Oddest Civil War eagle button ever, need help Maybe Jason Bourne lost his spy button

[smokeythecat]

Maybe it's a secret spy container with cool stuff inside. This came out of a very uncontaminated Civil War camp in Virginia. It is made of brass. There is what is left of a very, very faint eagle design on the front. The top if absolutely flat as is the back. No backmark on it and it looks hand made, possibly unique. On the side there is a incised line, and there is/was a small loop on the back, it is currently separate, I'll have to glue it back on. It is 23mm in diameter. About 7mm high. The top and back are absolutely flat, and there never was a backmark. Looks like a hand made thing to LOOK like a button. It is definitely hollow. Ideas? Ever seen anything like it? Is Dick Tracy or Jason Bourne missing their antique spy decoder rings?

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Smokey asked me to take a look. I've never seen anything like it. Searching for an at least "possible" explanation of it, my analytical mind suggests that somebody (not a soldier) took the front off of an eagle-I button, and machine-pressed it into the shape of the container's lid. This, of course, is not something a soldier in the field would have the necessary jeweler's equipment to do.

The compression is why the eagle emblem is almost obliterated. I'm sure it didn't get "worn down" like a coin in decades of circulation.

But then again, the outline of the eagle's right wing, the letter "I", and the arrows LOOKS like indented lines, not raised lines. If that is correct, it cannot be an altered button-front. (The lines would be raised... and if the reverse side of an eagle button's front became the front, the eagle's head would point in the opposite direction than it does on an eagle-I button.

Being so small, the only thing I can think of regarding its purpose is a coin-safe... and there's a good chance I'm wrong about that.

Time to call for Bramblefind, this forum's most amazing investigator.

 

[smokeythecat]

Thank you It is NOT a smashed down eagle button. It was engraved. Jason Bourne! When it dries, I'm going to try to see what's inside. If anything! I cannot find a way to open it! Not yet. It's not put together like a standard eagle button. It's a FAKE eagle button. With enough room inside to hold one or two gold coins, the $1 or $2.50 variety. This could get fun. I found it with TEN CIVIL WAR BUCKLES IN THE SAME HOLE. Note to self: Next time I ask the Lord for goodies, make to to ask for BRASS MARKED buckles, not little iron ones like the ones I dug. But I had a blast.

 

[Peyton Manning]

smokenheimer have you ever dug a pull tab?

 

[smokeythecat]

I did dig one pull tab this week. I am going to enshrine it as I hardly ever see them. Except at the beach. I don't dig parks where the pulltabs breed.

 

[TomPA]

Here's another thought. Maybe a container for rifle sight inserts (Lyman, etc.)? I'm hoping gold coins instead!

 

[Tpmetal]

never seen anything like it, interesting

 

[creskol]

My guess is that it originated with a one piece button, pressed or hammered to fabricate the cap.

 

[smokeythecat]

I don't think it opens....except maybe with a hammer!

 

[Phishfarmer]

Obviously a condom case for Yankees... errr I mean Smurfs.

 

[smokeythecat]

Smurfs would be about right. I still can't figure out if it opens. Will take a pick and try to get any extraneous material out of the inside of the thing.

 

[A2coins]

sometimes is cooler to not know

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using TreasureNet.com mobile app

 

[smokeythecat]

I can't find a seam, so may never know.

 

[jewelerguy]

my 2 cents is that it's a cape button, perhaps a private purchase sutler item

 

[cw0909]

custom ladies hat pin or cuff link ?
not like yours,just an idea
https://www.rubylane.com/item/60437...0Hatpin/Civil-War-Confederate-Army-Button-Hat

 

[smokeythecat]

Cape button may be closest, unless there is something inside it although I cannot hear a rattle.

 

[rickb2202]

Take it to your dentist and have him x Ray it !!

 

[Subterranean]

Things a Union soldier would secrete in a false button...(1) poison for suicide (2) opium in case of mortal injury (3) a lock of hair from his wife (4) a tiny piece of paper/map (5) small gold coin to purchase freedom if captured. The joy is in the mystery and speculation! It is an amazing find, IMHO, Sub

 

[Tedyoh]

Poorly made wax seal / ink stamp?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Rickb2202 wrote:
> "Take it to your dentist and have him x Ray it !!"

Sorry to have to say, that is a waste of your time. A Dental X-ray machine is not powerful enough to penetrate a metal object. That is why your metal fillings show up as pure white on the dentist X-ray.

Also, an X-ray machine powerful enough to penetrate metal would not show anything inside the container that isn't also made of metal.

A Dental X-ray machine is fine for revealing a hidden bullet-in-wood, but it absolutely won't work for penetrating a metal object.