1850s U.S. Naval Button

{Sentinel}

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1850's U.S. Naval Button

Whats up everybody, its been a couple weeks since I posted some finds so here is the best find from yesterday.

Myself and Louis decided to hit this new area that we had never hit before and it turned out to be a pretty good spot. The first 5 minutes at this spot, my buddy pulls out what he thought was a rivet at first and hands it to me. I lightly brushed it off and it was a PERFECT Virginia Seal Cuff Muffin Button with no pushes whatsoever in the face! I said, "Louis, this is a dang Virginia Seal Cuff and he didn't believe me at first so I handed it back and he was happy about that and was a good start to this hour long hunt. For the next 30 minutes between us we dug some drawer pulls, a knapsack lock, thimble, 1800s pocket knife etc. We decided to split up a bit and I was detecting some brick and mortar that had been excavated out of a side wall so to speak and I got this nice clean signal and when I cleared away the dirt there was a gilted button staring back at me. It was stuck in the mortar in the side of a brick. I knew it had to be old as the foundation brick was from the mid 1800s. So I carefully chipped it away from the mortar but the face looked like a "cookie coin" and I could not see anything except one edge that the gilt was showing through. That was the highlight for me in this little hunt BUT, for Louis, right before getting ready to leave, he digs a PERFECT 1804 or 1805 Half Cent to go with his Virginia Cuff!!! That was a first for him and a first time that I have seen a half cent from that era dug. Lots of Large Cents.....not many half cents.
Below are the before and after pics of the button I found....Mind you, I have not completed cleaning it but it DOES have ALOT of gilt still left on it. It looks to be a 1850s U.S. Navy Button with a "Scovills" backmark and was probably worn throughout the early part of the Civil War. If you look close, in the last picture you can see an anchor slightly off center, with an eagle above and to the left:
 

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Upvote 0

ModernMiner

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Jan 9, 2007
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Josh,
Glad to see you guys made it out. Congrats to your buddy on his finds. :thumbsup: Great button.
-MM-
 

OP
OP
{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Primary Interest:
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

ModernMiner said:
Josh,
Glad to see you guys made it out. Congrats to your buddy on his finds. :thumbsup: Great button.
-MM-

Thanks Bud :wink:
 

OP
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{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Detectingfreak said:
nice job on the button but really corroded! :(

Dont you worry. I am still working on it and when I am done, it wont look like there was ever any dirt or corrosion on it..Even now it is twice as good as the pics. I will post final pics when done. :wink:
 

RELICDUDE07

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Oct 2, 2007
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

What do you use on them? I find some just like that sometimes, the green part.. Thanks,relicdude
 

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{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

RELICDUDE07 said:
What do you use on them? I find some just like that sometimes, the green part.. Thanks,relicdude

Depending on condition, I use the peroxide method and aluminum jelly alot.
 

RELICDUDE07

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Oct 2, 2007
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Where can i buy that aluminum jelly?I have some buttons found years ago ,and i still cant tell whats under them..Thanks again
 

christ-first

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Mar 20, 2008
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

awesome finds !!! i have found only a few buttons from the 1800's. i wish i could find a spot that held alot of military relics. they are few and far between where i'm from.
 

BuckleBoy

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Jun 12, 2006
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Aluminum Jelly is where it's AT!  :thumbsup:  Excellent find there, Sentinel!  I think you're dead-on in your ID of that button.  And finding ANY Virginia button is a real treat!  Those are some valuable buttons--as are just about any of the state seal CW buttons.  (Especially Southern. :wink:

Nice work, buddy!  I wonder if that fell off somebody's coat while they were mixing mortar.  Stranger things have happened.

Can't wait to see the final photos.  I think that mortar preserved the gilding.  :thumbsup:

Regards,


Buckles
 

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{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

BuckleBoy said:
Aluminum Jelly is where it's AT! :thumbsup: Excellent find there, Sentinel! I think you're dead-on in your ID of that button. And finding ANY Virginia button is a real treat! Those are some valuable buttons--as are just about any of the state seal CW buttons. (Especially Southern. :wink:)

Nice work, buddy! I wonder if that fell off somebody's coat while they were mixing mortar. Stranger things have happened.

Can't wait to see the final photos. I think that mortar preserved the gilding. :thumbsup:

Regards,


Buckles

Will, you are absolutely right, the mortar is being removed and showing a STUNNING amount of gilt! You are dead to rights correct, if it wasn't for that mortar, that button would have very little gilt left on it. It is one of the best gilted, if not THE best, that I have ever found :wink:

In addition,

I think that it is very probable that the button did fall off a jacket while the wall was being built. :wink:
 

RELICDUDE07

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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

It will help preserve the button..But mortar/cement i dont think so.. Almost all the brass buttons from around that time period where im at ,look like that.. Its a reaction from the salt in the ground.. Its going to clean up great... :wink:
 

Colonial Zoyboy

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Apr 3, 2006
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Josh, you and your buddy kicked some serious metal datecting arse with those recoveries. The button is great...the half cent is :notworthy:-worthy...and your passion is unparalleled in this universe. :headbang:

I have only found two half cents in my short "coppa-seeking" career: an 1806 Bust and 1825 Classic.:occasion18:

I am looking forward to your future John Walter-like recoveries, my good buddy! :wink:

Kyle
 

romeo-1

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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Cool button...please be sure to post the finished piece after cleaning!
 

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{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

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Jan 11, 2007
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Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

romeo-1 said:
Cool button...please be sure to post the finished piece after cleaning!

I promise that I will post the finished product. And as for above, yes salt does play a part in these cookie type coins and buttons.....but the mortar that it was engulfed in in no small way helped save this button as well....I do know what you are talking about especially after pulling a coin from the ocean that has been there awhile.....They look alot like this button at first :wink: :wink:
 

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{Sentinel}

{Sentinel}

Silver Member
Jan 11, 2007
4,739
286
Virginia
🥇 Banner finds
13
Detector(s) used
TEKNETICS T-2 LTD, Fisher F-75, White's MXT w/ 11 x 14" Excelerator Coil, WHITES Pulse TDI, WHITES Beach Hunter ID, Garrett Propointer and Lesche Digging Tool
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Colonial Zoyboy said:
Josh, you and your buddy kicked some serious metal datecting arse with those recoveries. The button is great...the half cent is :notworthy:-worthy...and your passion is unparalleled in this universe. :headbang:

I have only found two half cents in my short "coppa-seeking" career: an 1806 Bust and 1825 Classic.:occasion18:

I am looking forward to your future John Walter-like recoveries, my good buddy! :wink:

Kyle

Thanks my friend! AND I look forward to sharing my John Walter-like recoveries with you in the future :wink: ;D When I saw that copper I thought, "K & K would love this" HAHA :wink: :wink: :wink: Keeping that PASSION HIGH!!
 

Mirage

Silver Member
Sep 16, 2005
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Cleveland, OH
Re: 1850's U.S. Naval Button

Cool button.

Too bad you didn't find the Half Cent. Either way it would be cool to see it dug. I personally don't know anyone here in Ohio who has dug one.

Bob
 

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