Flat Button with Flat Pole

Metal Magnet · Jun 14, 2015

Flat Button with Flag Pole

Howdy folks.

I recently went back to a home that was built around 1817, at least the original structure. I have found buttons dating back to around that time.

I went back and was digging any repeatable signal in the front yard, near the road, and pulled out this flat button. I thought it was completely blank, until I came home. It is super thin and has what appears to be a flag pole on the front.

Can some button experts lend me a hand? Many thanks for any help!

sutphin · Jun 15, 2015

I AM NOT AN EXPERT BUT I DID STAY AT A HOLIDAY EXPRESS,BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHAT YOU GOT THERE IS IT COPPER AND HAS A POLE ON IT HMMM, OKAY FELLAS ON THIS SITE LOOKING FOR SOME HELP HERE FOR A TNETER. HANG ON METAL MAGNET IM CERTAIN SOMEONE ON HERE WILL CHIME IN SHORTLY. HOPE YOU FIND AN ANSWER.............VANZUTPHEN

TomPA · Jun 15, 2015

Instead of a button, could it be a badge/pin, and what we are seeing in the remaining mark of the attachment pin instead of a flag pole?

DCMatt · Jun 15, 2015

Does it have a shank or attachment point for one? Or, as TomPA implied, are you 100% sure it is a button?

Your pic isn't quite good enough to see detail on the disk. I'd like to see the other side as well.

DCMatt

Metal Magnet · Jun 15, 2015

Thanks for the replies - good thoughts. I forgot to snap a shot of the back. I'll get that later. To me, it indicates the typical shank. I'll try to get a better shot of the front. I took the picture that way so you could see the symbol - it's hard to see.

bonepicker · Jun 15, 2015

Not sure what it is from the photo you have included. Rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise it almost looks like a cannon, but I don't think I have ever seen a cannon button quite like that, but im no expert.
Whatever it is, it looks really dry. You may want to try a mineral oil soak. Sometimes the oil will bring out details.
I would suggest going to the cleaning and preservation section of this forum and reading some before you do anything.

Metal Magnet · Jun 15, 2015

bonepicker said:
Not sure what it is from the photo you have included. Rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise it almost looks like a cannon, but I don't think I have ever seen a cannon button quite like that, but im no expert.
Whatever it is, it looks really dry. You may want to try a mineral oil soak. Sometimes the oil will bring out details.
I would suggest going to the cleaning and preservation section of this forum and reading some before you do anything.

good thoughts bonepicker, thanks for that. you are right on the dryness, i'll try that tonight and get pics and post. the cannon idea is one i hadn't considered. there seems to be something to the other side of the line too, but it's very light.