I dug one of these buttons just the other day (Saturday 1-7-06) in the front yard of a house built in 1890 in Colorado Springs.
My research on-line gives the following:
These buttons were worn by Hessian soldiers used as mercenaries by the British during the Revolutionary War. Modern reproductions exist.
From
http://www.virrob.home.dixie-net.com/whatisit.html :
From an article in Western & Eastern Treasures magazine, February 1996,
"Once again we hit paydirt. I retrieved a button made of brass, the face of the button bore the image of a three legged eagle and around the rim were the words Es Devs Spes Nostra. Having as a friend a priest who speaks Latin really helped. He later told me that the words in English meant " God Is Our Hope." Further research reveled that the eagle is a Teutonic eagle. The button may have come of a Hessian soldier, mercenaries used by the British during the Revolutionary War. However, modern "blazer buttons of this type are often found"
From
http://www.nevadasurveyor.com/button.htm :
"Investigators looking into the discovery of human skeletal remains in rural Tillamook County last week hope that buttons found in the area will help lead to an identification of the individual.
On October 20, 2004, an elk hunter reported the discovery to law enforcement authorities. The unidentified partial skeletal remains were located in a wooded area off Highway 26 near milepost 30.5 near Section 10 Road. A search of the area with the assistance of Oregon State Police Crime Lab personnel and 38 recruit officers from the State Police Recruit School located the remains, including the skull and lower jaw with teeth present. This should allow investigators to compare dental records in their attempt to confirm the identity.
On the front of the found buttons is the image of a 3-legged eagle surrounded around the rim with the words "ES DEVS SPES NOSTRA". Research reveals the origin is Latin and means, "GOD IS OUR HOPE". The buttons may be a reproduction / remake of buttons worn by Hessian soldiers during the Revolutionary War."
An identical button is currently for sale on eBay with no takers at 99?.
http://cgi.ebay.com/METAL-BUTTON-DE...ryZ41195QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I seriously doubt many Hessian soldiers made it to Colorado after the Revolutionary War and Colorado Springs was not founded until almost 100 years later (1872) so I suspect my button is a reproduction. It is still a cool and very attractive find.
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