1789 "Long Live the King" Button found at a colonial cellar hole

[Ridirtdigger]

I do not normally post on this forum but felt yesterdays find was important enough to share on here especially for those who do not know nor recognize me from Facebook or another forum. I plan to post on this forum much more from now on. Anyways yesterday I headed out into CT to do some cellar hole hunting with my buddy, Jarrod. Our first spot was a total dud, we never even made it out of our cars as the gate to the parking area was locked and we would have had to walk a mile just to get into the woods. We moved onto the second site which was also a total dud. The site was COVERED and I Mean COVERED with barberry, no swinging room at all, we knew there was a cellar there but we did not see it and needless to say we left that site pretty quickly. Our third site (and our last site) of the day was a nice cellar hole right on an old cart path that extended out from an old abandoned road. This site was not on any maps but was right next to an active hiking trail and easily visible. Because of this, the site had been hit pretty hard by others in the past. I saw an ox shoe lying on a downed tree right next to the cellar hole. Anyways we start swinging, bugs were brutal despite 40% DEET. A couple of horse flies chased me around but there were no yellow jackets so it was all good. About 50 feet away from the cellar hole I get a mid tone on my AT Pro bouncing between 50 and 70. About 6 inches down I pull out a nice big dandy button and notice it has writing on it. I call Jarrod over and wipe the button off on my shirt and then take another look at it. I read out "Long Live the... King". Jarrod let out a sigh of disappointment as he thought I was going to say "President". Despite our disappointment about it not be a GW (so we thought at the time) I had a feeling there was something special about this button so I put it in my bag alongside some dirt to keep it from flaking. We hit the site for about 30 minutes more scoring a few more buttons but by that time we had to get going. When I got home I posted the button on Facebook and realized I had an incredibly rare find, much rarer than the normal GW eagle with star button I found earlier this month at a virgin site. This button is a 1789 "Long Live the King" Button. Sources say it was made in Britain to celebrate King George III's successful recovery from a very serious illness. It also said these buttons are usually only found in places that were still loyal to the British Crown (Obviously in 1789 America was independent). I am not sure why this button was here in CT but I am not complaining. I also read that this button is considered a GW Button which would mean two GW's in one month for me! Overall I am completely amazed by this find, a find of a lifetime for me for sure. Hopefully you can all get to know me better as I become more active on this forum. Until then, happy hunting everyone!

 

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[Ridirtdigger]

Actually now that im taking a look at the higher resolution of the Cobb buttons it actually says it's a George III Button and one says Long Island with other writing under it..?
What you might have there is a Loyalist button even on the Stack's link it says it resembles a GW button..

~Blaze

There is a lot of conflicting information out there. Some say it was made to celebrate King George III, others say it was made to for George Washington, and even others say it was made by loyalists who wanted Prince Charles to become King of the United States. Either way its a rare button, probably not many around here in the US.

 

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[Iron Patch]

There is a lot of conflicting information out there. Some say it was made to celebrate King George III, others say it was made to for George Washington, and even others say it was made by loyalists who wanted Prince Charles to become King of the United States. Either way its a rare button, probably not many around here in the US.

Considering it's in Albert's book listed as a British button, most are found in the UK, and calling Washington a king I don't think makes any sense... There's not much of a case to be made for it being a GW button apart from some wishful thinking. It's a great button, call it what it is and enjoy it.

 

[romeo-1]

So not a George Washington button but rather something which appears much rarer and probably more valuable...nice!

 

[Iron Patch]

So not a George Washington button but rather something which appears much rarer and probably more valuable...nice!

On par with the lower end GW buttons.

 

[romeo-1]

On par with the lower end GW buttons.

Shows how much I know...

Kind of reminds me of the button I found last summer...

 

[Iron Patch]

Shows how much I know...

Kind of reminds me of the button I found last summer...

Yes, with the ribbon. If you go to that thread I think I mentioned the Long Live The King buttons.

 

[johnnyblaze]

Makes me wonder if the slogan Long Live the President on the GW buttons like the one i found was a stab at the old King
Sounds like a Colonial Ironpatch would have done something like that!

~Blaze

 

[romeo-1]

Makes me wonder if the slogan Long Live the President on the GW buttons like the one i found was a stab at the old King
Sounds like a Colonial Ironpatch would have done something like that!

~Blaze

I would say that is exactly why those words were used...just a dig at the King!

 

[Iron Patch]

I would say that is exactly why those words were used...just a dig at the King!

I have no doubt about that one. They suggest the buttons date fairly close, but the phrase certainly predates the GW buttons.

 

[DownNDirty]

Fantastic and very rare find-and in very good condition. My banner vote is in-congratulations on a great find!

 

[Tommy G]

What a unique button! Welcome to the forum, and by all means continuing sharing!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Now that's a button I've never seen before! Congrats on a BANNER find!

 

[Steve in PA]

Fantastic Find! Welcome to T-Net.

 

[CRUSADER]

It's not. GW associated at best. It only gets the recognition it does because the Cobb collection had one... and Cobb also has a British Royal Navy button, and it's clearly not a GW either. It's like mentioned, a George III button, and taken to America from Britain sometime during the revolution. That's at least my take, if I'm wrong I would like to be corrected. (I've owned 5 of these - both types)

I was going to say a similar thing. This button circa 1750-80 'might' have inspired the GW series but it shouldn't be counted as one.

That said it is in its own right a extremely rare button & an amazing find - CONGRATS to the OP.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Awesome button and great old buckle parts! Congratulation!

 

[hogge]

Really great find! Persistance pays off. Outlying areas at hammered holes can produce great things. Congrats...............Hogge

 

[Ridirtdigger]

Thank you to everyone who has commented so far. I am wondering how best to preserve this button though. It has been sitting in a plastic bag since I found it. I do not want it to flake as that will remove most of the detail from the patina

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[UnderMiner]

So very interesting the history of this thing!

 

[CASPER-2]

DONT KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS PAGE/SITE
George Washington Inaugural Buttons ? ~ 1789 ~Long Live The King Buttons&~ 1778-1790 ~King and Constitution Buttons