Mr. Magoo
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From the ground a man from North Carolina stood looking up at the balcony. He had traveled a great distance to see someone this day. On his chest was a button he had purchased to show support for the man he came to see. It was a bright and glorious day and in his chest was the beating of his heart to a patriotic beat. The man he came to see was the new President. As the crowd grew quiet he saw who he came to see step to the balcony. He was tall and was dressed in a brown suit wearing silver shoe buckles and diamond knee buckles and a beautiful sword. It was President elect George Washington, truly a man above men. He had captivated the attention of the infant country by his heroic leadership in the American Revolution. As the day passed, the man started home to North Carolina. Back to his farm and his life, only this time with a feeling that good times were soon coming. Back at his farm, he removed the patriotic button from his chest and placed it in a keepsake box beside his bed, often times taking it out looking at it to encourage him through the hardships that would come. The ovals around the half-dollar sized brass button told him of the union of many people in various states that supported the countries new cause. The statement “Long Live The President” denoted the cry for long life to a wise and loved man and the scripted GW in his own script signified his personalized vow to lead a struggling country into freedom of tyranny.
Two hundred and twenty years later I walked the ground of the location where this man lived and worked. How it got to this place is unknown. Swinging my detector with a friend we were unaware of the historical encounter we would have this day. For three days we dug many items that took us back to the 18th century and early 19th century. Finding many flat, one-piece buttons, a 1813 Peruvian reale, Georgian period clock winding key as well as musket balls and square nails, we knew we were close to a find of a lifetime. As the targets grew fewer and fewer and the ground grew quiet, I decided to hunt more slowly and to hunt the fringes of the location. Receiving a broken sound registering five inches on my trusty Spectrum XLT, I eagerly dug into the hard, red earth. Rolling the big plug of earth, I looked for what my target had detected. Then there it was covered in dirt-a large half-dollar shaped object. Picking it up, I called my friend over to witness the find. Looking at it, we agreed that it appeared to be a dandy button from the 18th century.
Dandy buttons were large, over-sized buttons worn by affluent people of their time to denote wealth and status. It fit with the other items that had been found on the site. Thinking nothing more of it, the button was put it into my pocket with the other items found that day.
As I continued hunting and the sun beat down on me, I decided to take shelter in the shade and get a cool drink of water. While resting, I pulled the button from my pouch and splashed water on it to see if there was any other detail that may be present. Immediately there was great detail around the rim and I recognized the pattern to be a possible George Washington Inaugural button of the linked states variety. My heart was racing as I yelled to my buddy to look. I was shaking at the possible historical significance of this item. I couldn’t hunt anymore though I tried. My mind kept coming back to the button- that glorious button and the day that it marked- 4 March 1789. Finally I made the three hour drive home and getting inside I ran water over the button and gently loosened the dirt that still covered the button. I then compared it to my reference guide. It was indeed a linked states variety George Washington Inaugural button c. 1789 with only 55 known to exist. What a find! I later found out it was seen in the movie “National Treasure” with Nicholas Cage. The chances of finding this type of historical iconary are rare and I had found it that day! As I held it in my shaking hands I uttered the same words that were shouted as the man stood at the balcony on that day- “Long Live The President!”
Two hundred and twenty years later I walked the ground of the location where this man lived and worked. How it got to this place is unknown. Swinging my detector with a friend we were unaware of the historical encounter we would have this day. For three days we dug many items that took us back to the 18th century and early 19th century. Finding many flat, one-piece buttons, a 1813 Peruvian reale, Georgian period clock winding key as well as musket balls and square nails, we knew we were close to a find of a lifetime. As the targets grew fewer and fewer and the ground grew quiet, I decided to hunt more slowly and to hunt the fringes of the location. Receiving a broken sound registering five inches on my trusty Spectrum XLT, I eagerly dug into the hard, red earth. Rolling the big plug of earth, I looked for what my target had detected. Then there it was covered in dirt-a large half-dollar shaped object. Picking it up, I called my friend over to witness the find. Looking at it, we agreed that it appeared to be a dandy button from the 18th century.
Dandy buttons were large, over-sized buttons worn by affluent people of their time to denote wealth and status. It fit with the other items that had been found on the site. Thinking nothing more of it, the button was put it into my pocket with the other items found that day.
As I continued hunting and the sun beat down on me, I decided to take shelter in the shade and get a cool drink of water. While resting, I pulled the button from my pouch and splashed water on it to see if there was any other detail that may be present. Immediately there was great detail around the rim and I recognized the pattern to be a possible George Washington Inaugural button of the linked states variety. My heart was racing as I yelled to my buddy to look. I was shaking at the possible historical significance of this item. I couldn’t hunt anymore though I tried. My mind kept coming back to the button- that glorious button and the day that it marked- 4 March 1789. Finally I made the three hour drive home and getting inside I ran water over the button and gently loosened the dirt that still covered the button. I then compared it to my reference guide. It was indeed a linked states variety George Washington Inaugural button c. 1789 with only 55 known to exist. What a find! I later found out it was seen in the movie “National Treasure” with Nicholas Cage. The chances of finding this type of historical iconary are rare and I had found it that day! As I held it in my shaking hands I uttered the same words that were shouted as the man stood at the balcony on that day- “Long Live The President!”
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