Ned help with a biutton ID

[creskol]

Trying to help someone ID this button. He says, "I dug up this button on my property in San Luis Obispo CA. I'm guessing from local history that it might be US Coast Guard, but I can't find an exact match. Can anyone help me with the ID and age? it is metal, possibly brass. the back is rusted over."

Any Ideas?

 

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[CRUSADER]

Just to set the record straight, I am not disputing that it is .. or could be.. a civilian button as I stated above, nor does using the term UNIQUE deter from one being "passionate about describing finds accurately." Unique is simply defined as being the only one of its kind or unlike anything else. Until someone can produce an image or post an identical button, it is..at least for the moment.. by definition unique!

Its a word that you know is wrong for this button. Simple.

If people want to start describing all there finds as 'unique' because at the molecular level that is true or they haven't seen one yet, then thats fine.(They are fooling themselves at best or at worst making out something is more important in rarity than it really is) But its not how I will ever describe something thats unknown. If your going to use it at all, best say 'unique to date'.

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

Just doing some 'splainin' here. The root meaning of the word unique is "only one." What Crusader describes is a scenario in which only one was made. (That would involve a lot of expensive die-making tooling and other labor, just to make a unique specimen of the button.) In modern times, the original meaning of the word unique has been stretched to also mean "only one known to exist"... which is why the book on US coins occasionally says "Unique" about a particular specimen of coin. Obviously, more than one of that coin was manufactured, but only one is known to still exist.

 

[creskol]

If Crusader says so, then By God it must be gospel .. after this post, I am not going to waste my time debating, arguing, or whatever YOU ALL want to call it over something so trite as this. If you all want to lose sleep over it.. go for it. .. I'm out!

 

[BIGSCOTT]

I thought a Unique was a person with both kinds of genital part's
I guess you learn somethin every day.