Help with this letter Pin

[D Merc]

My father found this letter at an old cellar hole... Could it be military insignia? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

 

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[DCMatt]

It looks too heavy for a uniform item or hat badge. The fastener looks like it would be nailed into wood.

DCMatt

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Sorry to have to say, it is definitely not a Military insignia. I've seen various specimens of those large (1.5-to-2-inches tall) solid-cast brass letters, having 1/2"-long thin pin/spike on the back, for attachment to whatever they were mounted on. As DC Matt mentioned, the pin/spike may have been for nailing into wood ...or for attaching to thick leather. Somebody told me they've been found on very-old telegraph/telephone poles, and somebody else recently suggested here in the What-Is-It forum that these large solid-cast brass letters were from antique horse-harness leather.

 

[D Merc]

Cannonballguy the horse harness leather idea does make sense, I have found several bells that would have went on a horse harness at this particular cellar hole. Thanks