.... I think it’s a date nail.... 1927 and the letters are short for “ central telephone company” or something like.
They were placed in poles and ties to keep track of there age..
looks like maybe International Creosote And Construction Company IC Nails have many variations. From 1922 to 1927 the nails are copper Indent. and from 1928 to 1942 the nails are all steel raised. An exception is the IC27 Cast Iron. There is also a 1926 Cast Iron, believed to be a factory sample. The 1922 and 1923 are Target Dates with several variations and/or sizes.The 1922 and 1923 nails come only in the "Target" Variety. The 1924 comes in Target, PotBelly and the Tall (or Thin) Variation. If you look at the Target Dates closely, you will notice the Target is actually the Initials of the Company. The nail when turned sideways shows the Initials for "International Creosote Co." or "I C Co" The 1924 has the most variations with the Target, Potbelly and the "Thin" Variety. The 1925, 26, 27 are all of the Thin Variety, with minor variations usually being a Heavy or Light "Strike". The Steel nails have many variations but are all raised. IC Nails can be found in poles and Ties. International Creosote had 3 plants in Texas, one each in Texarkana, Beaumont and Galveston.
....good info Jeff. There was a tie plant at Laramie wyo. Diverted the little Laramie and soaked with creosote. I don’t know name but they say the heavy metal that are in the lake Mac. now came from than...