I found them in the bottom of a can of nails I bought today

[Spacetime]

I know the one with the dent is from the Civil War anybody know anything about the others.

 

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[vpnavy]

1st - Dang Spacetime - what a surprise!

2nd - I moved this request from Today's Finds! over to What Is It? for more exposure.

 

[ivan salis]

the ones with the sun looking device above the eagles are known as "the great seal" type and are post 1902 --- the second from left top row looks like civil war type ..the black rubberish looking button might be a vulcanized rubber civil war era sharp shooters type button -- rare if it is --the 3rd and 5th button bottom row might be civil war or indian war era ---all in all great finds...

the more "interesting buttons" to me seem to be the 2nd button from the left top row --the 3rd and 5th buttons from the left bottom row and the black rubber type button---the wording off the buttons back could help greatly in their IDing ..

 

[AlienLifeForm]

I need to start shopping at your hardware store!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

You've already recognized the civil war era "eagle button" located to the left of the black rubber US Navy button.

All of the others, with the possible exception of the tarnished brass US Navy button at 11 o'clock, are from the 20th Century.

The "Great Seal" buttons with no raised rim encircling the emblem are from 1902 to 1910. With rim means 1911 to present day.

The Navy buttons at center in the photo have what is called a "self-shank back" which dates from the early 1900s through today. I believe those two are not actual military-issue, but instead are civilian-usage "fashion" imitations of an actual US Navy button.

The black rubber US Navy button dates from 1941 to the present, because the eagle's head was changed to look to the eagle's right in that year, and hasn't changed since then.

We'll need a well-focused closeup photo of the back to be able to time-date the tarnished brass navy button.

 

[sprailroad]

Bottom from a can of nails? What? Wow.

 

[SweepNbeep]

Bottom from a can of nails? What? Wow.

My thoughts exactly. Incredible!

 

[Spacetime]

That's Kool thank you

 

[Spacetime]

I went to an estate sale of a machinist sometime in the last five years I think and bought a bunch old coffee cans fulla nails and hardware and I was combining a couple of cans and found them in the bottom of one of the cans when I dumped it they were in a little paper bag rolled up after looking online I I see that one of the armies in the Civil War made buttons with artillery Calvary Infantry and dragoonzz ?? A.C.I.D. got to get one Of Each for the Four buttons on my vest

 

[sutphin]

FINE GUTTA PERCHA FIND....

 

[paulb104]

FINE GUTTA PERCHA FIND....

Why do you think it's gutta-percha?

True gutta-percha is interesting stuff! The real stuff is actually tree sap. It's resin from a tree and was basically used as a natural thermoplastic by dentists in the 1800's.

Casein, plastic made from milk, is also as interesting. Different source, same end product. I've made this with my daughter.

 

[A2coins]

Welcome to tnet congrats way to go!!!

 

[Engineer in MD]

Nice find, nice buttons! Now save up your pennies and go get a metal detector. Then you will have an endless supply of goodies to post on here for all of us to gawk at.