Need help!! Unidentified eagle, possibly military hatpin?

[vthepresident]

Hunted a home in Virginia dating to the late 1700s. The owner's family have lived there since 1830, and there was a Confederate surgeon officer who lived there and is buried on site. I found a Southern Cross of Honor that belonged to him. See "Today's Finds"

I found this eagle pin thing right next to their front porch at about five inches. I had previously found an 1817 large cent about three feet away at four inches. The eagle's head and wing tips are bent backwards. When I was cleaning the dirt off of the back, I saw a large crack that eventually led to a headless eagle.

Notice the loop of metal on the side and the three shanks on the back. There is one shank on the back of the eagle's head.

What the heck is this thing?

 

[vthepresident]

Oops, meant to post this in what is it?

 

[vthepresident]

Moderators, can you please move this thread to What is it?

 

[gxray]

I believe you may have a Jefferson Davis hat badge. Also known as a Hardee hat badge. Looks like the bottom portion is missing also . Nice find ,,,I've only found 2 of them in over 25 yrs.

 

[gxray]

here is a link to a pic of one http://www.cwrelics.com/mse/mse041.jpg

 

[vayank54]

Wild I don't know on this one. The attachments don't look right to be a hatpin I don't think The one hook looks more like a buckle or sling hook of some kind. I hope someone can ID this. It's not a Jeff davis hatpiece. A Jeff Davis has rays and above the eagle and this one has cross cannons below the eagle while a JD doesn't. I'm attaching a pic of a JD hatpiece I recently dug

 

[vayank54]

Mine doesn't have the hooks but you can see the difference in the hooks in the link that gxray posted The hooks on yours look heavier than the hooks on hatpieces.

 

[gxray]

yes , i just noticed the cross cannons just before you posted , Vanyank...it is probably not a JD hat piece but some other artillary related variety

 

[vthepresident]

It has some similarities to the Jefferson Davis pin, but I am sure thats not it, too. It is about the same size as another hat pin that I have from a military school. I am sure someone will ID it soon.

Thanks,
V

 

[allen]

that is one interesting relic !
keep us posted when its id' !!