🥇 BANNER G W BUTTON DUG 12-5-2012

dsinsc

Jr. Member
Nov 29, 2011
93
111
The Low Country
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Minelabs Fisher F-75
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thought some of you folks would like to see this button I just dug from the South Carolina Low Country the other day. Me and three digging buds were hunting a hayfield that had given up a few eagle buttons and old coins. It's a place that's been pounded for 20 years but not long after we got there I dug an 1890-O Morgan dollar so I knew it wasn't totally hunted out :laughing7: Then I got a signal that read around 32 on the F-75. That kind of number usually ends up being a buck shot or some other small piece of junk but to my surprise it turned out to be an eagle coat button that got hit by the plow. Then about five feet away I get a 27 reading and out comes a little bitty button. I could just make out a shield on it but not much else. One of my buds was nearby and looked at it and we thought it might be a one piece Navy cuff or something but after it started to dry out a little I saw the G and could make out the eagle a bit better. That's when I alerted the boys that a GW had just been dug! It was near the end of the day so we were all digging every little blip that even tried to act like a signal but nothing else was found. This button is an Alberts WI23 but in an unlisted 14mm cuff size. These have just recently been discovered and are all being dug in the same general area as this one came from. This makes the fourth one I know of but the other three are all silver plated, so this one, as far as I know, is the only one in gold gilt. Now I've dug and cleaned hundreds of coins and buttons over the last 20+ years but I was actually scared when it came to working on this one. I started off with the hot peroxide method but it didn't do anything to help so I broke out the aluminum jelly and camel hair brush. A few finishing touches with a toothpick and here is the end result. Thanks for looking, Dave in SC
 

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Great button, and I know exactly what you mean about having lots of experience cleaning but catching some nerves for the championship game. My better buttons the process was fairly obvious, but in 2009 I found a pretty rare token that had me thinking I don't want to mess this up! Fortunately my result ended up as good as yours, and I look forward to fighting for the title again. :) (sadly GW buttons are in a division too far South of me so it will be a belt I never get a shot at)
 

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Thanks Marty, Your in luck, I always take before pictures incase something goes terribly wrong :) Behold the wonders of the magic jelly


That's how my buttons looked. No guts no glory!
 

No guts no glory sums it up pretty nicely IP. Some could be satisfied with a crusty rare item but a real man will always go for the gusto :laughing7:
 

dsinsc said:
Thanks Marty, Your in luck, I always take before pictures incase something goes terribly wrong :) Behold the wonders of the magic jelly

I tried aluminum jelly for the first time on a gilt eagle button I found. That stuff really works great for bringing that gilt back! Congrats on the find of a lifetime! Banner for sure!
 

Dude that is one awesome button!!! I've dug a ton of Colonial era flat buttons and very seldom have any of them had ANYTHING on the front, I'd pee my pants if I found one like that. Great find and a super big congratulations!! Banner vote here. HH.
 

Thanks Marty, Your in luck, I always take before pictures incase something goes terribly wrong :) Behold the wonders of the magic jelly
Holy Moly, Aluminum Jelly seems like the ticket, were do you get it and what brand? I have some old buttons I would like to try it on. Your button is one of the BEST finds I have EVER seen on here.
Marty
 

Wow! What an awesome button.
 

NJ Marty said:
Holy Moly, Aluminum Jelly seems like the ticket, were do you get it and what brand? I have some old buttons I would like to try it on. Your button is one of the BEST finds I have EVER seen on here.
Marty

I got mine from Ace Hardware
 

I've never seen this type posted here before, must be a good sign. CONGRATS!
 

That's one heck of a nice recovery. Would look nice up top!
 

Yep, anytime it's not one of the usual two we see it gets your attention.
I'm still working at finding one of those "usual two". I need to add some Aluminum Jelly to my cleaning arsenal as well.
Nick
 

Wow great find! good job.
 

I'm still working at finding one of those "usual two". I need to add some Aluminum Jelly to my cleaning arsenal as well.
Nick

Most are, but the fact is we rarely see the different ones pop up. One of these days someone will either post one that's a new discovery, or something near as crazy like only 1 example known. I just hope for their sake it's in excellent condition so they can collect that big pile of many thousands.
 

Thats the nicest GW button I've ever seen.....this is my new favorite GW button....very cool type ! .... banner !
 

Absolutely a BANNER button. Great find and excellent job with the cleaning.
 

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