✅ SOLVED Civilian Button w/ Plate...1820ish?

[ajaj]

I found this button in the neighbor’s lawn that had a house dating from the mid 19th century. When it first came out of the ground, I thought it may be a tombac button, however, through a jewelers loupe, I can see some of the plate coming off and it has copper underneath. I am very surprised that there would be this much plating left after all of these years! In any case, I am thinking about 1820. Does that seem to be about the right time frame?. Thanks.

aj

 

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[paleomaxx]

I'm very positive that is a variety of cone-shank tombac button; I have found several over the years with that raised edge. Below is one of them:



That "plating" layer you're seeing is actually the passivation layer formed between the tombac alloy and the corrosive elements of the soil. In most cases the soil produces a stable passivation layer with tombac which protects the underlying metal and forms that nice and smooth steel-gray patina. However if the soil is particularly caustic, the outer layer can also start to corrode and I think that's what you're seeing there. It all depends on the soil chemistry, but tombacs can get eaten up in the ground just like copper and iron. Fortunately it's not as easy so most tombacs come out of the ground looking awesome!

As for the date, it would have been produced during the second half of the 18th century, but I routinely find tombac buttons on post-civil war homesteads so it doesn't necessarily mean that the house would have to date to the 18th century too. I imagine tombacs were a handy plain button to use as a replacement and I'm sure most households had a jar of loose buttons of various ages for some quick tailor work!

 

[CRUSADER]

Agreed 18th C Tombac button.

 

[erfranks]

Nice Find!!

 

[ajaj]

Thank you all for your input!

aj