New Member, long time lurker - unusual copper coin/button/disk find ID Help

[Jaichim24]

So, long time lurker (mostly from work, shh) first time poster here. Thanks all for many hours of enjoyment, you may not know me, but I feel like I know many of you.

I really felt the need to get pictures of this item out there because I am really curious as to what it is. I found it at a house that dates back to the 1850's, but it was in a field by the main road, perhaps 20 yards away, so the land is older and I found many flat buttons, tombacs, colonial items etc at this site.

I've been staring at it so long my eyes are going crazy. It's the diameter of a silver half dollar, so it is larger than all of the US Large cents. Also, it's not as thick as the large cents as well. However, it could be some sort of colonial copper coin right?

Could the W's and the perf looking circles be some sort of Washington commemorative? Could it have been the start of a flat button that was never finished? There is no shank. I swear on the side without the W's at the bottom where there is an old nick I see the numbers 56, or it could be SS I'm not sure. Then on that same side, I keep seeing the top portion of a head with that one S shaped curl of hair. Anyone else seeing that?

So, what is everyone's thought on what it is? Colonial copper that was decorated? The start of a flat button? Just a decorative copper disk? Anyway to ID it if it was/is a coin?

I'll post my finds and as many pics of the copper disk as allowed.

 

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[Iron Patch]

Re: New Member First post, long time lurker - unusual copper coin/button/disk fi

Large Colonial period flat button.

 

[Bramblefind]

Welcome to the board! You have some great stuff!

That button makes me think of one I found - they call them Dandy Buttons. I don't know why yours is shaped so oddly. But I'm sure I'll hear more about it, especially if I got something wrong

I think Iron Patch is fussy since he forgot to welcome you properly

 

[Bramblefind]

Now that I look at it again - I see those "W"s - that's interesting!

 

[Iron Patch]

Welcome to the board! You have some great stuff!

That button makes me think of one I found - they call them Dandy Buttons. I don't know why yours is shaped so oddly. But I'm sure I'll hear more about it, especially if I got something wrong

I think Iron Patch is fussy since he forgot to welcome you properly

Fussy, now I can't be that fussy because I reply to your posts.

I wonder if it's shaped weird having been turned into a part of some sort, and the squared part at the edge served as a catch/lock. (but I would expect holes in the center if that was the case) Will probably fall into the "never know why" category.

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Welcome to the board! You have some great stuff!

That button makes me think of one I found - they call them Dandy Buttons. I don't know why yours is shaped so oddly. But I'm sure I'll hear more about it, especially if I got something wrong

I think Iron Patch is fussy since he forgot to welcome you properly

Haha... I guess I will have to pick up the ball that IP dropped.

On behalf of all the members and moderators of TreasureNet, I would like to extend you a warm welcome. And I think IP is correct... Large broken old button...

 

[Iron Patch]

Getting stuck in a piece of farm equipment might be another reason why it's shaped like that.

What Ramble Bind didn't mention was how I was being distracted at the time of posting that.

 

[Bramblefind]

What Ramble Bind didn't mention was how I was being distracted at the time of posting that.

I take the 5th. That's some USA legalese for you my friend

 

[Iron Patch]

What Ramble Bind didn't mention was how I was being distracted at the time of posting that.

I take the 5th. That's some USA legalese for you my friend

HUH.


I wish to assert my 5th amendment ... image.

 

[Jaichim24]

Thanks for the welcome I do appreciate it....

A lot points to this item being an unfinished flat button, the portion that was removed followed the perf line too closely I feel to be a lawn mower accident. I think that when someone was working on this, they didn't like something, and started to trim it down so that the W's would be on the outside edge but gave up. But, there is no evidence of a shank, so it never got that far IF this is a button in the works.

My only other thought, the last picture I posted, as clearly as can be shown in a photograph what seems to be at least two characters (5 6, or 5 5, or S S) at the bottom of the disc to the right of a cut mark. I've seen plenty of crazy patina's on some coins I've found, and I'll be the first to admit you can start seeing things, but these really seem like something was actually there, especially since it looks like 2 characters together.

So, does the diameter and thickness of this disc eliminate any possibility that this is/was a coin?

Anyone feel the the W's would specifically have been done to commerate George Washington, could this be a homemade GW button?

Thanks again for your feedback.

Jai

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks for the welcome I do appreciate it....

A lot points to this item being an unfinished flat button, the portion that was removed followed the perf line too closely I feel to be a lawn mower accident. I think that when someone was working on this, they didn't like something, and started to trim it down so that the W's would be on the outside edge but gave up. But, there is no evidence of a shank, so it never got that far IF this is a button in the works.

My only other thought, the last picture I posted, as clearly as can be shown in a photograph what seems to be at least two characters (5 6, or 5 5, or S S) at the bottom of the disc to the right of a cut mark. I've seen plenty of crazy patina's on some coins I've found, and I'll be the first to admit you can start seeing things, but these really seem like something was actually there, especially since it looks like 2 characters together.

So, does the diameter and thickness of this disc eliminate any possibility that this is/was a coin?

Anyone feel the the W's would specifically have been done to commerate George Washington, could this be a homemade GW button?

Thanks again for your feedback.

Jai

Everything points at it being a flat button. The type of design, no detail on the reverse, the size, and probably that I have never seen a coin that looked like that.


...and the "W" is just some type of leaf pattern. Any Washingtom button I'm sure would have GW, and to think it may be a crude, one-of-a-kind, hand-made GW, I think is being overly optimistic +1. Yes it's possible, but so is winning the lottery a few weeks in a row. These buttons turn up on a regular basis and are usually the sign of a good old site.

 

[Iron Patch]

Are you familiar with Cobb's GW collection site?

 

[Jaichim24]

I think I found Cobb's site while googling around for pictures of GW buttons. Nothing I could find with just W's. I agree, it probably would have a GW at the very least. I couldn't find much on dandy buttons and the process of making them, but I think this was the start of one that was never finished.

I guess as far as the detail on the back goes, the easiest answer is most likely the correct answer. So no detail on the back points to a flat button. I was thinking that if I (or someone here) got it at the right angle I would see some sort of coin type imprint on both sides. (at least that's what was happening to me while staring at it for so long) I know some of the toasty LC's I've found you can barely make out a shadow.

 

[kyphote]

I say Colonial flat, as well. I found one similar minus the lettering, which I'll post when I get home.