Tombac or Something Else?

[Vermonter]

This small button was a little tarnished coming out of the ground, but brighter than my usual tombacs and rings in a bit higher. I wasn't sure what it was, pewter maybe? The design looked pretty so I gave it a rub with baking soda and it really shined up. The shank is kind of oversize and looks to be the same metal. It has the classic tombac dimple on the back, although I don't see the turn lines.

 

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[Isaac]

Silver?

 

[BuckleBoy]

Definitely tombac

 

[Vermonter]

It rings a bit higher though for sure, and I've never had a tombac shine up quite as much as that. Of course I've never used baking soda on a tombac. I only did that with this button because I thought it was pewter and I wanted to see that design. Definitely looks tombac from the back, minus the machine lines.

 

[GreenMtnDigger]

Is that a cast mark right of the shank in the second photo? Looks like a cast silver button. It's really hard tell with photos

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[Vermonter]

Thank you. Yes, it is a cast mark across the back and through the shank. I'm not sure I've ever dug a cast button. I'll read up on them. I'm used to spun tombacs, dandy buttons, and once-gilded coppers. That's what I was finding at the site where I pulled this one. It seemed out of place. I still don't know the alloy. It rings 11-16 or 12-15/16 on the Etrac. That could be a few things in Etrac world: pewter, war nickel, plated something. It's a little higher than Tombac, but definitely much much lower than anything all silver. Thanks again.

 

[jadocs]

Have you tried the rub test on a polish cloth to see if it leaves any black marks indicative of silver?