Old U.S. military plate or Buckle? Or not?

[CCDAMEEK]

Dug this out of the ground on 12-31-20 while metal detecting. Hunting on an old plantation previously owned by the Confederate Civil War 'Swamp Fox' Captain J. J. Dickison. Clearly this piece is not confederate. This area is also known to have been heavily involved in the Indian Wars here in Florida, and the Seminole Chief Micanopy is known to have been there.







This piece is heavy, weighing in at 122.9 grams. IT IS NOT POT METAL. It is made of lead, with probably nickel to make it hard. I cooked this in an electrolysis bath for over 4 hours, and it is rock solid. There is no evidence of it ever having been gilded or plated.

I am trying to identify it.
Is it a genuine Military item, or is it a knock off, toy or something else.

The property it was found on has been in the same family since the 1920's, approximately 30 years after the 'Swamp Fox' himself owned the property.

Any help in positively identifying this piece is greatly appreciated.

Thank You for your help

 

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[jewelerguy]

belt buckles were a popular flea market item in the mid 70's. I believe that's what you have there

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Sorry to have to disappoint you, CCDAMEEK. Jewelerguy is correct, as usual... definitely a 1970s-ish NON-ACCURATE imitation of an Indian Wars era US Army beltplate. The belt-attaching provisions are the key ID clues... they are nothing at all like the Original buckles had. Here's a pic of the back of a late-1960s reproduction CSA Confederate rectangular buckle, showing the same "bent small brass pin" belt-hook, and the marking "Pat. Applied For."

 

[CCDAMEEK]

Sorry to have to disappoint you, CCDAMEEK. Jewelerguy is correct, as usual... definitely a 1970s-ish NON-ACCURATE imitation of an Indian Wars era US Army beltplate. The belt-attaching provisions are the key ID clues... they are nothing at all like the Original buckles had. Here's a pic of the back of a late-1960s reproduction CSA Confederate rectangular buckle, showing the same "bent small brass pin" belt-hook, and the marking "Pat. Applied For."

I am truly appreciating the time TheCannonballGuy and Jewelerguy have put into responding to my inquiry, especially for TheCannonballGuy to pull up a sample of what he believes my find is similar to.
I have put a photo together that with the modern replica buckle and the piece I found:



I am definitely not discounting the piece I unearthed may not be a genuine relic. There are similarities between these. At this time, I just don't think this comparison is close enough to close my search.

Thanks "Guy's"

 

[ticndig]

you said this buckle is lead, but more likely zinc .all the Indian war buckles I've seen are brass. and as stated above the back of yours is all wrong. here is something to compare to.

 

[gunsil]

Sorry, it is as Jewelry and Cannonball say, a flea market item. No US military buckles were made like that or with the material yours is made of which sure looks like pot metal which is largely zinc.

 

[CCDAMEEK]

Sorry, it is as Jewelry and Cannonball say, a flea market item. No US military buckles were made like that or with the material yours is made of which sure looks like pot metal which is largely zinc.

I appreciate your time in answering. Here is some more evidence to suggest this item is Not Zinc or pot metal. I hastily took a very small fine file to one corner of the item, and very gently filed without preasure. Here is the result to show. Zinc or pot metal does not do this! Zinc is hard. And this is Solid. Check the photos in zoom.

Through a jewelers loop.

 

[ticndig]

Well maybe it's lead as you've stated but the real ones were brass as I've shown above. it's still a cool find, just not from the time period it portrays .