VMI Cadet button

[Company F]

I went metal detecting today near downtown Nashville, Tennessee at the same vacant lot where I found a toy Dragnet badge and a 1941 Mercury Dime a couple of months ago. I wasn't finding much except a few clad pennies and some trash. Got a good signal and found this VMI (Virginia Military Institute) button. It looks pretty old, probably Civil War era. It is backmarked but I can't read what it says.

 

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[Iron Patch]

That is certainly a surprise after digging pennies! That's why I try not to get down when things are going bad... because the next hole can change everything!

 

[{Sentinel}]

IF it has the "D. Evans/ Attleboro" backmark then its more than likely Civil War era or earlier

There are different variations of that backmark, some running clockwise...some counter clockwise...some in a banner...some with a wreath....but most all of these are Civil war era or earlier

The ones with the inner wreath or the inner ring of hyphens were the ones made from Circa 1860 & 1865 through post war....so it is still possible that if you have one with one of these backmarks that it IS civil war era.....but its also possible that it MAY be post war

 

[girardpaguy]

w2g.
you never know what you'll get next.

Nice find

 

[EARTHWORKS]

Nice button!

 

[vayank54]

Hard to say on the VMI. If you can make out any letters at all please let us know and maybe we can help date it. If it is Benedict & Burnham, Wadham & Webster or Robinson it is precivil war. D. Evans took over Robinson in 1848. D Evans can be pre or post civil war depending on the backmark. VMI buttons were ordered from Firmin in England but I don't think they made it over here to be used during the civil war. I hope this info will help you out

 

[BuckleBoy]

The backmark is the key. Nice find!

 

[VOL1266-X]

Nice find!!! I have been told that the Robinson backmarked button or D.Evans in a ribbon are the Civil War date V.M.I. buttons (as Sentinel, VY, and others have referred to). That info. came from from four different relic dealers. If your button is one of those two backmarks, there's a really good chance that the soldier who wore it had Stonewall Jackson as his Artillery Instructor at V.M.I.. Dman and I just bought 3 of the V.M.I. non-excavated V.M.I. buttons each last week to sell at a future date. If it's a CW backmark, the value is $110-160 in excavated condition. WTG & HH.

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Hey F Company , Interesting button .. & great id effort !! Stonewall Jackson , amazing info Congrats on your button find

 

[RJH02]

Nice find. I found one last year just like it but in a little better condition. Thanks for the info everyone has provided. Mine has a D EVANS backmark with the ribbon I think, it has a forked end like a snakes tounge and runs counter clockwise, is that the ribbon or the wreath?

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,249525.msg1785189.html#msg1785189

 

[{Sentinel}]

that's the ribbon aka banner....and that's one of the civil war era bacmarks. There's one with clockwise text and one with counterclockwise text ...but they are both of the civil war variety.

 

[RJH02]

Thank you Sentinel for the info and thanks to Company F for posting his VMI button so we all can learn about and enjoy them. Now I gotta go back there again!!

 

[dano7]

Nice button...

 

[Mr Tuff]

nice old button MR TUFF

 

[vayank54]

that's the ribbon aka banner....and that's one of the civil war era bacmarks. There's one with clockwise text and one with counterclockwise text ...but they are both of the civil war variety.

Right. Also most will have Attleboro Mass. but I have seen some that just say Attleboro. These are still civil war as well.

 

[FrankTM]

Fantastic find!

Frank

 

[Company F]

After a little cleaning on the back with aluminum jelly, I could faintly read the backmark. It is "D.Evans & Co. Attleboro".

 

[vayank54]

Good deal, From the pics it looks like a civil war period backmark.