Anyone know what this is???

[brandyg]

I placed a quarter beside it to show the size of the front and back. Anyone know what it could be?

 

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[Vermont treasure hunter]

Pics??

 

[brandyg]

Sorry was trying to figure out how to upload them lol

 

[smokeythecat]

It's a 20th century US great seal badge. Used a lot of headgear.

 

[brandyg]

Oh nice! Thank you so much!

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[vpnavy]

1st - I noticed this was your very first post - so, Welcome Aboard brandyg! You didn't list your state (or country) in your profile. So, you might consider jumping over to Sub-Forum: Select Your Area.... for information (i.e., clubs, hunts, finds, legends, maps, etc.) directly related to your state (or country).

2nd - I moved ya from TODAY'S FINDS! over to WHAT IS IT? for more exposure.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Very nice find Brandy, welcome to the Tnet forums.
Dave

 

[brandyg]

Oh thank you all! I’m sorry I’m in Plaquemine, Louisiana. We were on the levee on the Mississippi River and found it. Just having a hard time pin pointing the time period etc. but it’s a nice piece for sure !

 

[ARC]

U.S. Army Enlisted hat badge.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Brandyg, the hat-badge's finder, wrote:
> Just having a hard time pin pointing the time period.

AARC's identification of your find is correct. The US Army first adopted the "Great Seal of the United States" for use on its uniform buttons and hat-badges in 1902... it is still being used on buttons and headgear today. That being said, the US Army was at its largest size during World and One and WW2, so your Great Seal hat-badge is statistically most likely from either the WW1 or WW2 era. Could be from later, but the odds favor it having been made when the army had by far the largest number of men in it, in all its history.

If you are now wondering how it came to be lost on a Mississippi River levee... during those wars, the US Army did massive troop-training exercises in "undeveloped" rural areas. You probably wouldn't believe the odd locations we civil war relic-diggers find WW1 and WW2 US Army insignia (and other equipment) here in Central Virginia... especially, along the banks of the James River -- which kinda corresponds to your hat-badge's Mississippi River levee location.

 

[brandyg]

This is great information thank you all so much! Most of my family is Army , Green Berets. They agree as well. I’ll figure out a way to get it cleaned up and a nice case for it and I’ll post pics once it’s done. Thank you all so much for your help!

 

[Retired Sarge]

Can't tell you why or how, but it seems we, meaning GIs, tend to lose stuff off our uniforms constantly. It got to the point that everytime I walked by a mirror I would check to make sure my uniform was order and nothing was MIA.

If you're wearing utilities no issue, but as soon as you put the dress uniform on, things happen......