Coast Guard Button???

[NorCal 6er]

A buddy found in trash big button has CG on shield
need help

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

Seing the eagle with shield and the letters CG on it, your guess is understandable, but it definitely is not a Coast Guard button (whose eagle is very different).

I could not find your unidentified button anywhere in the Tice button-book. However, your button is shown in the Albert button-book in the "Unclassified and Unidentified" section as Button #UU-18. It MAY be a slight variation of the City Guards of Boston (Massachusetts) button, shown in the Albert book as button MS-56 ...or MS-85, the Clinton Light Guards, also of Massachusetts.

I'll include a photo of MS-56, the City Guards (of Boston) button.

According to the McGuinn-&-Bazelon book on backmarls, your button's RMDC (Raised-Mark-in-Depressed-Channel) backmarks saying "Horstmann Bro. & Allien N.Y." dates it to sometime between 1850 to 1860.

 

[Mainelypulltab]

Not being too smart on buttons, I thought Semper Paratus, shown on the button by TheCannonballGuy, is the motto of the Coast Guard. Not saying the City Guards of Boston could not have the same motto. Either way, it is an interesting piece. Semper Fidelis!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Thank you (sincerely) for that very interesting information about the motto. However, it appears to only be a coincidence. The US Coast Guard was created by act of Congress in 1915. There was no such thing as a US Coast Guard uniform button prior to that time. And of course, the eagle-with-CG buttons having backmarks from prior to that time cannot be US Coast Guard buttons. Interested readers can verify that information at Wikipedia's US Coast Guard entry, and for buttons (and their history), go here: History of the US Coast Guard thru Uniform Buttons - U.S. Militaria Forum

I got the info I posted from the Albert button-book, the Tice button-book, and the Ridgeway Archive website (Ridgeway Civil War Archive Buttons from Massachusetts,militia units, schools, and academies.) which says:
Massachusetts regimental button, Boston City Guard, eagle with "CG", officer staff, Wadhams & Webster, (22.5mm)
Button depicts an eagle with "CG" in the shield, and Latin motto "Semper Paratus" (always ready), this is the motto adopted by the Boston City Guard and is found on other buttons and memorabilia associated with this famous unit. This militia unit has a long and rich history from 1821, and is one of the elite units from Boston. It became Company A, 13th Massachusetts Infantry and participated in First Bull Run and numerous other battles until July 1864. Backmark: "WADHAMS WEBSTER & CO / (dot) SUPERFINE (dot) WOLCOTTEVILLE CONN (dot) (star) (dot)", dm middle solid ring and two inner solid rings, manufactured 1838 to 1846., (Wadhams01). Three part low convex officer staff button, coat size.
Reference: Albert MS56, Tice MS230A1.

 

[NorCal 6er]

Here we go guys some info on "Semper Paratus"

http://www.uscg.mil/history/articles/SemperParatusTheMeaning.pdf

Thanks TheCannonballGuy for all your info and help