Copperhead Badge?

[Woodland Detectors]

I am re-posting this due to overwhelming PM's last night referring to the Badge.
It would be nice to figure this out. It's obviously cut to be worn for possibly the Copperhead political organization or other reasons. Thanks for your help...Mike


http://books.google.com/books?id=My...r+copper-head+badge&cd=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Most striking are Ellen's comment regarding "Copperheads," a vocal element in the northern Democratic Party who opposed Lincoln's Republican administration, the abolitionist movement, and ultimately the war itself. The Copperheads drew their name from the three cent copper Indian head coins they wore as badges. In many areas of Pennsylvania, they were a political force to be reckoned with, including in Bucks County.

 

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[Walker Colt]

Re: Copperhead Badge?? Or NOT?

Great find. I am sure they varied in appearance. We have a description of the emblem of the KGC from the ritual books but the 3 prewar emblems known to exist all look different, but all of them match the description.

 

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[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Copperhead Badge?? Or NOT?

Now that's what I wanted to hear. So, do we agree (most of us)




That this may be the affiliation??

 

[IronSpike]

Re: Copperhead Badge?? Or NOT?

Banner Badge pin

Love the patina on the Indian copperhead badge

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Copperhead Badge?? Or NOT?

Thanks Ken!
If I knew when I had dug it what it might have been Would have taken it to the truck right away.
The pin itself was still intact. When I put it on the "finds" side of my bag it somehow broke.

 

[DCMatt]

Re: Copperhead Badge?? Or NOT?

Here is another period (1863) drawing of the copperhead "Liberty pin". It uses the large cent or "common cent" as they call it.



I still can't find any IH copperhead pins.

Curiouser and curiouser...

DCMatt

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Copperhead Badge?? Or NOT?

Here is another period (1863) drawing of the copperhead "Liberty pin". It uses the large cent or "common cent" as they call it.




I still can't find any IH copperhead pins.

Curiouser and curiouser...

DCMatt

That's a cool drawing Matt. Thanks.

 

[nebstater]

I am sorry to tell you, but your Indian head pin is not the famed "Copperhead" item that you thought that it was. I have collected politicals for over 40 years, and what you have, appears to be a cut out of an Indian Head penny.

I have attached a couple of photos of the true "Copperhead" political item. Hope this is of some help to you.

 

[BioProfessor]

Thanks for the references Nebstater,

What can you add to the examples and the written material that refers to holed large cents and IH cents as "Copperheads?" They seem to be something that was used. Was it an attempt by people to imitate the real badges? Were there maybe "Homemade Badges" and "Commercial Badges" with the IH and large cent cut out s and holed coins the "Homemade" ones?

Thanks for the input.

Daryl

 

[nebstater]

Thanks for the references Nebstater,

What can you add to the examples and the written material that refers to holed large cents and IH cents as "Copperheads?" They seem to be something that was used. Was it an attempt by people to imitate the real badges? Were there maybe "Homemade Badges" and "Commercial Badges" with the IH and large cent cut out s and holed coins the "Homemade" ones?

Thanks for the input.

Daryl

All I can add is this small blurb from one of my reference books.

"The Copperhead, cut from the large United Staes cent and worn as a pin, was a symbol of the anti-war group during the period of the War Between the states. Opposition to war, such as the Vietnam trouble, is not new in American history." Nowhere in my reference material does it list the indian head as a anti-war or copperhead item. I'm not saying that they weren't, I'm just saying that it's not listed as being so.

 

[BioProfessor]

Thanks!!!

So if someone cut the head from a Large Cent and wore it as a pin, it would be considered a "Copperhead." So these would be the same as the ones commerically made and available in stores but considered "Homemade?" And there is nothing out there to suggest that an IH penny holed and worn as a necklace or having the head cut out and worn as a pin being an actual "Copperhead."

If this is the way it is, I think we may have an answer. FINALLY.

Thanks again,

Daryl

 

[BioProfessor]

DCmatt's post is talking about cutting the head from Large Cents - look at the size they talk about. That fits with the material from nebstater.

Daryl

 

[KGC4Dixie]

I am sorry to tell you, but your Indian head pin is not the famed "Copperhead" item that you thought that it was. I have collected politicals for over 40 years, and what you have, appears to be a cut out of an Indian Head penny. I have attached a couple of photos of the true "Copperhead" political item. Hope this is of some help to you.

My cause for concern about the Liberty pennies dug is the lack of the patina.

