🥇 BANNER Yesssssssssss!

[umrgolf]

(found out this buckle is a rarity 8, meaning there are 16-30 known)

I have always wanted to dig a CS buckle of any type, and today I was able to cross it off the list!!

I hadn't been out in a couple weeks so I decided to head out this morning for a few hours. I went back to the spot where I found the 1851 Officer's sword belt buckle and sabre guard last month, and not 10 minutes into today's hunt, I found a pulltab LOL. And then, two feet away I scored the buckle. I immediately called a few buddies and was almost so excited I couldn't speak.

Honest to God, when I first dug it I thought it said "08"... I had never seen this style buckle so I knocked off a little dirt off and when I realized what I was looking at, I was absolutely floored. In my area there was VERY LITTLE confederate activity so this is a very significant find. I would almost have to believe this was a battlefield pickup that was carried back by a Union soldier. Unfortunately the loop broke into 2 pieces as I was pulling it from the rock hard dirt. I will be sending it off to get repaired next week!

The buckle was identified by my good friend, Josh (Sentinel) as a LEECH & RIGDON CS tongue produced in Memphis, TN. Thanks for looking!
The last 2 photos are General Nathan Bedford Forrest wearing a tongue and wreath buckle made by the same company

*buckle was selected for W&E Treasures annual best finds

 

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[peanut]

Come on Mods get this up top! It's one of the rarest Confederate buckles it's a no brainer! BANNER!!!!!!

 

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[TiBorn]

Awesome find, congratulations.

 

[oldsalty19]

 

[Digginbingo]

i vote banner

 

[kuger]

Oh man, he just replied and said 8 means 16-30 are known

Yep!!!Simply spectacular bud!!!You know I am a tongue and wreath guy but I know my chances of ever digging any CS is beyond slim and none!
You are dang fortunate to find those other two pieces,I cant tell you how many fragments of buckles I have found and very seldom do I find the remaing pieces.
Hats off to ya bud,Banner vote in as well!!

 

[umrgolf]

Yep!!!Simply spectacular bud!!!You know I am a tongue and wreath guy but I know my chances of ever digging any CS is beyond slim and none!
You are dang fortunate to find those other two pieces,I cant tell you how many fragments of buckles I have found and very seldom do I find the remaing pieces.
Hats off to ya bud,Banner vote in as well!!

The only reason I found them is because it broke when I was pulling it out of the hole. Although cast, it was very thinly constructed and the pieces snapped like toothpicks when I was pulling it out of the hole. The back of the disc was the only thing exposed and i honestly thought it was a large cent oh well, what can you do.. Thanks to all for replies and banners

 

[DiggingNC]

Beautiful!! Absolutely beautiful!!!! I dream of finding a CS buckle. Congrats!

 

[MKnTenn]

That's a beautiful buckle, I would keep it just as it is, without repairing it. Are you sure you broke it? HH

 

[Iron Patch]

That's a beautiful buckle, I would keep it just as it is, without repairing it. Are you sure you broke it? HH

There's no reason not to repair it because you can do something very simple from the back, and it doesn't even have to be permanent, just enough to hold everything in place. I would not have a repair done that involved altering the patina for the entire piece to have the break points blend in. In this case less is definitely more.

 

[Giant056]

Awesome find indeed that's definitely banner material in my book

 

[umrgolf]

That's a beautiful buckle, I would keep it just as it is, without repairing it. Are you sure you broke it? HH

Yeah, it was me that broke it. The break points are shiny. When I was chiseling the hole, all I saw was the disc upside down and thought it may be a large cent. I reached down to pull it out like any other circular piece of brass not knowing what it was. The loop was hidden in the side of the plug.. when I pulled it out the loop stayed in the hole If you've ever held this variant of the L & R, you'll see its about as thick as a toothpick on that side.

I'd like to have it repaired for the fear of losing the smaller portion that broke, its tiny. Like Patch said, I would never have it repaired and then altered to hide the break, only to make it whole.

 

[metalev4]

Congrats on a rare one Jeff! Thats going to be tough to beat.
-Evan

 

[penniesmine]

Real Nice Jeff.....Banner for sure!!

 

[NOLA_Ken]

Wow, just.....Wow! That'll be hard to top, I hope you luck out and find the wreath, but that's an amazing find!

 

[Ironman!]

Yesssssssssss! Congrats on making it up top Jeff!! It is very deserving to be up there!!!!

IM

 

[{Sentinel}]

Yeah, quickly up top as is deserved, you'd have to have thumped your gord not to think this was a Banner find

 

[oldworldcollector]

I am new to treasure hunting. But I know beauty when I see it! Very exceptional indeed!!
Great piece of history. Congratulations on your beautiful find.

 

[AC1955]

The bucket list is getting shorter! Congrats on this monumental find!!! Banner find well deserved.

HH,
Anita

 

[diggervet]

fantastic find! congratulations! I hope mine is still patiently waiting out there for me!

 

[birdman]

Congrats on the banner!