Help identifying Downeast Maine find!

[Zablcrowe]

Good day all. I am new to the forum and have only been detecting for a few months. I was recently vacationing in a very uninhabited portion of DownEast Maine. Miles of pristine beaches with no recent human activity except for lobstering in the water. Near an old stone quarry on the coast I discovered what seems to be an old slide buckle type item. It also seems to have been plated in gold. It is EXTREMELY thin which makes me think it couldn?t be a slide buckle. Would bend way to easily. The find was made on the beach so this item has been exposed to seawater. Any help on identifying this item would be greatly appreciated. I am attaching photos with size for reference. I apologize if I screw this up being my first time!!!!

 

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[CreakyDigger]

Welcome to Treasure Net! Someone here will be able to answer you question. Incidently, I am heading to the Maine coast next week, Brooksville.

 

[Zablcrowe]

Thanks CreakyDigger! Hope you are getting some detecting done while there!

 

[ticndig]

2nd row , third example, suspender buckle.

 

[invent4hir]

Welcome to Tnet, and cool find I suspect what you think is gold plating might be where the oxidation has come off the brass. Rub your finger over the "gold" area. If you sense a slight depression I think that is the case. If you sense a slight raise then I think it is the remnants of plating. Let us know what you find.

 

[Mackaydon]

Z,
Welcome to treasurenet from SoCal now but from New Canaan CT. years ago.
Don.....

 

[Zablcrowe]

Thanks for the thoughts so far everyone as well as the warm welcome to the community! In regards to the question of the gold color being “on top or under” the oxidized areas, it is close, but when I rub my fingernail across it, it gets caught as I am going towards the color on top and is slightly raised which gave me the first impression that it was plated. Also, my first impression was some sort of slide/suspender buckle like Ticndig mentioned. The only thing that throws me off there is how extremely thin the item is. I understand there may be some slight “shrinkage” due to wear and the elements, but this buckle is just soooo thin. Also with the “plating” on top, I do not think it has worn down in size all that much, or there would be a greater difference in thickness throughout the piece. If this was a suspender buckle, my thought would be the first time you moved it, it would bend in half. A young child could bend this piece without any issue.

This response is in no way meant to disagree with anything anyone mentioned!!! I came here looking for help, so everything I can get is appreciated! I just wanted to write a bit more about it if that helps in any way to identify!! BTW, I DO think it is a suspender buckle myself, I just can’t get past the size of it. My scale says it is only 1.4g in total weight so very light.

 

[invent4hir]

Wonder if the thinness and/or bent shape are the result of the buckle being between or knocked up against rocks in the past? How far away is the rock quarry? Is the beach sand, rocky or a mix?