Gary

 

[BioProfessor]

Who said the ones shown here were all dug. The thread started with a green one. Good enough for me.

Daryl

 

[DCMatt]

I have to agree that 4 H's find may not be a Copperhead pin.

Even Clement Vallandigham, in his court martial testimony, speaks to the use of the "common cent" as the Liberty badge worn by Peace Democrats (aka Copperheads) and alludes to the word LIBERTY being prominent and visible on them. It is not so easily seen on the IH.
_____________________________________________
Question by Judge Advocate. — Did you see any persons
having emblems on their persons ?

"A. — Yes; I saw hundreds of persons wearing butternut
and copperhead badges.

" Mr. Vallandigham. — The copper badges were simply the
head cut out of the common cent coins, with pins attached.

"Mr. Vallandigham. — Did you notice what inscription
these copperhead badges bore?

" A. — No ; I did not look at them.

"Mr. Vallandigham. — The inscription on them was 'Liberty.'
_____________________________________________

DCMatt

BTW - EXCELLENT thread!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

I have to agree that 4 H's find may not be a Copperhead pin.

Even Clement Vallandigham, in his court martial testimony, speaks to the use of the "common cent" as the Liberty badge worn by Peace Democrats (aka Copperheads) and alludes to the word LIBERTY being prominent and visible on them. It is not so easily seen on the IH.
_____________________________________________
Question by Judge Advocate. — Did you see any persons
having emblems on their persons ?

"A. — Yes; I saw hundreds of persons wearing butternut
and copperhead badges.

" Mr. Vallandigham. — The copper badges were simply the
head cut out of the common cent coins, with pins attached.

"Mr. Vallandigham. — Did you notice what inscription
these copperhead badges bore?

" A. — No ; I did not look at them.

"Mr. Vallandigham. — The inscription on them was 'Liberty.'
_____________________________________________

DCMatt

BTW - EXCELLENT thread!

OK. What kind of "cosmetic" purpose would this pertain. Especially in that era knowing the possibilities of affiliation it may interpret.

 

[DCMatt]

OK. What kind of "cosmetic" purpose would this pertain. Especially in that era knowing the possibilities of affiliation it may interpret.

Good question. We've gotten so caught up in determining what it ISN'T, we have failed to identify what it IS.

Did we determine if it is actually made from a coin or is it a replica? While researching this piece, I found a really neat book published in 1913 called "700 things for a boy to do." One thing was instructions on how to make a stick pin. Guess what they used...

How To Make A Stick Pin
A fine stick pin or button can be made from a new one-cent piece. Carefully file out all the metal around the Indian head and slightly round the edges. Solder a pin to the back of the head when it is to be used for a stick pin. If a collar button base is soldered to the back of the head instead of the pin it can be used for a button. These can be gold plated by a jeweler and then you will have a neat pin or button, or a good emblem for the Order of Redmen.

Maybe yours is just a piece of jewelry... or an Order of Redmen emblem?

DCMatt

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Guess what Matt. Look at the heads of my examples....closely. The noses look different. The "grin" is different.

If you ask me, they look oddly different. I can see more detail from the photo than I can the actual object. It's certainly smaller than you think. Matt, you have made this thread interesting and beneficially educational. I am having fun with this one

 

[BioProfessor]

Ever try to be a kid and use the file you left out in the rain and got your butt whipped for to cut the head out of a penny?? They probably would look a little different from the die stamped penny.

I think DCmatt is right on.

Daryl

 

[72cheyenne]

Guess what Matt. Look at the heads of my examples....closely. The noses look different. The "grin" is different.

If you ask me, they look oddly different. I can see more from the photo than I can the actual object. It's certainly smaller than you think. Matt, you have made this thread interesting and beneficially educational. I am having fun. Well, I've looked at other IH cents and see they changed the Native American's face a couple times too so....

Mike, I do believe yours is from an IH. I think the person who cut it out didn't follow the exact profile of the head, therefore causing the nose, lips, and chin to be different. All the details in the center of the profile look right on.

Great work on all the info on this thread guys, and to you DCMatt for the excellent ID.

 

[DCMatt]

I enjoyed this one a lot!

On a related note... One thing I noticed during my research was that earlier texts did not use the word "penny". The reference was to the "common cent" or "cent" (chosen in 1786 as the name for the 1/100th of a U. S. dollar unit by the Continental Congress.)

When did we stop calling them cents and start calling them pennies?

I guess that's a question for another thread.

DCMatt