Not finding flat buttons in the Midwest

[bologna321]

So I live in Southwest Missouri, I've been detecting for several years. I just do not find that many flat buttons like most posters in here, even on old sites. Some of the foundations I hit are on the mid 1800's plat map. I've found multiple civil war buttons, but only one civilian button that I would consider flat. I find the small long underwear buttons sometimes so I don't think I'd miss them with my detector.

Is it the age of my area, or were the farmers just that poor and used something else?

Just a general question appreciate the input.

 

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[KodyB]

So I live in Southwest Missouri, I've been detecting for several years. I just do not find that many flat buttons like most posters in here, even on old sites. Some of the foundations I hit are on the mid 1800's plat map. I've found multiple civil war buttons, but only one civilian button that I would consider flat. I find the small long underwear buttons sometimes so I don't think I'd miss them with my detector.

Is it the age of my area, or were the farmers just that poor and used something else?

Just a general question appreciate the input.

I’m also from SW Missouri down by Neosho, but live in Indiana now.
I don’t find many old flat buttons up here either. I think it’s mainly the age and the sight you’re hunting.

 

[fishstick]

I’m also from SW Missouri down by Neosho, but live in Indiana now.
I don’t find many old flat buttons up here either. I think it’s mainly the age and the sight you’re hunting.

T

 

[fishstick]

I’m also from SW Missouri down by Neosho, but live in Indiana now.
I don’t find many old flat buttons up here either. I think it’s mainly the age and the sight you’re hunting.

That seems weird cuz we find them by the handfuls here.

 

[pepperj]

So I live in Southwest Missouri, I've been detecting for several years. I just do not find that many flat buttons like most posters in here, even on old sites. Some of the foundations I hit are on the mid 1800's plat map. I've found multiple civil war buttons, but only one civilian button that I would consider flat. I find the small long underwear buttons sometimes so I don't think I'd miss them with my detector.

Is it the age of my area, or were the farmers just that poor and used something else?

Just a general question appreciate the input.

That seems strange as usually the older sites will give up the flat buttons over other finds.
Couple of thoughts that if the occupancy time at a site wasn't for a long period then there would be less lost.
I have a few sites that are almost nil on the button finds-and some that are more plentiful.

 

[bologna321]

Not sure maybe my area was just settled too late. My oldest coin find is 1834 which is almost unheard of. The area was settled only in the 1830's by a few people.

Guess I'll keep digging thanks everyone

 

[pepperj]

Not sure maybe my area was just settled too late. My oldest coin find is 1834 which is almost unheard of. The area was settled only in the 1830's by a few people.

Guess I'll keep digging thanks everyone

Your area mirrors what mine is for settlement.
There was certainly a spattering of earlier, but mostly it was 1820s -mid 1800's (Early Victorian)

I understand the timeline-but buttons are like coinage, being in circulation for many decades.
Probably even more so back 150-200 yrs ago-they were resewed onto other garments.

 

[NorILdigcollector]

I think it is more the site than age. I have two early-mid 1800s farms that I have been detecting this year. One site the coins, dating as far back as 1807, have been outnumbering buttons about 10 to 1. At other site flat buttons outnumber coins, all early-mid 1800s, about 10 to 1.
The finds definitely have a lot to do with the people who used to live on the site. For instance, the site with all the buttons had a family of 15 living on it during the 1830s-40s. which could account for all of the buttons. My area is pretty similar to yours as the earliest settlers arrived in the late 1820s- early 1830s.