Military?? Button Question

[emwonk]

I found the button in the image below in Ottawa, IL in the front yard of a home. On the back, it has an eye-hole made into the surface of the back, rather than one of those "rings," with no markings of any kind other than what you see on the front. Because this sort of bony-looking eagle design in coins is typically from very early US history, I suspect this eagle is a relatively old design, and I'm curious what sort of button it is and what it's value is. With my luck it's some sort of copy, or one of 400,000,000 made...

Thanks for any insights or comments...

 

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[SoMdRelicHunter]

Do you have a pic of the back? Id like to see it....As for age i'll go home and check the alberts book(of course there is probably someone in here that will beat me to it as i am work right now)so when i do ill let u know what i find...but in my oppinion its an awesome button!!Good Find no matter what!

 

[trk5capt]

The Pattern Looks Like Late 1700's Early 1800's, But I Can't Find An Exact Match. Maybe PBK Has More Info. trk5capt...

 

[PBK]

Is the back a self-shank, as shown in the first photo below?

Or is it more like the "birdcage" shank in the second photo?

Are there any backmarks (words, names, initials, etc.)?

 

[Michelle]

Could this be the Turkey Eagle? http://www.beltplates.com/1798eaglea.html

 

[emwonk]

The back looks like the fastener in that first button above. However, three are no markings of any kind, and no ditch for the thread like on the photo above. Just a "pirced nipple" lind of a fastner. The coat-side of the fastener is flattened off, just like button number 1 above. The front half of the button is press-fit overlapping the back by less than 1.mm. Just guessing, the button is about the same diameter as a US quarter.

 

[PBK]

A two-piece button with a diestamped self-shank back would be pretty late... probably post-1900.

The eagle's interesting, all right: lowered wings as on Napoleonic and CSA eagles; round, almost ball-like breast and legs, as on late 19th and early 20th century Navy button eagles. Can't recall seeing anything exactly like it in Albert's, Tice's, or other military button books.

 

[Michelle]

A two-piece button with a diestamped self-shank back would be pretty late... probably post-1900.

The eagle's interesting, all right: lowered wings as on Napoleonic and CSA eagles; round, almost ball-like breast and legs, as on late 19th and early 20th century Navy button eagles. Can't recall seeing anything exactly like it in Albert's, Tice's, or other military button books.

uh oh...time to find a link! just punnin you PBK....I know you'll get it!

 

[PBK]

Hey, Michelle, I think maybe I'll sit this one out and let you enjoy the chase!

(That way I won't have to think up some lame excuse when you beat me to the finish line anyway!)

 

[Michelle]

Hey, Michelle, I think maybe I'll sit this one out and let you enjoy the chase!

(That way I won't have to think up some lame excuse when you beat me to the finish line anyway!)

DON'T YOU DARE!!!!!

 

[trk5capt]

A two-piece button with a diestamped self-shank back would be pretty late... probably post-1900.

The eagle's interesting, all right: lowered wings as on Napoleonic and CSA eagles; round, almost ball-like breast and legs, as on late 19th and early 20th century Navy button eagles. Can't recall seeing anything exactly like it in Albert's, Tice's, or other military button books.

Just Glad That I Am Not Going Blind, My First Thought Was Confederate. trk5capt...

 

[Michelle]

I can see the difference....This button is much older....

 

[emwonk]

The rim on the back of mine looks like the rim on the back of the 1st sample photo posted above.

Are we working toward this being an unusual find, potentially worth millions, or is my usual 75 cent luck in effect?

Perhaps a 1900 copy of an old button? Waiting for the news is almost as cool as digging it....

 

[Mainedigger]

Great button....hope its one of only a couple made and is worht a fortune for you... Regardless of what it is worth, very cook find and if you have PBK stumped on exactly what it is, I'm not even gonna attempt to guess... But in my VERY limited knowledge on buttons and jsut going by what I;ve seen posted on here, I agree with Trck5 capt...looks Confederate.

 

[PBK]

If it turned out to be an unknown/unlisted Confederate button, no one would be happier than I (except, of course, Emwonk). However, if it has a stamped, self-shank back— and Emwonk says that it does, based on the example that I posted— then I honestly believe that it has to be more recent.

Take a look at the button below, which is a Confederate eagle button, and notice the stand-up shank on the back. That's what two-piece Confederate buttons have, shanks or eyes— but not raised/stamped self-shanks.

 

[Michelle]

That's Cool PBK...So the back of a button(even without marks/maker)can help identify it's age?

 

[PBK]

That's Cool PBK...So the back of a button(even without marks/maker)can help identify it's age?

In some cases, it can. So can the overall type of construction. For example, there's no way that a three-piece, "staff" type button dates earlier than the 1830's.

 

[Michelle]

Dang PBK I just learned something else.

 

[PBK]

Dang PBK I just learned something else.

Hey, that's better than just forgetting something else... which seems to be my "senior specialty"!

 

[Michelle]

Haha...you're brighter than most stars out there.........So, is there such a thing as a 4 piece button....do you just count the parts on the back and the ring or what.?