Early US Navy Button w/Shield On Left Pre-War Of 1812?

bookfisher

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Jun 18, 2005
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Went back to my favorite old woods today that I first started hunting in June 2006 and came up with this early US Navy Button. I think it was made after 1798 and before the War Of 1812, since the shield is on the left. I've had some really amazing finds in these woods, with the highlights being:

1711 Spanish Seisenio Copper Coin
1738 King George II Copper
1771 Spanish Silver 1 Reale
1774 Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale
1785 Nova Constellatio Copper
1778 Spanish Silver 1 Reale
1781 Spanish Silver 1/2 Reale (converted to a button)
1787 Massachusetts Copper
1812 Classic Head Large Cent
1829 Capped Bust Half Dime
1841 Seated Liberty Dime
1852 Silver Three Cent Piece (Trime)
 

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Upvote 1

Rob66

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Jun 30, 2006
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Nice!!! Sounds and looks like a great hunting ground !
RD
 

dcooper1

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Oct 23, 2005
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EXCELLENT find(s)!!!!!
You must have also looked at Alberts. From what I read, the buttons with no stars were used from 1798 thru August 27,1802 when 15 stars were added. Then they changed again in 1830.
It also appears that most of them had a backmark, that would also narrow it down. As far as cleaning yours some more to see if it does have a backmark..................you wont hear that from me. ;D
 

Brendan M.

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Apr 14, 2006
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Bill, sweet button! Congrats!

I've been using hot peroxide on these old buttons just as you would on a coppa, and the results have been fantastic. Highly recommended if you do want to retrieve more detail.

WTG!!!

Cheers,
Brendan
 

Bavaria Mike

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Feb 7, 2005
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Nice button! That site has been good to you. HH, Mike
 

SgtSki in MI

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Very nice button!!! One of these days I gotta head east!

HH,
SgtSki
 

Leon

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Jul 2, 2004
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Sweet button, Congrats!!!
Those other finds sure aren't nothing to sneeze at either... ;D
Continued Good luck, & Happy huting~
 

tinpan

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Sep 4, 2004
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Congrats on your awsome finds from this great site. I have enjoyed your posts about the site for quite a while.thanks for sharing

tinpan
 

Don in SJ

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May 20, 2005
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Nice going, love those old Navy buttons! That site has been very good to you. :)

Your's appears to have either 15 or 16 stars making it either an Albert's NA 8 (15 stars) or a NA 9 (16 stars) Hard to tell from the dirty condition, if you don't want to clean it altogether, at least try and see how many stars are there.

The attached photo is my Albert's NA 6 variety with 13 stars and also a blank reverse. My shield is more upright.
 

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Giant056

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Jun 10, 2007
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Wow !!!!! that is a really cool button !!!!! definitely some history there Bookfisher. Is there a good woods canopy in that woods, here in Michigan in a good woods you can find stuff not that deep that's pretty old for some reason. We don't have the history like you but woods are one of my favorite places to go. Congrats on all them great finds you found there !!!!!
 

civilman1

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Nov 29, 2005
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Very nice button bookfisher.....Was the wood's an old tavern site or something?Awesome list of find's from one area.Congrat's and HH!!
 

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bookfisher

bookfisher

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Jun 18, 2005
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civilman1 said:
Very nice button bookfisher.....Was the wood's an old tavern site or something?Awesome list of find's from one area.Congrat's and HH!!

Hey Civilman,

These woods were once farmland dating from the early 1700s up to around 1920.
 

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bookfisher

bookfisher

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Jun 18, 2005
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Long Island, New York
bmanley99 said:
Bill, sweet button! Congrats!

I've been using hot peroxide on these old buttons just as you would on a coppa, and the results have been fantastic. Highly recommended if you do want to retrieve more detail.

WTG!!!

Cheers,
Brendan

Hey Brendan,

I started cleaning the button, but since its very corroded, it's beginning to lose detail.
 

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bookfisher

bookfisher

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Jun 18, 2005
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Long Island, New York
Don in SJ said:
Nice going, love those old Navy buttons! That site has been very good to you. :)

Your's appears to have either 15 or 16 stars making it either an Albert's NA 8 (15 stars) or a NA 9 (16 stars) Hard to tell from the dirty condition, if you don't want to clean it altogether, at least try and see how many stars are there.

The attached photo is my Albert's NA 6 variety with 13 stars and also a blank reverse. My shield is more upright.

Hey Don,

As I mentioned to Brendan, the button is corroded and cleaning it is taking away detail, so I have to leave it alone - but it does appear to have 16 stars. Thanks.
 

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