"Star" nail found in a yard of a 1760 house

[large cent hunter]

My son found this today in the yard of a 1760 house. It is about the size of a quarter, and has a nail on the back with the remains of some wood it was apparently nailed into.

[Gypsy Heart]

Cool ! Looks like it came off an old trunk!

[dg39]

Could be a picture nail. They made many different kind in the late 1800's early 1900's to hang paintings from.
DG

[PBK]

Cool ! Looks like it came off an old trunk!

Heed the wise words of the gypsy!

Here's a fairly similar example:



http://www.furnitureknowledge.com/em..._ornaments.htm

However, as Dg39 notes, it could also be a from a picture or mirror frame.

[Montana Jim]

With the wood still on the back I agree with Gypsy, as PBK has proved.

But Dg's "Picture Hanger" guess was a good one - here is a great site if you want to know more about those. http://swanpicturehangers.com/

[large cent hunter]

Thanks Gypsy and PBK, and dg39. I think gypsy's right. ....and that was quick!

[TreasureTales]

All I know is that it's a cool find. Congrats to your son.