button and ball

[jrwill56]

found this nickle sized flat button today it has only the word gilt on back, also found this lead ball. any idea?

 

[Alec(Iowa)]

I think...

That the ball is a .62 Cal ball for a baker rifle. Button says gilt because it is covered in a very thin gold leaf, most likely.

 

[jrwill56]

any idea how old the button?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Your 1-piece brass flatbutton (manufactured for use on civilian clothing) with the word "gilt" as the only backmark, being a dug-in-the-US one, dates from approximately 1810 into the 1830s.

Need very-precise size measurement of the ball (in hundredths-of-an-inch) to be able to tell you anything more about it.

 

[Bryanhashemi]

that ball could be a ww1 shrapnel ball. But not sure with that pinched off part

 

[kuger]

that ball could be a ww1 shrapnel ball. But not sure with that pinched off part

"pinched",part is the molding spru,common on all hand molded balls

 

[Bryanhashemi]

"pinched",part is the molding spru,common on all hand molded balls

Got it! I find a lot of ww1 shrapnel balls which are always very smooth around. Older musket balls are usually more rough and not so precise. I'm not familiar with the newer ones or how they were made. So the one posted could be newer?

 

[kuger]

Got it! I find a lot of ww1 shrapnel balls which are always very smooth around. Older musket balls are usually more rough and not so precise. I'm not familiar with the newer ones or how they were made. So the one posted could be newer?

.....mine from the mid 19 TH century are pretty dang precise?Seein how the molds have changed very little from the beginning of the 19 TH Cent. to now,I challenge you tell tell the difference by "Precision"

 

[Bryanhashemi]

What I mean is how smooth it is to the touch. I'm not saying I'm an expert or disagreeing with anyone but from what I've read and learned in the field is that older musket balls are more "grainy" or rough. Let's say civil war era and earlier.