"Excelsior" NY Button (x2), Engraved Tombac, and more...

[OutdoorAdv]

It's been a really rough week and I needed some of that "therapy" we can only get by spending the day outdoors and digging up some history. Was up at 4 am to get ready and be on site at sunrise, I had little expectations but knew for sure I would clear my head and enjoy a brisk morning. Well, I wasnt disappointed and I got much more than I expected!

I spent the first 3 hours in a 20 x 20 foot section not far from the pit I sifted last summer and in the hot spot I have been relentlessly pounding. I moved tree branches and went slow... and I had a blast. After digging some nails, My first non-ferrous target was my FIRST ever Civil War state button! An Excelsior New York State Button... Now I've dug 6 or 7 General Service buttons here, so when I saw it was a 2 piece, I was really hoping it would be a Virginia Button... But I wasnt complaining and there is no better way to start a hunt. I rechecked the hole and I pulled out a couple square nails, then another signals cleans up and right off the side of the plug, is my (now) favorite engraved tombac button. I love finding these with engraved designs and its been months since I got one. Heck of a way to start a hunt. A few more buttons turned up, and I returned to the small area and about 5 feet from the first NY button, a SECOND one turns up. It has much more gilt on it, but sadly it cleanly broke in two when I split the clog of dirt apart. A backless general service button turned up feet from the second Excelsior.

I got a couple pipe bowl fragments, and a really sweet iron drill bit that I will do electrolysis on. I also got a clay marble and a broken doll leg, which will display next to the other doll leg, doll head and doll arm I found feet away sifting last summer.

Anyway, it was an awesome hunt and just what I needed to clear my head.





The iron and random bits I always tote home. There are a few keeper pieces of iron in there that I will zap.. my favorite being that awesome drill bit.



These are the best plugs to dig! It contained a huge flat button that I thought was a copper for a minute. A few other plugs next to this one had another button and a marble, so I will go back and sift this section this summer.



My new favorite colonial engraved button.



Already got it in the case next to the other engraved tombacs from this site.



Sadly, the NY in better shape was the broken one. I did aluminum jelly on it and the gilt looks great. I can tell there is still a lot of gilt on the other one, but I was too scared to get it wet and use acid on it. It has a dent on the front and I was worried that water or rubbing it too much would make it break up too.... so it just got a toothpick and dry brush.

What are peoples thoughts on gluing the one back together? I was thinking superglue so I could lean it up to display it better



I immediately moved some of the General Service buttons from this site and consolidated them to make room for these two NY buttons. I know of one specific Calvary unit that was at this site, however its located in an area where many Union and Confederate troops would have passed.... however, I have only found Union relics so far.



The backless general service button from today had a really cool piece of dirt in it, with a perfect impression of the eagle!



The two pipe fragments. The one with the design, looks like it might be part of an eagle wing on it. I will google around and see if I can find a picture of what it looked like complete.



Thank you all for checking this out and Happy Hunting!

 

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[trapperart]

Wow great bunch of finds congrats

 

[relic nut]

Man what a place to hunt! Those are some great finds. I'd definitely put the button back together. I have done it twice to Eagle buttons. Nothing wrong with a good fix,IMO. Thanks for sharing[emoji106]

HH, Relic Nut

 

[parsonwalker]

I've glued lots back together. You can use carpenters glue, white glue or cement. It takes VERY little like 6 or 7 of the TINIEST dots you can make with a toothpick. Get some "super fine" dirt or dust and sprinkle the button while the glue is still wet. If no glue is squeezing out and showing, then one puff and you blow the dust/dirt away. But if any DOES sneak out, the dust/dirt will adhere to it and it looks like the patina of time instead of a shiny slick glue glob. Use very little and NICE buttons. there's a much less aggressive method to bringing out the gold than acidic naval jelly. After a light scraping with a dry toothpick, if you can see no gilt at all, then just leave it alone. That's what I had to do with this recent "close to the surface" find:



But if you can see some gold, then scrape as much crud off as you dare with a dry toothpick, then immerse the button in regular distilled white vinegar. The vinegar will take on a green tinge. leave it in the vinegar until you see the gold shining, but I would take it out after 2-3 minutes either way. Scrub very lightly with a toothbrush soaked in vinegar. Then rinse THOROUGHLY with plain water. let dry, and voila, you've accomplished this goal with a very mild acidic elixir.

 

[Jyverb64]

Beautiful NY button, congrats

 

[Isaac]

Great NY buttons, I'm sure you can super-glue the one back together again. Awesome pattern on that tombac too, I've never seen one like it! Glad you got that that therapy you needed. HH!

 

[against the wind]

Excellent hunt, I guess you'll be breaking out the sifter,
If you haven't already. Looking forward to seeing your
future hunts at this site.
Congrats

 

[metalev4]

Congrats on the state buttons, one of my favorite things to dig.

 

[fernald1]

Nice buttons!!

 

[scruggs]

GREAT FINDS!!! YOU FOUND A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING!!! IT WAS A NICE HUNT!!!

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Brad, I can believe how that site keeps producing for you, and from the sound of things you may have a ways to go. Congrats on your state buttons and that unique tombac. And that iron item on the far left of your first pic looks like a late colonial era snaffle bit to me. Sorry you didn't get your coin but you more than made up for that with a bunch of quality relics. I know you'll be back again soon ....

 

[Ahab8]

That's a great hunt buddy! I love that designed Tombac. Of course the excelsior buttons are awesome too. Hope that site keeps on producing pal

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Man what a place to hunt! Those are some great finds. I'd definitely put the button back together. I have done it twice to Eagle buttons. Nothing wrong with a good fix,IMO. Thanks for sharing[emoji106]

HH, Relic Nut

Relic Nut, thanks man! Between you and parsonwalker, I think a fix is in order.

