Tom_in_CA
Gold Member
- Mar 23, 2007
- 13,837
- 10,360
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- 2
- Detector(s) used
- Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Hey gang, These Phoenix buttons show up on md'ing forum show & tells from both coasts. But primarily found on the west coast.
At one time (20 to 40 yrs. ago), they commanded $150 to $300-ish each. Even for the "common" ones. This was because of 1960s/70s Oregon/Washington/California interest in contact-era history. Ie.: European trade, fur trade, early forts, CA mission / Rancho history, etc..... Thus books and articles were written at that time. In which these trade buttons were discussed & studied.
They were initially considered to be strictly an Indian trade item (and even Indian burial ornament !). But it has since become clear that they were also just simply worn as buttons. By anyone of the period.
Because of the early values, MD'rs began to make sport of looking for them. They became sort of a "sport unto themselves" for us.
They turn up in areas where habitation was 1810s to 1840s. And I have heard of a couple even being found in the gold rush parts of CA. Meaning either : Indian foot trade routes went that far east into the Sierra foothills. Or that some were actually still being worn on clothing, at the time coastal folk decided to try their luck in the gold fields. Ie.: @ the very early days of the G.R.
As time went on though, go figure : The hardcore collectors began to fill out their "bingo cards". And today, there isn't quite the buyer demand. But no matter: The allure is already cemented. To tally up, hunt & compare, etc.... . We consider each one rare. And whenever/wherever these are turning up, it is always in spots where a reale, for example, can turn up. So like any good relic hunter : The "age indicators" & relics alone are just as much history & fun.
There had always been talk, even in the 1960s, noting that some of the #'s and types seemed to be common. While others were only known as a singular, for example. But no one, until now, had ever sat down to correlate all the studies. And compare collector/digger notes. To compile a rarity chart. I decided it was high time !
So here it is. Hope y'all enjoy it, as much as I have had in making it. Pass it on to anyone you know who's found any. So they can look up their particular buttons.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rX9...ew?ts=6182e46f
Note: I did not want to put values on them. Since demand can change on a whim (depending on how many want it on Ebay at a given time). And inflation would skew the chart in a few years, etc..... It was way-too-subjective. If collecting for these "takes off", then the market tends to apply a value to the asterisk system, all on its own anyhow.
At one time (20 to 40 yrs. ago), they commanded $150 to $300-ish each. Even for the "common" ones. This was because of 1960s/70s Oregon/Washington/California interest in contact-era history. Ie.: European trade, fur trade, early forts, CA mission / Rancho history, etc..... Thus books and articles were written at that time. In which these trade buttons were discussed & studied.
They were initially considered to be strictly an Indian trade item (and even Indian burial ornament !). But it has since become clear that they were also just simply worn as buttons. By anyone of the period.
Because of the early values, MD'rs began to make sport of looking for them. They became sort of a "sport unto themselves" for us.
They turn up in areas where habitation was 1810s to 1840s. And I have heard of a couple even being found in the gold rush parts of CA. Meaning either : Indian foot trade routes went that far east into the Sierra foothills. Or that some were actually still being worn on clothing, at the time coastal folk decided to try their luck in the gold fields. Ie.: @ the very early days of the G.R.
As time went on though, go figure : The hardcore collectors began to fill out their "bingo cards". And today, there isn't quite the buyer demand. But no matter: The allure is already cemented. To tally up, hunt & compare, etc.... . We consider each one rare. And whenever/wherever these are turning up, it is always in spots where a reale, for example, can turn up. So like any good relic hunter : The "age indicators" & relics alone are just as much history & fun.
There had always been talk, even in the 1960s, noting that some of the #'s and types seemed to be common. While others were only known as a singular, for example. But no one, until now, had ever sat down to correlate all the studies. And compare collector/digger notes. To compile a rarity chart. I decided it was high time !
So here it is. Hope y'all enjoy it, as much as I have had in making it. Pass it on to anyone you know who's found any. So they can look up their particular buttons.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rX9...ew?ts=6182e46f
Note: I did not want to put values on them. Since demand can change on a whim (depending on how many want it on Ebay at a given time). And inflation would skew the chart in a few years, etc..... It was way-too-subjective. If collecting for these "takes off", then the market tends to apply a value to the asterisk system, all on its own anyhow.
