy.
Wilderness was a viscous struggle, as most of them were, but had unique elements that made it particularly bitter. Many if not most involved in that were vets of other famous battles, but only being 17 at the time probably not the case for him, though possible.

Normally, I'm a leave alone guy. However, as I assume he's not selling it, I think the improvement was worth it. Looks better & not over polished to me.

 

[IndianaBonesMD]

Very nice find.

 

[Xraywolf]

With sites like ancestry.com and findagrave.com, it's actually fairly simple to do this. I've done it a few times myself for a number of items. I start with ancestry.com or a US census search, and, typically in about half an hour I'm at facebook looking at a great grandchild.

I know its not all that difficult if so inclined, but for an item like this where the last living person who could possibly have personally known him have themselves passed away decades ago, I don't see the point.
Both you and I know, any great great [great great] grandchild, if such even exists, would have it on ebay quicker than greased lightening, and likely buy a new ipad with the proceeds - Its potential as an heirloom having passed long, long ago never to return.

I see no moral obligation whatsoever to track down heirs in this case, to each their own.

 

[Discrimination Dave]

I realize it wasn't a battlefield find, most likely unknown what the plot of land was previous to 1914.
No sense speculating how/when it was lost and by who, could have been dropped in 1865, 1960 or anywhere in between.

As for cleaning, everyone has their preferences and tolerance levels.
I know guys who unearth ancient coins commonly use peroxide, I wouldn't because you are initiating a chemical process which could have detrimental affects which may manifest itself instantly, in hours, weeks or months, or not at all. Acetone is more neutral and hence safer but can cause discoloration issues.
Honestly looked fine to me and now it looks artificially cleaned, which it was [compare to the other you posted, which was not]. May be more aesthetically pleasing to most, but serious coin collectors hate that look.

don't want to dwell on it though, sensational find and I wish you many more.

Agreed. but your cockroach sucks everytime I (hate to) see it.

 

[Paulito]

Epic!.... Just Epic.
Lots of folks say they'd rather find a "personalized" historical relic item rather than coins or jewelry.
This is pretty much the ULTIMATE personal find. So dope!

 

[Xraywolf]

Agreed. but your cockroach sucks everytime I (hate to) see it.

Is only a dazzled flea, will not attack unless provoked !

 

[DirtyPockects]

That's an awesome find. Congratulations

 

[GaRebel1861]

Congratulations on the banner!