I've glued lots back together. You can use carpenters glue, white glue or cement. It takes VERY little like 6 or 7 of the TINIEST dots you can make with a toothpick. Get some "super fine" dirt or dust and sprinkle the button while the glue is still wet. If no glue is squeezing out and showing, then one puff and you blow the dust/dirt away. But if any DOES sneak out, the dust/dirt will adhere to it and it looks like the patina of time instead of a shiny slick glue glob. Use very little and NICE buttons. there's a much less aggressive method to bringing out the gold than acidic naval jelly. After a light scraping with a dry toothpick, if you can see no gilt at all, then just leave it alone. That's what I had to do with this recent "close to the surface" find:

View attachment 1281870

But if you can see some gold, then scrape as much crud off as you dare with a dry toothpick, then immerse the button in regular distilled white vinegar. The vinegar will take on a green tinge. leave it in the vinegar until you see the gold shining, but I would take it out after 2-3 minutes either way. Scrub very lightly with a toothbrush soaked in vinegar. Then rinse THOROUGHLY with plain water. let dry, and voila, you've accomplished this goal with a very mild acidic elixir.

View attachment 1281877

Thanks a ton Parsonwalker! That is a ton of great advice man... thank you for taking the time to write all that out and give me the pictures. This is why tnet is great, for information like this. I will use carpenters glue and apply it how you mentioned... with the dust trick for patina if necessary. Its a clean break, so I think I can apply very little glue that it wont be necessary for dirt... I hope. I like the water soluble glue idea over super glue, since I can more easily reverse it with water, where as super glue I'd need to soak it in acetone.

There is gilt on the other NY button and I know it'd be nice cleaned up. Yours had an amazing transformation. I leave for business next week, so next weekend when I have some time to devote to it, I will try the vinegar. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Brad

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Wow great bunch of finds congrats

Thanks trapperart! I really like the relics like those buttons, so it was a great time out there today.

Beautiful NY button, congrats

Thanks Jyverb64! Hopefully the other one cleans up a bit more.

Great NY buttons, I'm sure you can super-glue the one back together again. Awesome pattern on that tombac too, I've never seen one like it! Glad you got that that therapy you needed. HH!

Thanks a ton Isaac! I think I'm going to go with the carpenters glue route, just because its a little easier to reverse down the road. If it was a wood button like your rose, I would use superglue (like you did), since if you ever wanted to reverse it, acetone would probably be better on the wood than water would since it would swell and warp. Dude, that tombac had me so happy. There was some dirt concreted to the front (like the back still has) but a little aluminum jelly got most of it off.... I didn't bother getting the rest off the back though. Nothing beats a day outdoors.

Excellent hunt, I guess you'll be breaking out the sifter,
If you haven't already. Looking forward to seeing your
future hunts at this site.
Congrats

Absolutely... lots of sifting is in order! Thanks Against the Wind. I did 5 or 6 sifting trips here last summer and had the best time I've ever had digging up history. Dare I say I liked it better than detecting. ha I did posts on here with those sifting trip results and I hope this summer is as productive. This one was my favorite http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...lc-bone-tooth-brush-41-buttons-much-more.html I'll definitely share the results when I get back out there and sift.

Congrats on the state buttons, one of my favorite things to dig.

Thanks a ton man! These are my firsts, and I have to say, they are now some of my favorite things to dig too. I had never seen a NY button in person and I hadn't really studied them, but as soon as the first one popped out I had a feeling it was a NY and texted two buddies.... with a quick confirmation on the ID.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Nice buttons!!

Thank you fernald1!

GREAT FINDS!!! YOU FOUND A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING!!! IT WAS A NICE HUNT!!!

Thanks scruggs! A hunt with some variety is always fun. In 30+ trips to this place in the last year, I have never NOT dug at least ONE button on each trip. ha At this point I don't think I would let myself leave without digging at least one. ha

Brad, I can believe how that site keeps producing for you, and from the sound of things you may have a ways to go. Congrats on your state buttons and that unique tombac. And that iron item on the far left of your first pic looks like a late colonial era snaffle bit to me. Sorry you didn't get your coin but you more than made up for that with a bunch of quality relics. I know you'll be back again soon ....

Thanks a ton man! I can't believe this place either. It appears to be a marathon at this site, where the finds come steady, but its not like it used to be when it was easy to fill my pouch up. There isn't a "good" (repeatable) non-ferrous target left over a ~2+ acre area. But in that pit section (which is huge) I can always snipe something on the fringe. It's a good place to hone my T2 and Deus skills as it takes every trick I know to find a target to dig now.... like clearing tree branches. ha

That is a bit piece that I will clean. I was really excited about the drill bit, but I'm not sure if its colonial... maybe I can tell after electrolysis. And that designed tombac was really amazing to see... when I realized it wasnt a silver... I could care less when I saw that design on it. I was getting sick of digging plain tombac's here, which I just roughly counted at ~40 tombacs from this place, with just 6 that have designs.

That's a great hunt buddy! I love that designed Tombac. Of course the excelsior buttons are awesome too. Hope that site keeps on producing pal

This place has been a blast, but I will soon need to move on to some other site. Its just tough when I have limited hunting time and this place has consistently been so good to me. I think it would take a couple trips that would be a total bust for me to be forced somewhere else. I think sifting will turn up some cool stuff this summer too.

View attachment 1282058

Thanks a ton Casper!

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Finally had a minute to spend some careful time with these two NY buttons. The one on the left was the crusty one that I applied white vinegar to like parsonwalker suggested. I was hoping more gilt would come out, but it looks ten times better than it did. The one on the right I put back together with some dabs of carpenters glue. Very happy with both of them and they look awesome in the display.