Todays ones... Silver Dime, flat button, and a CW Belt Buckle :)

[CoilToTheSoil]

still a bit wet from the water

rung out at 92 and wow was I surprised after digging a bunch of old junk!

Anyone able to provide some insight to the buckle?

 

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[cjon455]

wow, killer buckle!

 

[mirage83]

Nice sword belt plate.

 

[Argentium]

Great buckle ! and everybody loves a merc !!!!!

 

[historygrad09]

Nice finds! The plate looks like a Model 1851 Sword Belt Plate. I believe that some plates had the wreaths applied to the plate after it was cast, I don't know if they all did that, and yours just fell off at some point which explains why your buckle has areas underneath and beside the eagle that are lighter in color. Hope that helps. Happy hunting!

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[Showtime2385]

That buckle is sweet!

 

[CoilToTheSoil]

Nice finds! The plate looks like a Model 1851 Sword Belt Plate. I believe that some plates had the wreaths applied to the plate after it was cast, I don't know if they all did that, and yours just fell off at some point which explains why your buckle has areas underneath and beside the eagle that are lighter in color. Hope that helps. Happy hunting!

1851 or 1861? All of the 1861 regulation buckles I find either have a different shield or the wreath or rays extending to the top corners. Im unable to find one thats somewhat plain like this. Heres a better picture with it dry. Still think it had the wreath affixed at some point? The color is pretty constant with the exception of one small spot in the lower right.





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Thanks!!

 

[park pirate]

Awesome buckle...

 

[I-DIG-IT]

Nice digs.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Great buckle! They often had silver wreaths on them that deteriorate after time.

 

[historygrad09]

It looks like a Model 1851 design but it could have been manufactured in 1861 and they could have just left the wreath off as it was more ornamental than anything and was a waste of resources. At the outset of the war many of the North's manufacturers could not keep up with demands so often times those buckles would be manufactured by private firms that would sometimes change the design slightly, i.e. the shield might look a little different or sometimes the eagles wings would look like they were over top of the wreath, but they were still the same basic design as the Model 1851. It explains why there can be so many variances between the same pattern buckle. It definitely would have had a wreath on the Model 1851 and most likely the wreath would have been made from nickel and silver. If this one was manufactured during the war then they may have just left it off as stated above. If you go to the website Belt Buckles & Plates - Lookout Mountain Civil War Relics and scroll down to item number 00122 the plate pictured looks, to me anyway, very similar to yours. I won't lie I am not a buckle guy and I don't know a whole lot about them but I do know a little. Hopefully someone with much more expertise can give you a much more definitive answer. Again really nice find and Happy Hunting!

 

[Jason in Enid]

Congrats on the great digs! That buckle is SAAWEEET!

 

[deershed]

Sweet buckle!! Definitely on my bucket list...

Congrats!!

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Great find . CW era Union Sword Belt plate is on most " want to dig one " lists .










Dawg

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Yup, that's a keeper for sure. Congrats
ZDD

 

[tlf67]

Buckle is awesome.