1864-1866 Marine Button? (UPDATE, more likely post-1902)

[ziphius]

Found this one yesterday and a couple of button websites narrow it down to 1864-1866. If anyone can shed additional light on this one, much appreciated. [I've gotten some additional input on this button from a different forum, an owner of the Tice button book indicates the design is more consistent with buttons that began production in 1902]. Just goes to show you that you can't just analyze backmark information without consideration to material, rim design, and size. Still, I'm happy to have rescued this one from the dirt! - Jim

 

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[WeaponsUSMC]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

Button and backmark (benchmark) are good for those years. That is an awsome button, with only a few hundred Marines on each side durring the Civil War. That makes it a very rare and great find. Congrats....HH.....Bill

 

[ringfinder]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

Nice find, Congrats, that button is sure in good shape.

HH, Ringfinder

 

[ziphius]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

Bill, thanks for the reply. I didn't realize that there were so few marines during that era. This is the third military button I've dug from this site. One was a US army great seal button (~WWII) and the other was a navy button (~WWI). I've hunted this site for months and have figured out that this was a 1890-1930s dump site (based on the volume and variety of items). Perhaps this particular button was stashed away in someone's collection. Glad I could recover it. - Jim

 

[John (Ma)]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

Excellent find!

 

[hogge]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

Great find. Probably VERY collectible.

 

[WeaponsUSMC]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

Just from memory so the numbers may be off, but I think the Confederate's had like 200 and the Union had like 350-500. Those are very low numbers, and neither one saw much action. John Brown was captured by Marines, I know that much, and there is a report of one other action that I can think of. I have seen Civil War Federal Marine buttons found and for sale, But have never even seen a Confederate Marine button, that would be quit the ultimate find. From information I can find, the Confederate Marine button would be in traditional southern fashion with the M. For reasons I cannot understand, the federal Marine button doesn't bring much money, although non of the Union buttons do, and the Marine button is anywhere from 75-150, depends on who has it could be a little more or a little less. If you ever want to get rid of that bad boy let me know, I may never find one, but being part of my Marine Corps heritage I want one.

 

[hogge]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

WeaponsUSMC, If I owned it I would sell it to ya! Got a NYS Militia button if your interested.

 

[crazyjarhead]

Re: 1864-1866 Marine Button

That is one nice USMC button. Having served 23 years in the Corps even I didn't realize the Corps was so small in size.

 

[ziphius]

Thanks for the comments gang. Turns out it is more likely a post-1902 button, based on size, convexity, rim features, material.