If its not a button what is it?

RelicDude

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Apr 20, 2012
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I found this at cellar hole I've been hunting in southern mass in the Berkshire region. At first I thought it was a button but it's not. It has has an r isignia on it could it be military? This item has got me stumped and curious to know how old it is the only object that could date the area is an 1847 large cent my friend found. Any help would be awesome-relic dude
 

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It looks like it resembles a Confederate Riflemans button like in the photo and the other photo is a "possible" Civil War "A" artillery rivet Just like the one you dug! Most of these type of rivet buttons have been found in Confederate sites and are questionable if they are Civil War or Post Civil War.

It attached more of less too like a cuff-link, knapsack,leather strap or something in that nature (Military maybe?)! It appears very old maybe mid 19th-late 19th century? Can't say for sure if this is representing Riflemans or not but it sure looks like it could be.
Im curious was the A identified as a rivet? Do you have the link?
 

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Until we hear from some others a 1900s collar with button would look like this.
 

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There's no need to down someone for giving their opinion. Hirsute digger has posted a lot on here. Now if someone is constantly referring to civil war ..then politely say something. But to be loud and rude about it is so immature. Jesus..relax. And your right ..we are better than that but same goes for putting someone down.

I tell you what, Bryan .. I will bow out graciously and leave the guessing game to you and a few others. Y'awl have fun now, ya hear !
 

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What...is y'all's reputation at stake kuger? Everyone here does appreciate the hard word everyone does but there are better ways of saying to someone that not everything is cw. I haven't heard cannonballguy try to put somebody on check like what was done here. He just answers when he knows the answer. Not all this other jibber jabber
 

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I do agree on collar button. Havnt found one with that insignia from op pic though
Im really just guessing thus the question mark on my first post and Im NOT a CW expert so Im hoping others will respond so I can learn.

Im not so sure its an insignia. Maybe, but couldnt it also be an initial? Maybe a search for initialed collar buttons will find it?

I have great links on CW insignia but it will take time to search. Im still very curious about the A rivet thing posted by HutSiteDigger. Does anyone have the thread?
 

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I have searched for initial collar buttons and military insignia and coming up empty it's a mystery. I appreciate the input from every one and it's opened an interesting debate at the least.
 

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Im curious was the A identified as a rivet? Do you have the link?

The "A" was never able to be ID as Civil War though it was dug in a Confederate camp. I have also seen other "A" and "I" similar ones and if you go too the White Oak Museum (one of the biggest Civil War museums in north america) in Stafford,Virginia the guy who owns the Museum has a handful of these that he dug in Confederate camp areas on display and I remember talking too him about these asking if they were Civil War and he could not really give a 100% answer as it being Civil War or Post and he is got them in the area of the Museum that is mostly post Civil War artifacts. It is odd that these have turned up in Confederate camp areas and around Battlefields..
 

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The "A" was never able to be ID as Civil War though it was dug in a Confederate camp. I have also seen other "A" and "I" similar ones and if you go too the White Oak Museum (one of the biggest Civil War museums in north america) in Stafford,Virginia the guy who owns the Museum has a handful of these that he dug in Confederate camp areas on display and I remember talking too him about these asking if they were Civil War and he could not really give a 100% answer as it being Civil War or Post and he is got them in the area of the Museum that is mostly post Civil War artifacts. It is odd that these have turned up in Confederate camp areas and around Battlefields..
Do they have the same backs? We need links, pictures etc if you can remember them and we can read about it.

Its not unusual for TN members to solve these types of mysterys. We do it often. As a group effort, of course.

I remember for years those tent adjusters were sold as CW but TN members discovered the later patent. I remember some Model T bushings were thought to be CW fuses debunked here at TN. Same with caltrops and teeth marks on bullets. Also modern coat weights sold as CW but I question the mold injection marks. It happens too often and I think creskol and kuger are just trying to prevent it from happening here.

But we will see. I hope we can solve this. Thanks for the info on White Oak.

Sorry to keep editing Im watching a streaming hockey and baseball at the same time.
 

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This IS a guess on my part: could that be a cuff link used in French cuffs? (French cuffs have no buttons - they need cufflinks or studs to close them).

Just my 2 cents...

Anita
 

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Do they have the same backs? We need links if you can remember them and we can read about it.

Its not unusual for TN members to solve these types of mysterys. We do it often. As a group effort, of course.

I can try and get up to the Museum Thursday or Friday and take pictures of the ones D.P. is got in there. As with that "A" button photo I posted I will try and find the link I found that in again. I recall reading that find last year and took about 10 minutes for me too find it on the net. But only thing the page says It was dug in Civil War area and they were trying too figure out if it was CW or not.
 

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I can try and get up to the Museum Thursday or Friday and take pictures of the ones D.P. is got in there. As with that "A" button photo I posted I will try and find the link I found that in again. I recall reading that find last year and took about 10 minutes for me too find it on the net. But only thing the page says It was dug in Civil War area and they were trying too figure out if it was CW or not.
...see right here is an exact example why calling mis-truths in these situations are valid....if we would have left this as initially stated,people would reference this thread or leave thinking hese are now Confederate items....now we see that there is no %100 proof they are,and this needs to be further researched!
Calling any item "confederate",is so easy as so much used by that side that was just everyday utilitarian items....we must remember there were still existance outside of all the camps and battles.I for one have dug 1980 pennies in strictly mid 19th Century sites
 

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But again like I already stated a few times on here! I do not think that cuff-link is Civil War related but it is basically the same type of cuff-links displayed in the Museum and others diggers have found in CW areas! I understand where Creksol or and Kuger are coming from but I know from my experience there is always a slight % that this could be a war related artifact. Civil War? Post War? related,etc! I have seen artifacts were you would not think at all it was Civil War or 19th century military related and it ended up being that! So you really do not know, I like having a open minded when it is a artifact that can not be 100% IDed.
 

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...see right here is an exact example why calling mis-truths in these situations are valid....if we would have left this as initially stated,people would reference this thread or leave thinking hese are now Confederate items....now we see that there is no %100 proof they are,and this needs to be further researched!
Calling any item "confederate",is so easy as so much used by that side that was just everyday utilitarian items....we must remember there were still existance outside of all the camps and battles.I for one have dug 1980 pennies in strictly mid 19th Century sites

Mr. Kuger now you know I do not mind having a friendly argument ;) with you! If you read my first post I stated "It attached more of less too like a cuff-link, knapsack,leather strap or something in that nature (Military maybe?)! It appears very old maybe mid 19th-late 19th century? Can't say for sure if this is representing Riflemans or not but it sure looks like it could be."

That should make a reader question themselfs and not "leave thinking these are now confederate items" I tried too explain it in away were it is open minded if it is Military related or not.
 

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Also too note the "Rifleman" was just not during the Civil War they were around in the War of 1812 and during the Civil War the Sharpshooter regiments were raised in the North with several companies being raised by individual states for their own regiments. The rifleman are both Confederate and Union sides. Like the Union Riflemans button with the R"

So it could slightly represent something to do with Union Riflemans!
 

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