ID on this modern General Service button ?

[8Reales]

Dug this today and I can tell is modern and it was not very deep at all, also the fact that it retains most of its gold gilt proofs that it wasn't in the ground very long. Is it a reenactors button, or is it actual military button?

[Subterranean]

Looks like a General Service US Army coat button, Indian Wars era, (1866-1898) to me. Experts will chime in soon, Sub

[creskol]

I have never seen a "self shank" general service button before, but my guess is it would be a reenactor's button from 1934 - 1953 time frame.

[Yak1366]

Agreed, odd shank.

[TheCannonballGuy]

It is definitely an extremely recent Reproduction made for use by civil war battle re-enactors. In addition to having a self-shank back... note that the backmark says "Waterbury Button / CT U.S.A.". The Waterbury Button Company changed its name to Waterbury Companies" in 1943, and retained that name until 2000, when it reverted to the name Waterbury Button. (That info is from the company's website, About Us - Waterbury Button

Waterbury buttons made from 1943 to 2000 have a backmark saying Waterbury CO'S -- which is the abbreviation for the plural word Companies. Sometimes, Companies is fully spelled out. Note also that the abbreviation INC for Incorporated is always included in those 1943-2000 Waterbury backmarks. See the photo below.

8Reales, your button's backmark saying Waterbury Button / CT USA means it was made in 2000 or later... a "very recent" Repro.

Like Creskol, I've never seen an actual US Military-issue button with a self-shank back. I said "actual" because I've seen some lookalike Civilian-usage "Fashion" imitations (especially imitation Navy buttons) which do have a self-shank back.

[creskol]

It's funny that the button back on the OP's button isn't shown on Waterbury's page: Back Codes - Waterbury Button

[8Reales]

I have never seen a "self shank" general service button before, but my guess is it would be a reenactor's button from 1934 - 1953 time frame.

Thank you yes I think we all agreed on the reenactors part

[8Reales]

It is definitely an extremely recent Reproduction made for use by civil war battle re-enactors. In addition to having a self-shank back... note that the backmark says "Waterbury Button / CT U.S.A.". The Waterbury Button Company changed its name to Waterbury Companies" in 1943, and retained that name until 2000, when it reverted to the name Waterbury Button. (That info is from the company's website, About Us - Waterbury Button

Waterbury buttons made from 1943 to 2000 have a backmark saying Waterbury CO'S -- which is the abbreviation for the plural word Companies. Sometimes, Companies is fully spelled out. Note also that the abbreviation INC for Incorporated is always included in those 1943-2000 Waterbury backmarks. See the photo below.

8Reales, your button's backmark saying Waterbury Button / CT USA means it was made in 2000 or later... a "very recent" Repro.

Like Creskol, I've never seen an actual US Military-issue button with a self-shank back. I said "actual" because I've seen some lookalike Civilian-usage "Fashion" imitations (especially imitation Navy buttons) which do have a self-shank back.

Yes always leaned on the modern theory as the condition is just super nice. Nice to see the eagle in all its beauty as most of my period civil war buttons are in pretty bad shape. Thanx for input and the approximate date.