🥇 BANNER FIND OF A LIFETIME- South Carolina CONTINENTAL Dragoons

Patriot Relics

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Hey guys,

While this hobby certainly has its highs and lows, perseverance always seems to pay off. A little over a year ago I got my first Safari and like most my initial finds began modest (lots of iron nails and aluminum pull tabs). Then after months swinging the machine something amazing happened- I found my first British pewter buttons from the Revolutionary War. Matching 3rd and 19th Regiment of Foot pewter buttons. My research proved that the British had landed at the site and with Gheenoe's recent discovery of a 23rd Regiment of Foot button, we can confirm occupation by the 3rd, 19th, and 23rd...tasked with capturing Francis Marion, the famed "Swamp Fox". While the British were unsuccessful in Marion's capture, the British ambush did result in the capture of 67 Continentals.

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From this point forward I was hooked on detecting and the history of the Revolutionary War. Tons of research later, multiple remote explorations with Gheenoe78, and a new CTX 3030 proved to make the difference today. My find of a lifetime- an ultra-rare SOUTH CAROLINA DRAGOONS pewter coat button! Given that the site was exclusively occupied by the British, it is possible that this button may have belonged to a continental POW! I also managed an unknown pewter cuff that I suspect to be British. Props to Vino for some excellent programming advice and Gheenoe78 for the ID. I will certainly remember this day for a long while!

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Thanks for looking

UPDATE: Given the provenance of the site as a British staging camp, Troiani's updated classification as a loyalist button, and Robert Silverstein's research on the SC light mounted cavalry, it appears the button MAY in fact be attributed to the SC Loyalists. In the interest of full disclosure, significant mystery still surrounds this particular pewter, and ones like it, however I have yet to see another example with a flag aft of the rider. Still my favorite and most rare find to date! Here's a link to learn more from Silverstein's research http://www.georgewashingtoninauguralbuttons.com/1776-1783american-torybritish-crown-loyalist/ For Don Troiani's take, reference the "Loyalist" section in his book Insignia of Independence.
 

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Iron Patch

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Nice Dig IP, more crude than the British variants as you mentioned but certainly the right period.


The site was early 1800s, but we did find some older coppers closer to the water. Lots of Loyalist in the area but I never knew what to make of this find and still don't today. I must have been pretty bad at taking pics back in the day because when I'd post it, or show people, they couldn't see what I was seeing... so at least I'm one step ahead now. :laughing7:
 

SC Keith

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VMIairpwr,
I would like to congratulate you on your exciting find. Your post really let me relive my dragoon button find from the Charleston area that I made in 2009. Since the discussion has evolved to show other dragoon material I hope these pics can also enlighten the dragoon fans.
Best,
Keith
--- button is attributed to the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons and is in Troiani's latest book. Cld1.jpg CLD back.jpg
 

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Patriot Relics

Patriot Relics

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VMIairpwr,
I would like to congratulate you on your exciting find. Your post really let me relive my dragoon button find from the Charleston area that I made in 2009. Since the discussion has evolved to show other dragoon material I hope these pics can also enlighten the dragoon fans.
Best,
Keith
--- button is attributed to the 3rd Continental Light Dragoons and is in Troiani's latest book. View attachment 1185075 View attachment 1185076

Killer button Keith, great to see another dragoon pewter on the thread. That one is pretty high on any SC diggers list.
 

Palmetto

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Killer button Keith, great to see another dragoon pewter on the thread. That one is pretty high on any SC diggers list.

Ah-I had forgotten who had dug that other Dragoon pewter as I was trying to remember and Keith finally responded. Great thread and filled with plenty of useful info-The PN button in your original picture could offer some insight if more were known about those. I believe only found in early SC sites and I believe are military. I think the Spanish theory may have been discounted by now but who knows.
Here are few recents from this spring-
Congrats on the button and hope to see more from that site.
 

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Patriot Relics

Patriot Relics

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Ah-I had forgotten who had dug that other Dragoon pewter as I was trying to remember and Keith finally responded. Great thread and filled with plenty of useful info-The PN button in your original picture could offer some insight if more were known about those. I believe only found in early SC sites and I believe are military. I think the Spanish theory may have been discounted by now but who knows.
Here are few recents from this spring-
Congrats on the button and hope to see more from that site.

Hey Palmetto,

I have been able to confirm that these PN buttons have been dug in SC, GA, and FL. Based on construction, I also believe they are Revolutionary War period, however no one has been able to link them to any military units. Always wondered why the marker would put a benchmark on the reverse of a scissor mold...
 

Palmetto

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Hey Palmetto,

I have been able to confirm that these PN buttons have been dug in SC, GA, and FL. Based on construction, I also believe they are Revolutionary War period, however no one has been able to link them to any military units. Always wondered why the marker would put a benchmark on the reverse of a scissor mold...


Good to know about other locations dug and that may lend to the Spanish theory(?) Another gentleman from SC and pretty knowledgeable had done some research and indicated the PN was based on its mfg origin.
 

Vino

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Awsome!!!!!! Great to see that finally made it up there!!
Well deserved.
Big Congrats on your first of many BANNERS JON..
ps. Good job Jeff, my faith has been restored!!!
 

Darby

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Congrats on the well deserved banner! Y'all are digging some killer finds. Keep it up! Congrats again
 

ANTIQUARIAN

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Congratulations on your SC pewter button find Jon! :occasion14:

You gotta love the amount of different opinions & discussion finding this button in SC raises! :thumbsup:

Dave
 

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Patriot Relics

Patriot Relics

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Congratulations on your SC pewter button find Jon! :occasion14:

You gotta love the amount of different opinions & discussion finding this button in SC raises! :thumbsup:

Dave

Thanks Dave, that's what makes relic hunting so enjoyable, it's as much about the research as it is the dig. Cheers, Jon
 

Don in SJ

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Good to know about other locations dug and that may lend to the Spanish theory(?) Another gentleman from SC and pretty knowledgeable had done some research and indicated the PN was based on its mfg origin.
I remember previous discussions years back on buttons found with raised initials on the back and I went thru Tice's Dating Buttons book and found a few examples with just two letters on the back and all of them seem to have been ID'd by Mr Tice as Spanish origin and era 1790-1820. But I will keep my eyes open for any literature that has other IDs.
 

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Patriot Relics

Patriot Relics

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I remember previous discussions years back on buttons found with raised initials on the back and I went thru Tice's Dating Buttons book and found a few examples with just two letters on the back and all of them seem to have been ID'd by Mr Tice as Spanish origin and era 1790-1820. But I will keep my eyes open for any literature that has other IDs.

I wonder if Tice is still sticking with his original assessment as Spanish colonial. These PN, scissor mold cast, pewters are significantly thinner than known 18th century spanish examples that I have seen online. Please let us know if you find any new information Don.
 

BigWaveDave

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Late to the party, been away for a bit... great to see your incredible find on the banner.. congrats!!!
 

HomeGuardDan

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Congrats on a killer find man! I have been working a rev war site too and those damn britts did not lose their regimental buttons...just pewters thus far with a few regimental and they were broken.
 

hamiddetecting

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ArDirtSlinger

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Thats incredible!! Congrats!!
 

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Patriot Relics

Patriot Relics

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Congrats on a killer find man! I have been working a rev war site too and those damn britts did not lose their regimental buttons...just pewters thus far with a few regimental and they were broken.

Thanks Dan,

Yes these Rev War pewters, on both sides, are harder and harder to come by. Good luck on your site and congrats on the regimental partials!
 

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