First buttons, but how old?

[LandSeig]

These are my first buttons. I was wondering what kind and how old. They rang up a 78 on the ATPro. I put a nickel in the middle of them for size reference. Thanks

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Digger RJ]

These are my first buttons. I was wondering what kind and how old. They rang up a 78 on the ATPro. I put a nickel in the middle of them for size reference. ThanksView attachment 2018767View attachment 2018768

Nice!!! Congrats!!! Old Buttons!'

 

[LandSeig]

Here they are cleaned up. They measure at 1 1/8” and are very thin. No visible markings. I was on an old logging tram site with a dried up holding pond near my property. They were in the berm of the pond about 2’ from each other.
I have no idea about button ages or types, besides what I see others dig on videos.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

These are my first buttons. I was wondering what kind and how old. They rang up a 78 on the ATPro. I put a nickel in the middle of them for size reference. ThanksView attachment 2018767View attachment 2018768

Looks like 1820-1840 coat style flat buttons. No back marks and raised shank attachment. Congrats!

 

[LandSeig]

Looks like 1820-1840 coat style flat buttons. No back marks and raised shank attachment. Congrats!

Wow was not expecting that from that site!

 

[LandSeig]

It blows me away to get something that old from this area, I’m wondering how they got there. I know people have been moving back and forth around here for a long time but the earliest settlement is 1830ish so people were pretty sparse. I’m going back out there tomorrow and see what else comes from that spot.

 

[CRUSADER]

These ones where hard for me to make my mind up. The look & construction reminds me of 18th C Tombac buttons but the metal type looks wrong. Safe to say they are at least early 1800s.

 

[villagenut]

Good to remember that any artifact we find that has a particular production date.....pearlwares, coins, buttons,etc...does not mean it was lost during the production period. For instance extreme wear on an old coin indicates a later loss. In archaeological terms, it is called "time lag". So, if you found your button on a site from the 1860s along with other 1860s era finds, there was a lag in time between production end time and time of loss. Hope all of this makes sense....vn

 

[LandSeig]

Good to remember that any artifact we find that has a particular production date.....pearlwares, coins, buttons,etc...does not mean it was lost during the production period. For instance extreme wear on an old coin indicates a later loss. In archaeological terms, it is called "time lag". So, if you found your button on a site from the 1860s along with other 1860s era finds, there was a lag in time between production end time and time of loss. Hope all of this makes sense....vn

I was thinking the same thing. The site I’m working is old but it’s too commercial to be a really early operation. I’ve found short tram spikes, a 1’ cable, and a broken felling axe leading up to the shallow log pond. I’m thinking the logging site was late 1800s when timber logging was big here. That being said there could have been an older site there, the wet climate and lack of records make finding anything pre-civil war a complete guessing game.
I really appreciate all the input, y’all are being a huge help.

 

[LandSeig]

I forgot to mention, there is a bit of gold gilding showing through the patina on both of the buttons.
Is there a way to clean them a little better or should I leave them like they are?

 

[LandSeig]

I went back out today and searched it over, but I didn’t find anything nonferrous besides a clock cog. It is about 10” from an old fence and there is a lot of iron in the ground.

 

[CRUSADER]

I forgot to mention, there is a bit of gold gilding showing through the patina on both of the buttons.
Is there a way to clean them a little better or should I leave them like they are?

Ok that helps, they are early 1800s & all the plating has gone, no way to improve what isn't there.

 

[LandSeig]

Thank you to all who posted and for all the great info helping me with the dates and ID. Finding a flat button was on my bucket list, but I never expected to find them practically in my back yard. Thank you for all of the help, y’all are a wealth of information.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Great finds !
Ditto ... they look like 1800's Flat Buttons from here.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

These are my first buttons. I was wondering what kind and how old. They rang up a 78 on the ATPro. I put a nickel in the middle of them for size reference. ThanksView attachment 2018767View attachment 2018768

sweet buttons, wtg