George Washington mourning button

BenVa68 · Nov 10, 2019

I dug this today at one of my permissions. I was told its a George Washington mourning button. Im not familiar with them but from the research ive done they seem to be a rare find.

1KBlueTuber · Nov 10, 2019

Great Find! There’s been a lot of discussion about those buttons as to pertaining to the death of GW. I do believe it is a mourning button and have seen quite a few varieties. My buddy dug half a cuff link last month with the same motif as your button. Congrats

thrifty76now · Nov 10, 2019

That button is simply awesome

jewelerguy · Nov 10, 2019

awesome

JeffInMass · Nov 10, 2019

What an incredible button- big time congrats!

Truth · Nov 10, 2019

That’s amazing didn’t know they had that. Awesome find something to be very proud off.

Digger RJ · Nov 10, 2019

No!!! Congrats!!!

CRUSADER · Nov 11, 2019

If only the stories were true.
Lemon juice on the front of that one will clean it up well.

There is a very good chance this pre-dates his death by many years. That classical Urn shape is a popular one (many varieties), mostly due to the influence of the 18th C Grand Tour. Although I'm sure some were for Mourning, many were just fashionable & showed you were Cultured/well travelled.(understood Ancient Roman/Greece)

PS. Tough to date precisely.

RVRoamer76 · Nov 11, 2019

That is one really nice button. You have a great piece of history for your collection. Enjoy!

cheffer · Nov 11, 2019

Sweet button, eager to find out more. Congratulations

xcopperstax · Nov 11, 2019

That's a really nice button! If you go to any old cemetery on the east coast you will probably see some headstones with imagery like this on them.

Rookster · Nov 11, 2019

Congratulations. Super find. :icon_thumright:

BenVa68 · Nov 11, 2019

I have not been able to find an exact match online. I see some with similar designs dating to 1799 but no silver ones like mine. The site I dug it at has a lot of history. It was one of the first Colonial settlements and played an important role in the Civil War. Id like to hunt it every weekend but this is one of those permissions where I feel like I could lose it at any time. Although they gave me permission the property owners are still a little funny about me being there so I don't want to push my luck. I also dug half a cannonball, some 3 ringers,a musket ball and an old blade of some sort the same day as the button.

digging440yrs · Nov 11, 2019

washingtonian · Nov 11, 2019

Way to go on a cool find! I hope you're able to find out some more about it.

RelicMaster777 · Nov 11, 2019

great find, you don't see those often.Great save. Congrats

BLK HOLE · Nov 11, 2019

What an awesome button! Congrats :icon_thumleft:

BenVa68 · Nov 11, 2019

washingtonian said:
Way to go on a cool find! I hope you're able to find out some more about it.

Thanks. Me too. From what i have seen so far it is a rare button.

CRUSADER · Nov 11, 2019

BenVa68 said:
Thanks. Me too. From what i have seen so far it is a rare button.

Yeap, that is what makes it rare it's a medium sized Button & most of these classical urns/vessels designs are on cuff-links. I pictured up a few of the various designs for you to looks at. (there are many more)