First Button but stumped

Bringerofthepast

Tenderfoot
Nov 14, 2019
7
9
Philadelphia area
Detector(s) used
Whites Mx5 and AT Pro
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I found this button on a farm in NJ. I'm super new at detecting in general so knowledge of material and other helpful info will be learned for future posts. The first two pictures are of the button and the third is the scale. It's in the middle on my desk calendar.
 

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Greetings and welcome to the forum.. Your button is classified as a livery button. I can't look up anything on it right now, but when I get back to my books, I will see if I can find more info on it for you.
 

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Congratulations. Good start to a great sport.:icon_thumright:
 

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There was a T.W. Cook listed at 8 Clifford st in 1860. I will see what else I can find. From what livery buttons I have looked at yours resembles a lion's head.
 

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I also found a Thomas William Cook, tailor 8 Clifford St. in the 1870 London Post Office directory.
 

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I think it is safe to say your livery button dates to the second half of the 19th century.
 

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Ive never heard of someone finding one in America but in England you can find things called livery buttons. I pretty sure they were used to identify a horse or other animal. With a lot of research you might get an exact ID on who owned it.
 

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Welcome to Tnet from Toronto Bringerofthepast! :hello:
The other guys have already provided you some great background info on your 'Livery Button' find.
If you're just starting out detecting as you say, then you're doing well with those finds!

I found a similar version to your button in my area a few years ago... don't forget Jake's Birthday next Tuesday. :laughing7:
Dave
 

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Great finds Bringerofthepast
Nice close-up and well focused pictures.
Although your calendar gives a good idea of the size, it's better to put a known coin or a ruler next to your object for size reference.
Calendars come in all different sizes.

and Welcome to TreasureNet

Keep up the hunt you're doing great.
 

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I think it may be a lion. Here is one similar to yours. Here is a link to a good source about Livery buttons. There are a few more similar to yours listed under "Lion Head". I may have missed it but I didn't see anything like yours under any of the dog headings.

https://sites.google.com/site/liverybuttonsidentified/
 

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Yours are flat? Would that make a difference?

Date wise yes, the Livery button you found is a two-piece button dating from the 1850 - 60 period. :thumbsup:
The example I found is a cast one-piece design dating from 1820 - 40.

The other two items you see are early Canadian tokens I found at the same site, they date from 1814 - 39.
Dave
 

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Will do for next time. Thanks for the tip.


This is a great resource for dating early British buttons... Button Makers and their backmarks - ukdfd :thumbsup:

As well as... Barrel padlocks, Buckles through the ages, Buckles visual catalogue, Button makers, Coinweights, Crotal Bells, Edwardian Farthings, Edwardian Halfpennies, Edwardian Pennies, Galley Halfpence, Gunter's chain, Harness pendants, Long Cross Pennies, Nuremberg Jetons, Papal Bullae, Pocket sundials, Roman Seal Boxes, Seal Matrices, Thimbles & Tumbrels.

Dave
 

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