Artillery A Button!

[Ripcon]

Just found in near Vicksburg. I'm still in shock.

 

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[Joe G from Md]

That is sweet! Congratulations. Is it one piece?

 

[P.ALLEN]

good job!

 

[fyrffytr1]

Awesome find! Congratulations and good providence on your next hunt.

 

[Ripcon]

That is sweet! Congratulations. Is it one piece?

Yes it's a solid cast one piece...thanks

 

[d2]

Great job!!! I want to find one of those so bad...d2

 

[BLK HOLE]

That is a beautiful button, congratulations

 

[Ripcon]

You could sew this one on to your jacket and wear it today!
Thanks for the comments, guys!

 

[Carolina Tom]

That is a sweet piece of Southern history. Congrats!

 

[devldog]

Congrat's to you on a Great Save of the Artillery A' button. It looks like it is in pristine condition. You Done Good!

 

[Davers]

I find so few buttons , even Flat ones (5-7) in almost 20 years.

I did not even know there was a 1 piece Cast 'C' button made.

Yours is Super Nice sweet condition , a Banner find in my Book.
Thanks for Sharing.
Davers

 

[Ripcon]

I find so few buttons , even Flat ones (5-7) in almost 20 years.

I did not even know there was a 1 piece Cast 'C' button made.

Yours is Super Nice sweet condition , a Banner find in my Book.
Thanks for Sharing.
Davers

Thanks. I've been hunting for 39 years and this was my first Confederate Artillery button to ever find. I've found a Script C, and 4 Block I's, but now I can add the Artillery A. The funny thing about this hobby is that you never know what the next shovel full of dirt is going to reveal.

 

[devldog]

Ripcon, you have some nice buttons in your collection, and now with the find of the Artillery button you have added yet another. You and Forest are both right. Relic hunting is like a box of chocolates......"You never know what your gonna' get". Lol Again, Congrat's on a great find.

 

[Davers]

Thanks. I've been hunting for 39 years and this was my first Confederate Artillery button to ever find. I've found a Script C, and 4 Block I's, but now I can add the Artillery A. The funny thing about this hobby is that you never know what the next shovel full of dirt is going to reveal.

Wow 39 years .
Those confederates rarely lost or threw away anything. 'A smart & resourceful bunch'..

I have only dug 7 Confederate buttons all in the past 7 years .

5 Tin back locals , 3 together, 1 cast 'I' & last year 1' Script 'I'.

The Tin backs have seen better days, Tho they are still priceless to me.

The Script Came out Nice after 158 years , & brass Cast buttons are usually Good to Go .

That said of the handful of GS Eagle buttons I have dug , Ill venture a few were put to use by the Confederates.

Ill bet after 39 years you have some nice relics & coins in your Collection.
Good luck in the Future.
Davers

 

[Ripcon]

Wow 39 years .
Those confederates rarely lost or threw away anything. 'A smart & resourceful bunch'..

I have only dug 7 Confederate buttons all in the past 7 years .

5 Tin back locals , 3 together, 1 cast 'I' & last year 1' Script 'I'.

The Tin backs have seen better days, Tho they are still priceless to me.

The Script Came out Nice after 158 years , & brass Cast buttons are usually Good to Go .

That said of the handful of GS Eagle buttons I have dug , Ill venture a few were put to use by the Confederates.

Ill bet after 39 years you have some nice relics & coins in your Collection.
Good luck in the Future.
Davers

Thanks, Davers....I've been so fortunate to have had some great hunting partners and good places to hunt. Hopefully, many more years to come. Besides some spanish reales I've found some good American coins, my oldest silver being an 1823 Cap Bust Dime.
I have a question to you and others who might be reading this. Regarding my Artillery Button - I've been looking over the internet for other solid cast A buttons. I haven't seen any others. Mainly just solid cast I's. Was the solid cast A considered very rare? Just curious. I'm trying to get as much information about it as possible. I like to record my finds with location and history so that others will benefit from my discovery long after I'm gone.

 

[Davers]

Yes Sir.
Ill check my Albert's Book & May throw-up the "Spotlight" to call in Thecannonballguy.

As I said I have never seen a Cast A just Cast 'I' 's Cast 'CSA' & their cast Pewter cousins.

Just thinking your button does look familiar 'Pre-War Out of Texas ' is in my mind right now. I really don't know tho.

You will likely need to measure & post a picture of the Back-side, for a more precise ID.

Like you I like to keep my Find by site (makes for a-lot of small Riker Cases lol), cause knowing what battle / skirmish , troops my found relics came from makes them that much more special.

FWIW, I joined a Club bout 6 years ago , there are a few Relic Dealers in the club & I have gone to Relic Shows .
but
Speaking locally I have seen many of the Veteran Diggers Collections bought up then broken up & sold off piece by piece a few had hand drawn Maps of where Common bullets were & regular sort of relics were found .

It hurts me to see this but I guess that's they way it goes , I told my wife to never mix up my relics from different sites.
That's just the way I look at it.

Now let's see about your button.
Davey

 

[Davers]

Just found in near Vicksburg. I'm still in shock.
View attachment 1552389

Just looking through my book , I see a Cast 'C' on lined background like your 'A' button.

Seems it's a tad smaller than the others being ' 20 mm' ; it does not show a picture of the Back , ( I assume the back is Blank on this 'C' button as it says "Blank " RV or relative value $125 but also gives a RV of $150.

It's CS 143 A roman "C" on lined field . "T. Miller, Houston " rm 20 mm. 'In Record OF American Uniform and Historical Buttons by Alphaeus H. Albert (my book published in 1976-77)

Now I do believe a Member has this exact button as His Avatar ' I have seen it recently' & IMO The "C" with a Relative Value of $125-$150 Dollars in 1976 , Today I assume would be much more.
Especially "IF" your 'A' was made by the same company & is rarer

It it measures 20 mm , I'd think about starting or continuing your Happy Dance. LOL

"All my Novice Opinion"
GL Davers

 

[TerryEastTexas]

Ripcon, that sure looks like a T.E. Miller button. My C is just like it with the lined backfield and no backmark, even though some of his buttons had backmarks, very crude though. Congratulations on a super rare find.

 

[fyrffytr1]

I just posted in your other thread about your button. Here is that post:

That button is not even listed in Albert's button book but there is some information on it in Tice's that you will like. Here is what Tice has to say;
CSA280{not listed by Albert}
Confederate Artillery; low convex , cast yellow metal one-piece.
Texas troops used these rare items which were cast by T.E.Miller of Houston. One could also classify them as Texas Militia buttons.
A The front has a roman "A" on a field of coarse nonparallel lines, 20mm
1. "T.MILLER, HOUSTON" rm
2. Blank

The 1 & 2 refer to the backmark or lack of one. rm means a raised mark.
You have a rare and very nice find. Congratulations. Do you have any pictures of when you dug it?I would also like to see a picture of the back.

 

[Davers]

Sounds GOOD!