24 Civil War Buttons

[steelheadwill]

Greetings all,
Great weather lately here in New Hampshire
As you may know, I always keep my eyes open for out of place rock formations
on the flats of the tidal rivers.
In the past, some of these I've searched have been ballast piles from abandoned ships.
Had my eyes on this one for a while,
but put off searching it.
I got a good deep signal, dug a copper bracelet, a rescan of the hole indicated more targets, as I went deeper I encountered dense blue clay mixed with straw.
And buttons.
Eventually I moved stones and excavated a hole 4' X 2' and about 36" deep.
I made the large excavation after finding several buttons to avoid any damage to the remaining ones, understand that this was blind digging in a pit of muddy water.
End result was 19 'New Hampshire Volunteer Militia' buttons, (Tice NH 200A3)
and 1 General Service high convex, resembles Tice GS 226, is missing its back.
My first 'Muffin'
All but 2 of the NH buttons have intact shanks, and I see no reason why the rest won't clean up as well as these, I picked a random button to start.
5 hours of aluminum jelly and toothpicks yield 2 clean buttons.
Thanks to Buckleboy for resto advise
I believe there are more items at this site, tides limit search time.
I will update this post with new finds, and more cleaned examples.
I'm including a NH Militia Officer photo.
Thanks for looking, and Great Digs to You all.

 

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[lucky d]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

awesome finds ! wtg !...hh

 

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[testing123]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

Hey Herbie,

Congrats on these awesome finds! Can't wait to see what you pull up next!

 

[Marchas45]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Must Be A Banner

 

[NHBandit]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

Herbie you continue to amaze me with the stuff you're finding in my old home town. You have my vote for the banner as well.

 

[artyfacts]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

4' X 2' and about 36" deep... That adds up to a big button hole... The buttons are sweet... Arty

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

Looks like the uniform should have 27 (three rows of nine). Go back and find that belt plate!

 

[Rickiowa2009]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

WTG

 

[steelheadwill]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

Looks like the uniform should have 27 (three rows of nine). Go back and find that belt plate!

Now I see that one under his belt, AND 3 on each cuff
I'll have to redig that hole for the 4th time if there's still 10 missing,
(plus the Belt Plate & Cap Pin)
I just saw NHBobs post of a beautiful NH Cap pin dug last year,
NICE FIND

 

[steelheadwill]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

4' X 2' and about 36" deep... That adds up to a big button hole... The buttons are sweet... Arty

HaHaa ! It sure was !
After 3 excavations the hole resembled a grave.
Like I described, a pit full of mucky water, scan bottom and sides, then gently remove some slop and hope you got another one,
The owner of a nearby business came out and
chatted then invited me in for coffee, I was happy to have the chance to talk about the hobby and the history we're trying to save.
Helps to dispel some of the false perceptions
a lot of people have about MDers

 

[bookfisher]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

Great job finding and cleaning!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

This sure looks like a BANNER picture to me buddy!

Dave

 

[steelheadwill]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

This sure looks like a BANNER picture to me buddy!

Dave

My thanks go out to all who replied
All of your feedback is appreciated
Special Shout to Timekiller, whose tips allowed me to get buttons cleaned up in a timely manner.
With his idea of expansion/contraction in mind, I placed the buttons in boiling water,
then removed them and immediately dropped them into ice water and let them dry.
The encrustation then literally fell off at a touch
no more spending 3 hours on one button.
I can't see how this would cause additional damage to metallic objects with a heavy crusting like these had, I don't believe any gilding remains attached to salt crusted buttons.
I would recommending trying this method on copper alloy buttons and coins THAT HAVE HEAVY CRUSTING, (if you think theres gilt left, it will come off with the crust) I am going to try it out on a sand crusted silver coin I have later.
I believe this method would destroy old pewter/white metal.
The biggest plus is no risk of pitting or detail loss that can occur with acid cleaning, ALL the base metal that is under the crust will remain.
I will make a 'Cleaning & Preservation' post on this method after I experiment with that silver.
Good Day An Best Digs To All

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

This sure looks like a BANNER picture to me buddy!

