First Post - First Button!!

[SCMDing]

Hello Everyone!!

This is my first post on TreasureNet and I am glad to be here!

I have always wanted to spend more time metal detecting, but, as all of you know, life can get a hold of you! Well, my wife, knowing that I have been wanting to get back into MD'ing (yea, my last detector was a radio shack special), bought me a White's this year for x-mas. I was THRILLED!! (mostly because it was a ticket to go MDing)

So, I was traveling since x-mas and I was/am sick BUT it was killing me to have not even used the thing yet. So yesterday, I went out in my back yard just to test it out. I found about 15 more modern coins and some other stuff. It got my blood pumping! So today, I was miserable and sick but I said screw it and went back outside again.

I decided to go into the woods a little, I have about 4 acres, and I ended up finding my first button!! Well, I know absolutely NOTHING about buttons but I love it!!

This is a multi-purpose post for me:

1) I need get some advice on how to clean it. It is basically how it came out of the ground, just ran some water to get the loose dirt off. I figured all of you folks would know best (even though I found some links online about this)

2) Maybe some help on trying to identify the button. I followed a link from another post and I think it may be one of the SC buttons they have listed. In any case, this one will not be sold, it is my first

Here are the pics, any feedback is greatly appreciated. I plan on spending a good amount of time here now.

 

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[SouthCarolinaTeacher]

SCMDer,

NICE FIND! That is a South Carolina Civil War Button.

On the back of buttons are called "Backmarks". These are KEY to finding the exact date and variant of each uniform button. One book you should invest in is called, "Uniform Buttons of the United States 1776-1865", author is Warren K. Tice. Very helpful resource in identifying buttons like you have.

I would not clean this particular button with a brush. Some buttons have what is called a "Gilt" which is similar to plating. Most of the time, it's a Gold Gilt behind the encrusted dirt and when people clean them with the softest of brushes, it will remove the precious gilt too. I would run some hot tap water into a cup along with a dash of dish washing liquid and let it soak for about 15 minutes. While it's soaking, gently swish it around in the cup a few times to loosen up the dirt. Pull it out after about 15 minutes and rinse off. Let air dry.

Once you have done that, see if you can read the backmark and then we can accurately ID it for you!

Once again, NICE FIND!

Ian

 

[Dharmacy]

South Carolina state seal, can you read the backmark? Could be civil war or later, depending on backmark. I would just dry brush it gently to remove the loose dirt. Clean it up and get the backmark, you might have a confederate state button there. That would be a nice start for sure!!

D.

 

[SouthCarolinaTeacher]

Oh yeah,

Which part of S.C. are ya from? What White's machine are you swinging?

I'm in Columbia and swinging an XLT.

Ian

 

[SCMDing]

Thank you all for the quick responses! I am so thrilled to know that if I cannot find any local sites in the near future, I have plenty of land here to comb over! I just recently moved to South Carolina from CT so I still have plenty to learn about the area.

I am swinging the Prizm IV, I would have bought myself the XLT but I am definitely not going to complain I have 3 boys who I am sure I will need to hand down too! Again, I can't complain.

Almost done with the 15 min hot water soak idea, will see if I can identify anything else. If not, I may need to gently try and get some of the dirt off the back.

 

[SouthCarolinaTeacher]

I'll admit, I did use some soft bristle brushes on my buttons

Just BE CAREFUL!

Ian

 

[SCMDing]

Well, it looks like soaking really did not clean it up much more.

It just looks like there is a lot of detail that is just under a thin layer of "stuff"

Having collected coins most of my life, I think I will just wait to do anything else to this button, I do not want to damage it. Maybe once I get more comfortable with cleaning them, I can come back to this one.

Thanks again.

 

[SCMDing]

One last question (well, probably not)

I understand the potential randomness with finding coins, etc, but I also understand that there are potential better targets. When you find a button, do you typically work that area a lot more or are buttons often found alone? I have also seen people working actual sites where they dig these massive holes!

Anyway, was just curious about that.

 

[SouthCarolinaTeacher]

I would definitely work that site to death. Dig anything that isn't Iron. Yeah, you may dig some foil, but some buttons fall into that range. Usually, if you find a button, you should find some Bullets, more Buttons, and possibly a buckle.

With the big pits that you see people dig, they are digging down to a Hut Floor. Say you find a campsite and you probe down with a long rod and find the hardpacked floor or bricks from the firepit. You can dig down a few feet (because the huts were built into the ground) and search the hut floor for ALL KINDS of relics. I haven't done it yet, but I can't wait to try it out.

Ian

 

[Jason in TN]

I clean mine with dish detergent warm water and a SOFT tooth brush. Just go slow. To me a dirty button is just like a dirty coin ULGY. I do not sell the good coins and buttons I find usually. so I clean them.

 

[lonewolfe]

Nice find!

HH

 

[SoMdRelicHunter]

One book you should invest in is called, "Uniform Buttons of the United States 1776-1865", author is Warren K. Tice. Very helpful resource in identifying buttons like you have.

SCTEACH- You got it buddy!That is one hell of a book.I use that one in conjunction with alberts book.If You have a us military button that you cant find between the two books, you wont find it.

 

[SCMDing]

Just thought I would post a quick update. I did round one of cleaning, I think it is coming along well, but what do I know! Have not been able to hunt much at all but hope to search for some more goodies in the near future. At least I think we can identify it clearly at this point.

May not be able to see it in the scan, but it says "HORSTMANN BRO & ALLIENN N.Y." on the back.

 

[trk5capt]

Welcome To The Forum, Very Nice Find, Congrats. trk5capt

 

[brnn53]

Thats a great 1st find! Looks like it cleaned up real nice. I've yet to find a state button but have found 8 eagles here on the farm. WTG!!
Mike

 

[Elvis]

Great find for your first. Congrats

 

[Montana Jim]

1852 - 1877 are the probebly dates of manufacture.