Chicago area CW artifact expert needed

[Clad the Impaler]

Hello everyone. Over the summer, I found a US belt plate. I need someone in the Chicago area (or close by) who really knows his/her stuff to take a look at it and give an opinion as to whether it is an original, or a reproduction plucked from a gift shop.

I would like to think it is original, however I am somewhat skeptical as the area where it was found had no CW activity (at least none that I'm aware of).

Plate was found in a residential area on the parkway during a street tear out/remodel. Was approximately 4 inches deep, and rang up like a copper memorial cent or a modern era clad dime on my detector (I use a Minelab E-Trac).

The houses in this area date from the early to mid 1920s. As far as I know, the area wasn't developed until after WWI.

I have not cleaned it yet, just used a wooden toothpick to remove the dried dirt from underneath the attachment hooks.

I will try to post pics here tomorrow or Sunday (way too late tonight).

I am in the Chicago area, so if anyone knows someone in my local area (or not too far away) who is good with CW items, please post here or pm me. Any help is greatly appreciated, as I've been dying to know if this plate is authentic or not.

Thanks.

 

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[fyrffytr1]

Are you familiar with Camp Douglas, the civil war prison in Chicago?

 

[Clad the Impaler]

Are you familiar with Camp Douglas, the civil war prison in Chicago?

Actually, no I'm not. However, this item wasn't found in the city proper, but in a nearby suburb. I will look up additional info on Camp Douglas. Thank you.

 

[Davers]

IL /US Soldiers had to go home after the War, Could have been lost by a CW Vet after the war.
They have turned up many places that did not see CW action.
As I Stated before look's good to me , I'd do some research on 'Hook' styles of diff, buckles.

IMO there is 1,000's of ways it could have ended up in or near Chicago.
You just never Know
A land find I see, any other CW relics found near by?

 

[watercolor]

Great recovery Paul!

I saw your original post on the IL forum and from what I can see, it looks like the real deal. . . even with the lead backing.

As "Davers" mentioned, soldiers return home after the war. Your buckel could have been given to a grandson who then lost it. . . or dirt could have been brought in during parkway construction. A perfect example of: "if this relic could only talk".

 

[Carolina Tom]

Post good close up pics. The experts on here can tell whether it is a reproduction or original.

I hope it's real!

 

[Clad the Impaler]

IL /US Soldiers had to go home after the War, Could have been lost by a CW Vet after the war.
They have turned up many places that did not see CW action.
As I Stated before look's good to me , I'd do some research on 'Hook' styles of diff, buckles.

IMO there is 1,000's of ways it could have ended up in or near Chicago.
You just never Know
A land find I see, any other CW relics found near by?

Hi Davers. Nope, no other CW relics found at all. 99.99% of items found were mid 1920s-present day. About what I expected from this area/neighborhood.

 

[Clad the Impaler]

Great recovery Paul!

I saw your original post on the IL forum and from what I can see, it looks like the real deal. . . even with the lead backing.

As "Davers" mentioned, soldiers return home after the war. Your buckel could have been given to a grandson who then lost it. . . or dirt could have been brought in during parkway construction. A perfect example of: "if this relic could only talk".

Thanks Mark. I was thrilled when I dug it. Almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. If it's authentic, it is by far the most valuable item I have ever found in 6 years of detecting. Now I have to figure out how to properly clean and preserve it.

 

[parsonwalker]

IL /US Soldiers had to go home after the War, Could have been lost by a CW Vet after the war.
They have turned up many places that did not see CW action.
As I Stated before look's good to me , I'd do some research on 'Hook' styles of diff, buckles.

IMO there is 1,000's of ways it could have ended up in or near Chicago.
You just never Know
A land find I see, any other CW relics found near by?

I agree with Davers. A thousand ways. I saw your pics, and that dude is right in every way. First, the plate matches the hooks. (Later "arrowhead" hooks went on buckles with thin letters. Earlier "Puppy Paw" hooks had FAT letters).

Please don't clean it. A toothpick or the edge of your fingernail if the brass on the front has rough corrosion. Nothing more than that. You WANT that beautiful green patina. After you have done all you can do that way, you MIGHT want to rub a little mink oil on it, to "deepen" the look of the brass. I've done that on two of my buckles, but not all. Depends on how it looks. A Lot of guys would tell you NOT to do that. You can wash mink oil off. But once you've over-cleaned something, you can't put the patina back! Tread lightly, my friend.

BTW - If that dude was under a street, it's been there for quite a few years. Not many repos were made until the centennial of the CW. They were worth so little pre-1960, it wouldn't have been profitable. My dad sold MANY original US buckles for $5 and box plates for $2.50 in the early 60s!