Dave

My thanks go out to all who replied
All of your feedback is appreciated
Special Shout to Timekiller, whose tips allowed me to get buttons cleaned up in a timely manner.
With his idea of expansion/contraction in mind, I placed the buttons in boiling water,
then removed them and immediately dropped them into ice water and let them dry.
The encrustation then literally fell off at a touch
no more spending 3 hours on one button.
I can't see how this would cause additional damage to metallic objects with a heavy crusting like these had, I don't believe any gilding remains attached to salt crusted buttons.
I would recommending trying this method on copper alloy buttons and coins THAT HAVE HEAVY CRUSTING, (if you think theres gilt left, it will come off with the crust) I am going to try it out on a sand crusted silver coin I have later.
I believe this method would destroy old pewter/white metal.
The biggest plus is no risk of pitting or detail loss that can occur with acid cleaning, ALL the base metal that is under the crust will remain.
I will make a 'Cleaning & Preservation' post on this method after I experiment with that silver.
Good Day An Best Digs To All

That was a very good idea. I thought it was more of a black grime than a hard crust, but now that it's so easy you have to go find more! The depth you are digging them and the crust is what is keeping them nice.

Finding the plate would be something else.

 

[steelheadwill]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

This sure looks like a BANNER picture to me buddy!

Dave

My thanks go out to all who replied
All of your feedback is appreciated
Special Shout to Timekiller, whose tips allowed me to get buttons cleaned up in a timely manner.
With his idea of expansion/contraction in mind, I placed the buttons in boiling water,
then removed them and immediately dropped them into ice water and let them dry.
The encrustation then literally fell off at a touch
no more spending 3 hours on one button.
I can't see how this would cause additional damage to metallic objects with a heavy crusting like these had, I don't believe any gilding remains attached to salt crusted buttons.
I would recommending trying this method on copper alloy buttons and coins THAT HAVE HEAVY CRUSTING, (if you think theres gilt left, it will come off with the crust) I am going to try it out on a sand crusted silver coin I have later.
I believe this method would destroy old pewter/white metal.
The biggest plus is no risk of pitting or detail loss that can occur with acid cleaning, ALL the base metal that is under the crust will remain.
I will make a 'Cleaning & Preservation' post on this method after I experiment with that silver.
Good Day An Best Digs To All

That was a very good idea. I thought it was more of a black grime than a hard crust, but now that it's so easy you have to go find more! The depth you are digging them and the crust is what is keeping them nice.

Finding the plate would be something else.

Thanks IP !
Am returning to the site today, Plan on removing top layers around the filled hole to see what else lurks in the depths

 

[Hill Billy]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons Update: 16 Cleaned

This sure looks like a BANNER picture to me buddy!

Dave

My thanks go out to all who replied
All of your feedback is appreciated
Special Shout to Timekiller, whose tips allowed me to get buttons cleaned up in a timely manner.
With his idea of expansion/contraction in mind, I placed the buttons in boiling water,
then removed them and immediately dropped them into ice water and let them dry.
The encrustation then literally fell off at a touch
no more spending 3 hours on one button.
I can't see how this would cause additional damage to metallic objects with a heavy crusting like these had, I don't believe any gilding remains attached to salt crusted buttons.
I would recommending trying this method on copper alloy buttons and coins THAT HAVE HEAVY CRUSTING, (if you think theres gilt left, it will come off with the crust) I am going to try it out on a sand crusted silver coin I have later.
I believe this method would destroy old pewter/white metal.
The biggest plus is no risk of pitting or detail loss that can occur with acid cleaning, ALL the base metal that is under the crust will remain.
I will make a 'Cleaning & Preservation' post on this method after I experiment with that silver.
Good Day An Best Digs To All

That was a very good idea. I thought it was more of a black grime than a hard crust, but now that it's so easy you have to go find more! The depth you are digging them and the crust is what is keeping them nice.

Finding the plate would be something else.

Thanks IP !
Am returning to the site today, Plan on removing top layers around the filled hole to see what else lurks in the depths

Bring your camera with and take pics, that's the only reason why this post isn't up on the banner in my opinion. Congrats to you on the 23 buttons the other day and good luck finding the plate today.

 

[gmanlight]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons

I thought it did not make banner because of
some kind of Banner Limit.

Too many great finds in a short time.
Keep at it Herbie

 

[Hill Billy]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons

I thought it did not make banner because of
some kind of Banner Limit.

Too many great finds in a short time.
Keep at it Herbie

If pics where taken as these buttons were coming out of the muck, I gaurantee this would be on the banner. The find is very impressive and should be up there in my opinion, but without photos I don't see it happening. There is no Banner Limit.

 

[gmanlight]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons

The Banner Limit was a joke.
Don't know what a picture would do. A big mud hole .
Not like it at a cellar hole or something.
There are pics of the start , cleaning and the more finds.
What else is there .
We all know Herbie is a muck-er.

 

[Hill Billy]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons

Don't know what a picture would do

Jeff, please chime in will ya.
A pic or two or three as they come out of the muckin hole would have put this post on the banner.
As said before this post belongs on the banner in my opinion.

 

[birdman]

Re: 23 Civil War Buttons

That is bannerriffic!!