My First Button (x2!) - Need Help Identifying

[Shakakka]

Hello all!

I'm pretty psyched to have found my FIRST ever button... but even more exciting? Three feet later I found a second identical button in a neighboring hole!

From what I understand it's probably a NY button (I live on Long Island, NY) and it looks like gold gilt. I ran one of the buttons under hot water so I could see the details, no scrubbing. Hopefully that wasn't a terrible thing to do. I'm not going to clean anything on them until I get some advice on what's safe and not safe, so I'm open to suggestions.

Anyway, the front of the button(s) have a left-facing eagle and the word EXCELSIOR. The back of the button(s) have the words TREBLE GILT GRANGE(?)



As always, thanks in advance for any help with identification and/or cleaning.

 

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[Tedyoh]

Sweet! I dont use water anymore, I let them dry out a few days and use a toothpick. That mold seam on the back makes me think they are pretty old.

"Orange" is the other word, meaning the color of the gold plating.

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Just found this link.....

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/t...-eagle-excelsior-button-belt-plate-woods.html

 

[Shakakka]

'Orange' eh? That makes sense! Thanks for that.

The button you linked is close, but mine doesn't have the double-ring around the words on the back. I was afraid the mold seam could mean it was a replica/blazer button or something, but apparently a good amount of old military buttons do have them.

I think this button right here might be exactly what I found. It's listed on a site called "civil war buttons" and the one pictured here is silver plated. It doesn't say anything else about it though, like what year or the militia or anything like that.

 

[Iron Patch]

Those are going to be beautiful once cleaned. You can start with soapy water and light brushing. No harm at all in getting all the dirt off... way different than when there's no gilt and patina. Piece of cake to clean those, and no risk.... unless you did something really nuts like take an abrasive to them. They look like right off the coat type of condition.

 

[DownNDirty]

Those are two beauties! Looks like most of the gilt is still there so they should really shine after a light cleaning.

 

[Shakakka]

You guys were right. They shined up beautifully:

 

[Iron Patch]

You can't really get any better condition out of the ground. If you haven't posted these on Today's finds you should.