Please help ID this button, solved

[StogieJim]

Hi,

Can you help with this button? All I can see is a "3" on the front and the fact that it is a cast button (perhaps pewter). Found at a colonial site in Virginia near Jamestown (south side of river).

Thanks,

Jim

 

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[Don in SJ]

Re: Please help ID this button

Not quite sure, but the 3 does match the 3rd Regiment of Foot (The Buffs). Arrrived in SC in 1781 departed in 1782, no mention of being in Va but maybe they were. They also served on the Plattsburg expedition during the War of 1812, says they returned to Europe in 1815.

Here is what is said in Don Troiani's book on Miltiary Buttons of the American Revolution.

motif of raised concentric rings and leaves surrounding a raised Arabic numeral "3". This button is cast in one piece with an intergral cast shank. He has pictured a smaller one also with an applied iron shank. The large button is 24mm and the small one is approx 17mm.

Hope this helps ID it....

Don

 

[Montana Jim]

Re: Please help ID this button

Outstanding find!

Great ID as usual there Donny... nice work!

 

[CRUSADER]

Re: Please help ID this button

Yeap, early cica 1780-90s 3rd regiment of foot. Rare find in the UK, so bonus in the US

 

[StogieJim]

Thanks for the help guys!! I found a 5th regiment button with a very similar design. None of the 3rd regiment buttons matched this design.