Civil war toe tap plz help?!

[Edevine]

Found this today near where I found an officers belt is this a civil war toe tap?

 

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[Noah_D]

Is there a patent date on the front? That might help us narrow down when it would have been used.

 

[Edevine]

Not that I can see but I haven’t cleaned it up that much

 

[Edevine]

PAT NOV 22 or 28 18 and then the rest is a bit blurred

 

[CathyNoel]

Found this today near where I found an officers belt is this a civil war toe tap?
View attachment 1831908

it's like you found light in dark. That's great!


www.fbvideodl.com

 

[pistol-pete]

Have found a number of these around this 1870s 80s mining area. Look the same but no marks

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Edevine, the answer to your question, "Is this a civil war toe tap?" is... maybe yes, maybe no. Here's the explanation of that answer.

The specific version of shoe-toe-protector you found was invented and patented in 1859. (Patent date is November 29, 1859, see the photo below.) Ones made during the 14-year life of that US Patent had to be marked with an anti-copying notification saying "Patent" or "Patented" along with the date. Because the one you found has the Patent marking, it was made sometime between 1859 and 1873. So, MAYBE yours was made during the civil war years, and maybe it wasn't.

 

[GoldieLocks]

The shape isn't the same in the two photos. I am starting to think they were attached to Hard Hats for miners or construction workers.

 

[Edevine]

thank you! Just got into the hobby found it 5 ft from my first belt plate so I was curious