CSA Button: What variant and what Chemo treatment to use on its cancer?

[Digger54]

CSA Button: What variant and what Chemo treatment to use on it's cancer?

As just about everything else I have dug out of the Louisiana mud, this button is rough. I dug it out of a farmer's field near Morgan City Louisiana about 12 years ago but have never tried to get an ID on it. Mostly cuz I was reluctant to bug anyone with it. As you can see it is rough with a penetrating push and has farm fertilizer cancer. I initially washed it with a weak mixture of Top Job and water 12 years ago and kept it dry since. Last weekend I plopped it in olive oil for 4 days but the oil can't seem to phase the green cancer. I was thinking of washing it with a mild soap to clear the oil and try naval jelly on the green cancer, then another oil bath. Suggestions on cleaning?

Well back to the ID. The button is a precise 22mm and the letters are precisely 8mm tall. There are periods after the C and the S but the A is touching the border so it has no period after the A. It is a blank back. I cannot make out any type of back ground field and doubt there was any. The A is definetly lined, but the C and the S are too rough for me to see any lines. Although it came out of a field with CW period coins and bullets, I don't find a match in Albert's button book and wonder if this is an early post war veteran's button of some sort.

 

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[Iron Patch]

Re: CSA Button: What variant and what Chemo treatment to use on it's cancer?

It's a Confederate Civil War button, and if there's no backmark maybe it's cast. Here's a few here.

http://www.civilwarbuttons.com/cscentrlist.htm

 

[Digger54]

Re: CSA Button: What variant and what Chemo treatment to use on it's cancer?

Sorry, should have mentioned that this is a two piece button. Here is the back of it.

 

[DirtyMike]

Re: CSA Button: What variant and what Chemo treatment to use on it's cancer?

I would leave it just the way it is. I only use naval jelly on stuff covered in gilt.

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: CSA Button: What variant and what Chemo treatment to use on it's cancer?

Having used oil on it you basically sealed it, so I agree probably left best as is. Anything you use to take off the green would have to be pretty harsh and I don't think the outcome would be too pretty. I think it looks better like that than all black, which would be the result from further cleaning.