1917 Merc and possible NJ State Civil War button

[ScaredOfClowns]

Today I took advantage of the good weather and went detecting at a farm that yielded some good finds last week.

I was lucky enough to find a beat-up 1917 Mercury Dime, a cool old button with shank intact, two musket balls (big and small) and a broken crotal bell - definitely a good day!



When I got home and cleaned the button off, I noticed that the front has the state seal of New Jersey (the three plows in the crest is pretty distinctive), and the back is marked "HORSTMANN - NY & PHILADA". It appears that I found a Civil War button, which would be a first for me - can anyone here who knows about CW relics confirm this? Thanks!


I'm not sure if I'll get any more hunts in before January 1st, but if not this isn't a bad way to finish the year. Thanks for looking - HH!

 

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[PowerDubs]

I'd say yes- that appears to 100% be the same button. Great find!!

 

[Silvermonkey]

Nice work on the Merc and the button. Congrats on finding your very first civil war button!!!

 

[Kype]

cool! congrats. im from jersey as well

 

[oldmxrat]

Good stuff, congrats!

 

[CreakyDigger]

Sweet!

 

[Digger RJ]

Today I took advantage of the good weather and went detecting at a farm that yielded some good finds last week.

I was lucky enough to find a beat-up 1917 Mercury Dime, a cool old button with shank intact, two musket balls (big and small) and a broken crotal bell - definitely a good day!

View attachment 1996174View attachment 1996175

When I got home and cleaned the button off, I noticed that the front has the state seal of New Jersey (the three plows in the crest is pretty distinctive), and the back is marked "HORSTMANN - NY & PHILADA". It appears that I found a Civil War button, which would be a first for me - can anyone here who knows about CW relics confirm this? Thanks!
View attachment 1996177 View attachment 1996176

I'm not sure if I'll get any more hunts in before January 1st, but if not this isn't a bad way to finish the year. Thanks for looking - HH!

Very Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

ScaredOfClowns wrote:
> the back is marked "HORSTMANN - NY & PHILADA". It appears that I found a Civil War button, which would be a first for me - can anyone here who knows about CW relics confirm this?

Sorry to have to disappoint your hopes, but:
The best book on time-dating buttons by their backmark is "American Military Button Makers And Dealers; Their Backmarks & Dates" by McGuinn & Bazelon. It shows a picture of your button's EXACT backmark, and says it dates only from 1865-70. So, unless your button was made during the first 3 months of 1865, it is from after the end of the civil war.