🥇 BANNER Best Long Weekend Ever! Some great Colonial finds, silver, buttons and more!

[oxbowbarefoot]

*Update*Best Long Weekend Ever! Revolutionary Rattlesnake Button

After my car accident a couple weeks back, I haven’t been able to detect as much as I’d like. My left arm, which is usually my digging arm, is continually dislocating at the shoulder, however (with the OK from the Orthopedist and orders to stay active and limber) I can at least drag the shovel without it bothering me too much.
All told, the long Thanksgiving weekend was very good to me. I was able to get out and swing the Deus each day for at least a few hours between Friday and Sunday. Friday and Saturday I hunted in the blistering wind and cold with Worldtalker. I think we are both still shaking out the dust from Saturday. We went back to the 1654 massive farmland that we have been hunting for the past few weeks (same place I pulled 2 Spanish silvers out of not too long ago). This site has been producing like crazy, and there is so much more area we haven’t even explored yet. I’m sure Chris will post his sweet finds. I had a few nice ones myself. I was even able to scratch off quite a few items from my wish list, including a couple pesky Barbers, which have somehow been eluding my coil. Together with the half I got a couple weeks back, this site has now given me a Barber hat-trick. Anyways, here are a few of the highlights: (the best is saved for last)

-My first Barber Dime (1906)
-My first Barber Quarter (1908)
-My first Walking Liberty Half (1943)
-1918 Buffalo Nickel (only my 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] Buff)
-1903 and 1899 Indian Heads Cents (brings the total for this site to 13)
-My most complete Colonial barrel tap
-4 Ox Knobs
-8 Musket Balls, including the biggest one I have ever seen
-Half of a brass bullet casting mold, I think mid 1800’s, but not sure.
-a Copper ring (must be the 10[SUP]th[/SUP] copper or brass ring I have found at this site, 2 od which are gold plated)
-a decorated Sterling pen clip.
-a whole galaxy of buttons, some good, some bad, and some ugly….

And my best finds for the weekend>>>>

Two absolutely incredible buttons.

The first one I found on Friday in a cut cornfield. It’s an 1840’s era United States Revenue Service Cutter Button (The precursor to the Coast Guard). Its quite rare and in awesome condition. Much of the gilt was left and a little naval jelly made it shine up nice! I am not sure of the value, but the couple I could find listed are priced between $125 and $400. I think mine falls somewhere in between. The back mark reads U. States/Revenue Service

The second is something that I hope is authentic, although I don’t see why it wouldn’t be based on the other finds that have come out of these fields. If it is, I feel it is definitely my best find of the weekend, and maybe one of my best ever. It’s a button with a Rattlesnake intertwined around 13 eggs. I think it is either Revolutionary War era, or just post Revolution. I have only been able to find one picture online. The site is listed below, it describes the button as “American snake and eggs motif silvered brass button imported from France.”

RWb57ds-American snake and eggs motif silvered brass button imported from France.

When I found it, I didn’t have a clue what it was, I though maybe a token, a button, perhaps a piece of broken jewelry, I just had not idea. I asked Worldtalker, he wasn’t sure either. So in the keeper case it went until I got home. When I got home I gave it a little rinse and realized it was a Rattlesnake. I looked at the back and can feel where the shank broke off. There is no back mark as far as I can see. I haven’t tried naval jelly on it to see if the any silver gilt it left, but mine appears to have much better detail than the one on the website.

If anyone has any info on either button, or has any clues to value, I would greatly appreciate it.

This Thanksgiving weekend was amazing. I have a lot to be thankful for besides the great finds. I am happy to have gotten to spend time with my family, my friend and treasure hunting partner Chris (Worldtalker), and even enjoying the little things like my 10[SUP]th[/SUP] high school reunion. And of course, thank you in advance for your comments and I hope you all had a great weekend too!

**UPDATE**
The person who purchased the Rattlesnake Button did an amazing job cleaning it using peroxide and lemon juice. This button is now likely one of the finest examples of its kind. The picture speaks for its self.

 

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[oxbowbarefoot]

Wow,, very interesting post
How much did that button sell for??

I won't be specific, but I sold it to another member for $500-$1000. He was able to clean it and allow the silver to shine through, and he in turn sold it to a collector for double what I sold it for. I was very happy with the price I got, and the money came in very handy. However, I would buy it back in a heartbeat now if I had the chance.

its probably worth well over $2000 at this point.

 

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[Ahab8]

That may be the #1 button I would want to find. I love those buttons

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on a great bunch of finds

 

[Iron Patch]

That may be the #1 button I would want to find. I love those buttons

They are awesome, but if you're going to wish for a button there's a whole lot more early buttons with a history you can trace. To me it does not make any sense to hold Washington or snake buttons in as high of regard as a soldier who actually fought in the war and wore the button. So someone wore a GW button to support Washington... to me that's not even close. Now I'm not saying this to try to diminish GW or snake buttons, but maybe make a few think a little more about the significance of a Rev War button. I'm with the majority, would love to dig one and you can be sure I'd be posting it on about 5 forums if I did, but if you gave me the choice of a rare early American Rev War button... yep, I'll take it. Now make it one of the super rare GWs and I will have no problem changing my mind.

 

[Ahab8]

They are awesome, but if you're going to wish for a button there's a whole lot more early buttons with a history you can trace. To me it does not make any sense to hold Washington or snake buttons in as high of regard as a soldier who actually fought in the war and wore the button. So someone wore a GW button to support Washington... to me that's not even close. Now I'm not saying this to try to diminish GW or snake buttons, but maybe make a few think a little more about the significance of a Rev War button. I'm with the majority, would love to dig one and you can be sure I'd be posting it on about 5 forums if I did, but if you gave me the choice of a rare early American Rev War button... yep, I'll take it. Now make it one of the super rare GWs and I will have no problem changing my mind.

Oh trust me I would kill to find a Mass militia button from the Rev War or a rare regt button. I just don't think my chances are too good here. I hope this doesn't upset the masses but I would much rather find a rattlesnake than a GW. They show up much less often and as I said I love the look of them. But a super rare GW, military, or rattlesnake would do just fine

 

[oxbowbarefoot]

They are awesome, but if you're going to wish for a button there's a whole lot more early buttons with a history you can trace. To me it does not make any sense to hold Washington or snake buttons in as high of regard as a soldier who actually fought in the war and wore the button. So someone wore a GW button to support Washington... to me that's not even close. Now I'm not saying this to try to diminish GW or snake buttons, but maybe make a few think a little more about the significance of a Rev War button. I'm with the majority, would love to dig one and you can be sure I'd be posting it on about 5 forums if I did, but if you gave me the choice of a rare early American Rev War button... yep, I'll take it. Now make it one of the super rare GWs and I will have no problem changing my mind.

Even though they aren't that rare, I would love to find a really nice pewter Continental USA button.