Metal Detecting Hooked Me Into Button Collecting

Eastender

Sr. Member
Mar 30, 2020
419
2,768
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
When I started metal detecting a couple of years ago I was blessed with a beautiful George Washington Inaugural Button. I didn't even know what it was but ironically set a GW quarter next to it for scale. Fellow TNet Members told me what it was. (pic attached)

I then foolishly sold it and used the money to buy a Nox 800 while retiring my White's Spectra V3i. I assumed I would find another GW. Still have that feeling. But finding the GW gave me the gift of button collecting. I have now purchased nearly 400 collectible buttons in the past year, mostly trains and trolleys from 1870 - 1920. Many quite valuable and some NOS. I have a sizeable collection of colonial buttons (many shown here in a case) which I have found detecting locally. So metal detecting and the GW specifically gifted me a wonderful hobby. Plus I found detecting two gilt NYC mercantile buttons from 1820-30, one of them previously unknown, which I gave to author writing a book on Mercantile buttons. These stores were most likely fitting and supplying whaling ships in a nearby port town.

It makes sense for a Metal Detectorist to love small metallic objects. I won't bore people sharing images of my collections here. But I will share an image of a beauty I just scored: a 1855-1860 NY & Erie Railroad with a depiction of the vaunted 4-4-0 locomotive. It means a lot to me because the Erie ran through my childhood home in rural upstate NY. Pre-Civil War train buttons are the gold standard for this type and only a few examples of this one are known to exist.
 

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fyrffytr1

Gold Member
Mar 5, 2010
7,466
11,752
Southwest Georgia
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, White's DFX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I like finding buttons more than anything else. I also have a decent collection of dug, inherited and bought buttons. Most have been dug and I inherited some from my brother. I have purchased about thirty but , with the exception of one CS staff I have not paid over $20-$25 including shipping for any one button. My main interest is early military and great seal buttons.
 

Trezurehunter

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
17,860
21,408
Illinois / Oklahoma
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
8
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - Fisher CZ 5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I can see your passion with collecting buttons. They are one of the top relics that I enjoy digging. Just love to see one come to the surface, and it looks like you have found some real nice ones. Keep that collection growing.
 

birdman

Gold Member
Jan 28, 2005
7,458
2,393
Choctaw Beach Florida
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800 and ORX, tesoro Cibola with garret,whites and minelab pinpointers
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Yes buttons especially military are my faverit. I just purchased part of my elderly friends collection of over 100 buttons including three early rail road buttons. Love em!
A G.W would be amazing.
 

birdman

Gold Member
Jan 28, 2005
7,458
2,393
Choctaw Beach Florida
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Equinox 800 and ORX, tesoro Cibola with garret,whites and minelab pinpointers
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
When I started metal detecting a couple of years ago I was blessed with a beautiful George Washington Inaugural Button. I didn't even know what it was but ironically set a GW quarter next to it for scale. Fellow TNet Members told me what it was. (pic attached)

I then foolishly sold it and used the money to buy a Nox 800 while retiring my White's Spectra V3i. I assumed I would find another GW. Still have that feeling. But finding the GW gave me the gift of button collecting. I have now purchased nearly 400 collectible buttons in the past year, mostly trains and trolleys from 1870 - 1920. Many quite valuable and some NOS. I have a sizeable collection of colonial buttons (many shown here in a case) which I have found detecting locally. So metal detecting and the GW specifically gifted me a wonderful hobby. Plus I found detecting two gilt NYC mercantile buttons from 1820-30, one of them previously unknown, which I gave to author writing a book on Mercantile buttons. These stores were most likely fitting and supplying whaling ships in a nearby port town.

It makes sense for a Metal Detectorist to love small metallic objects. I won't bore people sharing images of my collections here. But I will share an image of a beauty I just scored: a 1855-1860 NY & Erie Railroad with a depiction of the vaunted 4-4-0 locomotive. It means a lot to me because the Erie ran through my childhood home in rural upstate NY. Pre-Civil War train buttons are the gold standard for this type and only a few examples of this one are known to exist.

These make great displays
 

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