Revisited the Revolutionary War site where I found many French Regimental buttons last year and my super rare silver 76th Officers Bristish regimental button which won me best relic of 2012 on the CS Sentinel website. I had previously found 2 pits at this site and have now located a third. I have only just begun to dig this one out. It too appears to be roughly 5 ft by 5 ft. The best thing to come our of it Thurs morning was this brass plate featuring a fox with his paw raised as if saluting. This is etched by hand making this truly a work of art. It has the most beautiful emerald green patina that all relic hunters love to see! Everything I have found at this site has dated to 1781. Its dimensions are 2 inches by 2 inches with 5 prongs on the back suggesting it was attached to leather. I found another somewhat similar piece back about 10 yrs ago featuring a fox also but it was nowhere near the fine detail as this one. I feel, and have been told by one other well known relic hunter, that this may be a British Cross belt plate although I have not had direct confirimation from Don Troini or George Juno. There was a British naval officer in the Revolutionary War who served at Yorktown known as The Fox. I am researching this connection and looking for anyone else who may have dug a similar peice or may have suggestions as to what this is. Hopefully this pit will render some more French Regimental buttons or another coveted British officers button. Devonrex
Very nice find do you not think it looks more like a Wolf.
Very nice find do you not think it looks more like a Wolf.
SS
Silver Searcher, It may very well be a wolf ............ as that thought crossed my mind to late last night as I looked at it a little closer. It has features of both. The few people I showed it to said it looked like a fox but I am beginning to wonder also. What I do know is it is awfully close to the Hessian design that was utilized in the Rev War except that the animal on their coat of arms was a lion. Below is a picture of one of 2 specimens that have been found at Yorktown. The Hessians fought on the British side and their artifacts are exceptionally rare. But as you can see the design, animal raised with arms in the same position, mouth open, tail up...........is all the same. This plate definitely was meant to represent someone (or unit) characterizing strentgth, agility, and prowess. Alll necessary in battle. Devonrex
Last edited by Devonrex; Apr 13, 2013 at 09:48 AM.
Thankyou everyone for all the nice comments and banner votes! I must say this little relic is one of the best things I have ever dug and I think represents the history of my area in some way.
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Man if that doesn't make banner I will eat my metal detector. What an amazing recovery, but shucks I now have to re-think my bucket list. I wont one of those.
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Silver Searcher, It may very well be a wolf ............ as that thought crossed my mind to late last night as I looked at it a little closer. It has features of both. The few people I showed it to said it looked like a fox but I am beginning to wonder also. What I do know is it is awfully close to the Hessian design that was utilized in the Rev War except that the animal on their coat of arms was a lion. Below is a picture of one of 2 specimens that have been found at Yorktown. The Hessians fought on the British side and their artifacts are exceptionally rare. But as you can see the design, animal raised with arms in the same position, mouth open, tail up...........is all the same. This plate definitely was meant to represent someone (or unit) characterizing strentgth, agility, and prowess. Alll necessary in battle. Devonrex
It definetely has a livery theme to it, and was meant to stand out in the crowd...
Many of the crest used on livery buttons descended from the crest which knights wore on top of their helmets. It enabled friend and foe to recognize each other in battle.
From the rear attachments it looks as if it went to leather, pitty you couldn't find a button with the same crest at the site, but it would be difficult to track down a name...but you never know.
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Originally Posted by Devonrex
do you not think it looks more like a Wolf.
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Congrats. another vote here.
