ID HELP NEEDED ? Dug Rev. War Button?

lostbutfound

Tenderfoot
Mar 24, 2011
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0
Hi, I metal detect when ever I can. Have found lots of interesting items. Recently found this button but am unable to identify it. Have been told it was revolutionary war and another saying that it's not. :hello2: Found this particular button (not dated) and some pre-dating civil war, decorative buttons, US civil war belt buckle, the hunting horn button was dug in Henry Co. Illinois in an old town site. Was told the hunting horn button was from around 1820's/30's.
This town was established in 1836 and is now a ghost town, nothing there. Population of 850 people. People were migrating into this town after revolutionary times and indian wars and civil war period.
Have added 4 pix to help you identify this button. In the pix is a measurement in inches. So hoping you could give me good news about this button. And maybe a value of it.

Email me if you have any questions.
Would appreciate any input you have.
 

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Welcome to T-net ! :hello:

It does resemble the style of numbers found on Regiment of Foot buttons but I thought the 20th used "XX". Being you mentioned Henry Co., I thought the 20th Illinois, but that would date it Civil War era. Well, I'm sure you'll have an answer soon.

Have a pic of the hunting horn button?
 

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:hello:
Thank you, and any input is appreciated. I'm sorry, don't have a pic of the horn button right now. A friend is helping with the research and has them, didn't think to get a pic of it. But will post pics of it also as soon as I can.
 

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Where is Ironpatch?
 

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ok, Ironpatch, would you know anymore about this type of button? I don't know anything about buttons.. just where I found it and what others have told me and have not pinpointed if it's american,british,etc.
 

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lostbutfound said:
ok, Ironpatch, would you know anymore about this type of button? I don't know anything about buttons.. just where I found it and what others have told me and have not pinpointed if it's american,british,etc.

I doubt American but it could be just about anything else. Might take some looking to find a match. I probably would start with British but I think it might date closer to 1900 than 1800. Tough one.
 

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Notice how the top of the 2 is curled over so far that it almost looks like a 9. That is definitely a European number-style.

The fact that it is a "one-piece" button (the loop doesn't count), and is made of fairly thick cast brass (not thin stamped sheet-brass), and has a soldered-in-place loop, indicates it was manufactured in the early decades of the1800s. It may be as as late as the 1840s, when advances in button-making machinery allowed 2-piece buttons to be produced very inexpensively.

A sidenote, related to the characteristics of the button above:
The Confederates did manufacture a large number of cast 1-piece buttons during the American civil war (1861-65) ...but only because most of the South's manufacturers lacked the "advanced" button-making machinery which had already become the standard during the 1840s in the industrial Northern states (and in Europe).
 

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TheCannonballGuy said:
Notice how the top of the 2 is curled over so far that it almost looks like a 9. That is definitely a European number-style.

The fact that it is a "one-piece" button (the loop doesn't count), and is made of fairly thick cast brass (not thin stamped sheet-brass), and has a soldered-in-place loop, indicates it was manufactured in the early decades of the1800s. It may be as as late as the 1840s, when advances in button-making machinery allowed 2-piece buttons to be produced very inexpensively.

A sidenote, related to the characteristics of the button above:
The Confederates did manufacture a large number of cast 1-piece buttons during the American civil war (1861-65) ...but only because most of the South's manufacturers lacked the "advanced" button-making machinery which had already become the standard during the 1840s in the industrial Northern states (and in Europe).

As a general rule, that is right but don't fall into the trap of thinking all 1 pieces are the same, many continue to thye modern day.

So totally agree, looks 1830s (circa) British 20th Regiment of Foot.
 

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Kenosha Kid said:
It does resemble the style of numbers found on Regiment of Foot buttons but I thought the 20th used "XX".

Iron Patch said:
I probably would start with British but I think it might date closer to 1900 than 1800. Tough one.

CRUSADER said:
So totally agree, looks 1830s (circa) British 20th Regiment of Foot.

http://ourpasthistory.com/Gallery/military_buttons

20th Regiment of Foot or the 20th (the East Devonshire) Regiment of Foot button ~ "...until 1855 when the 'XX' was changed to '20'."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Regiments_of_Foot#11th.E2.80.9320th_Foot

20th Regiment of Foot 1751–1782, then became the 20th (East Devonshire) Regiment of Foot 1782–1881. In 1881, they were the Lancashire Fusiliers (button had a sphinx on it).

So, if I'm reading all this right, the "20" button (if from the 20th Regiment) would date 1855-1881.
 

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:icon_thumleft:
Thanks, you guys are great help. I had looked at wikipedia. And you came up with the same assumption. I realize there are so manyuttons and they can't have pics of all of them. I'm not too knowledgable in history, don't know my wars... I not too clear on, How does a british button get to Henry Co. Illinois during the civil war period?

Kenosha Kid will post a pick up for ya of the other soon as I get it back.
 

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