🔎 UNIDENTIFIED ID Old button (maybe)? Found in Valley Forge, PA / Revolutionary War home 1757.

NjPhunter

Tenderfoot
Aug 1, 2024
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IMG_9871.jpgIMG_9873.jpgIMG_9875.jpgPosted this picture in another thread along with a musket ball and 1876 Indian Head Cent that was found, but I wanted to ask for help ID'ing this find. It may be a button of some sort? Found at a home built in 1757 in Valley Forge, PA on "Misery Hill". Property and home were traversed by soldiers during the Revolutionary War; next door was an original tavern during the time of Washington's stay in Valley Forge.
 

looks like rust to me, if it is rusty it's not a button from the 1700s.
Thank you for the replies! I know the house has a lot of history, so whatever the item is, it could be from any period over the past 200+ years. I found old bottles from the early 1900s and Indian heads as well. The rear of the property still has a path from the original trail that was used for the Colonial Springs water transportation. I've found a variety of iron links/shackles that were probably used to tie up animals at one point in the 1800s in that area. So lots of history; this item just intrigued me as to what it could be! Thanks for the help!
 

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Thank you for the replies! I know the house has a lot of history, so whatever the item is, it could be from any period over the past 200+ years. I found old bottles from the early 1900s and Indian heads as well. The rear of the property still has a path from the original trail that was used for the Colonial Springs water transportation. I've found a variety of iron links/shackles that were probably used to tie up animals at one point in the 1800s in that area. So lots of history; this item just intrigued me as to what it could be! Thanks for the help!
but is it non ferrous , maybe it's a pewter button? if a magnet sticks it's not an old button.
the history of a site can tell a story, but does not always mean everything found is from that time period.
I once found a ford key on the civil war battlefield ,yet we know the key is not from that era.
 

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but is it non ferrous , maybe it's a pewter button? if a magnet sticks it's not an old button.
the history of a site can tell a story, but does not always mean everything found is from that time period.
I once found a ford key on the civil war battlefield ,yet we know the key is not from that era.
I just tested with a magnet (heavy duty magnet from a microwave transformer) and it does not stick.
 

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I’ve looked through Albert’s, tice is little help since it has limited pre rev war content. Closest thing I can find are the turret back 1 piece pewters, but all those show numbers only, so not this button (unless I’m seriously missing something). While it’s a bit of a Rorschach test, I think I can see a leg at the 9:00 on the first pic. Looks like a horse at first glance, but could be a “turkey” eagle. Not saying that’s it, but that’s all I have.
 

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I’ve looked through Albert’s, tice is little help since it has limited pre rev war content. Closest thing I can find are the turret back 1 piece pewters, but all those show numbers only, so not this button (unless I’m seriously missing something). While it’s a bit of a Rorschach test, I think I can see a leg at the 9:00 on the first pic. Looks like a horse at first glance, but could be a “turkey” eagle. Not saying that’s it, but that’s all I have.
Thank you! Appreciate it!
 

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