NEED HELP IDENTIFYING OLD BUTTON!!

[PrairieView]

I was metal detecting the picked bean field that we own and came upon a pretty cool old button.I have no idea what year it’s from or where it came from. I would really appreciate anyone who could help identify it!

 

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[vpnavy]

1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard PrairieView! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forum: Select Your Area.... for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country). You might also consider adding your state (or country) to your displayed profile (SETTINGS -> EDIT PROFILE) - members may have more success helping you (your location may help, etc.)...

2nd - I moved ya from METAL DETECTING over to WHAT IS IT? for more exposure.

 

[Yak1366]

Very nice find, congrats!!

Probably a civilian button. If you can make out any wording on the back, it may help to date this button.

 

[smokeythecat]

It's a civilian pattern button, made no earlier than 1835 when that type of button first started to be manufactured. I find them on great occasion on Civil War sites. Nice find for sure.

 

[PrairieView]

I don’t see any writing on it.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

SmokeyTheCat is correct, as usual... civilian 1835-&-later button. More specifically, your find is what Antique button collectors call a "Golden Age button"... a reference to the period from about 1820 to 1860, when the manufacture of very-ornate goldplated (or silverplated) brass buttons reached its finest craftmanship. As such, more than just a few people collect them.

Also more specifically... the five indentions on your goldplated brass 2-piece button's front have distinct "facets" to make them shine with golden light like a faceted gemstone. Due to the goldplating (called "gilt" for these buttons), the smaller indentions (which were laboriously hand-engraved by a master craftsman) produced a golden glitter effect. You can see why some collectors are willing to pay a good price for well-preserved specimens which have a lot of the original gold gilt remaining on them.

Congratulations. I've been a metaldetecting relic-digger for about 40 years, and I've only dug a dozen or so "Golden Age buttons" as good as yours.

 

[invent4hir]

Welcome aboard - that is a nice looking button!

 

[PrairieView]

I appreciate all the info. I just love the history behind it!