A DREAM COME TRUE........ G.W. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Well Gary (foundation hunter) scooped me up this morning and headed to a new colonial cellar hole site. Right away we noticed relics piled on rocks and my hopes went down for me on this site as far as finding anything significant. I worked the old dirt driveway going up alongside cellar hole and my very first reading was a decent one at 2 inches. flipped the plug over and thought oh cool a cloaker or dandy button! flipped the button over in my hand and saw the oval in center and knew right away what i was holdin! I yelled "hey Gar! got a G.W.!" he was like yeah ok.... like i was pullin his leg
I never trembled holding any of my finds and i can honestly say this had me shaking.
1881 & 1897 IH's ,a 1927 merc and the buttons were all in the driveway area.
i bet whoever hit this spot before may be scowling big time right about now.
one of my best hunts ever!
Digging & holding a George Washington inaugural button from 1789 is just a feeling you can't describe!

 

[hogge]

WELCOME to "The Club" Heavymetalnut! You guys are hard core. You have a Cobb #5, Alberts WI-11a. In 2003 there were 76 known, probably more around 80-85 now. No matter, it's in much better shape than the 2-Cobb 17j(s) that I have found. My research has shown that these buttons were sold in lots of 4. I would put some more time in at that site. Complete with shank, and nice and flat. CONGRATS!!!!! I vote banner! The Hogge

i think it's an 11-B though

There is often alot of confusion on 5 and 5a examples. Look at the colored plates not the black and white. Spacing on the 11b is wrong for yours. Your letters are too close and the bands are short. 11b has medium spaced letters and yours are tight. If you look closely at the "5" example, the"G" is set lower than the "W", as is yours. On the 5a or Alberts 11-b, the "G" is set even with the top of the "W", and there is more spacing between the insides of the oval. Your spacing is set very tight around the "G" inside the oval. It was actually pretty easy to ID. WI-11a or Cobb #5. Although these examples are extremely close, they were punched from different dies. It is also interesting to note that there are ONLY 80-85 examples,( an estimate from 2003 til now), of ALL 4 varieties. So given that, there may be only 25, or so, of yours. By the same token, there could be 40 of yours.....20 a's.....20 b's and 5 Emilios. Those figures are not available. But then again, if someone needs your example for their collection, $$$$+ It is a very nice example.

 

[turtlefoot13]

You have my BANNER vote for sure! Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tuatara]

Well, very deserved banner even for the piccies I voted for it

 

[KyFreeBird]

WOW !!!! What more can you say !!!!!! GEORGE WASHINGTON ARE COUNTRY'S FIRST NATIONAL HERO !!!!!!!!!!

Love it man !!! B A N N E R !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the way !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ironman!]

Congrats on digging a great piece of American History! A nice addition to the banner!!

IM

 

[Brian W]

That is an awesome button..Huge congrats...Id vote banner but it is already there

 

[vanoldschool]

sweet ,im jealous

 

[FortBedfordbob]

The Find of a Lifetime ! Congrats for Sure !!

 

[birdman]

Love it! Great piece of history and worth some $$$ to boot. Huge congrats!

 

[Mainedigger]

Awesome find!!! Congrats!!! Congrats on the banner as well, though there was NO question about that being a banner find!!!!

 

[FooserPaul]

Congradulations good sir! Always nice when you can make something off the list... and this is a biggie!

:-)

Paul

 

[pepperj]

Big congrat's on the banner and the great button,

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

thank you eveyonefor your banner votes. truly honored

 

[Treasure $ Trekkies]

George W. my favorite President of all time, wish we had people like him now days

 

[RelicRick]

Congrats and welcome to the Club!! Like Hogge said, these were sold in groups of four so keep pounding that site. I am only aware of two groups of four ever being found (Mountainman2 and mine). Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this. I've read they were first sold to Washington's Officers (Society of Cincinnati) and each one cost about six months wages at the time so they were revered even back then!

Awesome find, congrats on the banner! PM me if you need additional info...I have the books about them. Enjoy your find(s)!!

RelicRick aka Goalrush

 

[The Patriot]

yes definitely a dream find for sure... on any button collectors list! It looks to be in great shape too

congrats

 

[HEAVYMETALNUT]

Congrats and welcome to the Club!! Like Hogge said, these were sold in groups of four so keep pounding that site. I am only aware of two groups of four ever being found (Mountainman2 and mine). Someone please correct me if I am wrong on this. I've read they were first sold to Washington's Officers (Society of Cincinnati) and each one cost about six months wages at the time so they were revered even back then!

Awesome find, congrats on the banner! PM me if you need additional info...I have the books about them. Enjoy your find(s)!!

RelicRick aka Goalrush

thanks Rick!
so in 1789 someone paid 6 months of wages for one single button? or a group of 4?
and just curious what was the monetary amount equivelent to for 6 months of wages? $25? $50?
was always curious what a large cent bought in say the year 1801? a loaf of bread perhaps?

 

[mountainman 2]

Congrats on a outstanding find and with a nice straight shank! Welcome to the club and congrats on making the banner. You pick up one of those and have to wonder who carried it last. Whoever it was had to be of some importance and might have even met Washington. Possibly more out there waiting for you to uncover. Go find them!

 

[turtlefoot13]

Congrats on the well deserved banner!

Doug

 

[OldSowBreath]

I swear I see "123" under the GW.

Congratulations on the find of a lifetime!