Exciting civil war find on campus today with a little silver as well

tnt-hunter

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Went back on campus with the CZ 21 today and worked more of the grass strips in the parking lot. Working slowly and gridding it all so I get most of the goodies. Found 100 coins with a face value of $6.08, some keys, a 2005 graduation fob, and then I went back to the soccer field and found some oldies, but goodies.

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I can only take about 2 or 3 hours of slow swingin in the junk filled parking strip and finding mostly pennies before I need a break. So today I went back to the soccer field where I found the gold class ring yesterday hoping to make it gold 2 days in a row. It was not to be. I did get a nice high tone that was a small sterling ring with pictographs on it. The sterling mark on the inside is repeated in an odd script I can’t identify.

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I found a dropped .58 cal. minieball, an odd style buckel which could be civil war era or could be much newer. I am not sure about the buckel. Then I got another nice high tone I thought was another coin. I popped the plug and pinpointed the target then broke the plug. Sitting right on top was a button. Most of what I find on campus is modern with only a rare oldie from the farm so I thought this was a modern one. It was only 1.5 inches down and it was pretty clean with some dirt caked on the back. It was also in decent shape and the acid soil really eats up the older buttons around here. I had feeling it might be good, but I was not sure so I put it in the padded finds box instead of the nail apron and finished up. When I got home and cleaned the dirt off of the back I saw the writing and knew I had a flat button. On a hunch I looked up 7 pointed star flat button and found out I had a Cherokee Nation button that is believed to have been used by Cherokee who fought with the confederacy during the civil war.

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For me this is a bucket listed type find, not because it is on my list (until I found this I didn’t know they existed), but because it is unusual to find this type button in our area. It is shankless but I am really happy and excited about this one anyway.

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(I didn’t get a dirt picture of the button because I thought it was modern:BangHead:)

I am not surprised that I am finding civil war items since there were a lot of troops in the area during the war. Even so it is really great when you find them. Thanks for looking and may your coil lead you to good things.
 

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Iron Buzz

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That button is an amazing find... take care of it!
 

A2coins

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Sweet button that's a price
 

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Great hunt, congrats! :icon_thumleft:
 

Ditlihi

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This button is quite rare, only a few known examples exist. Dug examples usually range around $250-300 and are the most sought after. They were actually manufactured for the Cherokee Nation before the Civil War (1830-40's), and were used by the North Carolina Cherokee Indian Brigade of Thomas' Legion during their enlistment. A very awesome find and save. I'd be contacting a museum if it were mine. :notworthy:

https://www.georgewashingtoninaugur...ious-state-militia-buttonsinfantry-artillery/



(edited to add: Please excuse my enthusiasm, but my ancestor was in that Brigade.)
 

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tnt-hunter

tnt-hunter

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tnt-hunter

tnt-hunter

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This button is quite rare, only a few known examples exist. Dug examples usually range around $250-300 and are the most sought after. They were actually manufactured for the Cherokee Nation before the Civil War (1830-40's), and were used by the North Carolina Cherokee Indian Brigade of Thomas' Legion during their enlistment. A very awesome find and save. I'd be contacting a museum if it were mine. :notworthy:

https://www.georgewashingtoninaugur...ious-state-militia-buttonsinfantry-artillery/



(edited to add: Please excuse my enthusiasm, but my ancestor was in that Brigade.)

More great info, thanks. If my ancestor had been in that brigade I would feel the same way.

This button was already special to me and now it’s even better. Keep swingin.
 

trdking

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Can you post picture of front and back close up by itself? What a tremendous find.
 

Joe-Dirt

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Huh, I have an ancestor who was in the Thomas legion, walkers brigade, company G. He was from Jefferson county Tennessee but joined Thomas legion in North Carolina, the legion was also know as the 69th North Carolina, very cool find
 

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Hawks88

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Nice variety of finds. The button is a great piece of history and YOU saved it. Congrats!
 

Trezurehunter

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Congrats on an outstanding button find. I hope that one holds a prominent place in your display case.
 

Truth

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Never knew about that button thanks to the members of Tnet you learn. What a awesome button which such history. I love when you find something good and when you put it on Tnet you find out its great. 2 highs on one find I love that. Congratulations
 

awdw

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Great find. I would have never thought the Cherokees would have helped either side fight at that point in time.
 

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tnt-hunter

tnt-hunter

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Close ups of button

Can you post picture of front and back close up by itself? What a tremendous find.

I am traveling so the best I can do is a zoomed in copy of the front and back.

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I hope this will do.
 

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tnt-hunter

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Congrats on an outstanding button find. I hope that one holds a prominent place in your display case.

I had planned on donating the older farm finds to the county museum. I make up riker boxes of my better finds that might be interesting to the public and use them when I do detecting presentation. So far I have done seven for different groups. The boxes are all scheduled to go to the county museum eventually and I am thinking that this might make the campus finds go to the museum a little sooner.

I already have a display at a local brew house that includes a 6 pound solid shot civil war cannon ball from the farm at that location. The original owner of the farm was the owner of a mill located at a battlefield and it is believed that he brought the cannon ball home after the battle. The artifacts are on long term loan with the provision that if the business closes they come back to me or if I have passed they go to the museum.

I believe that when we save the history from the ground we should share it and preserve it for the future.

Thanks to all for the great info and comments. You are a great bunch. Keep swingin and may your coil lead you to good things.
 

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