🥇 BANNER Rare Charleston Slave Tag Fisher #1

[Lost Signal]

Went out with mbcuce today and found a pretty special relic. Things started out slow. We were finding a few plain flat buttons and then he found a War of 1812 script I button, which is on my bucket list. I was hoping there would be another one.... There wasn't, but I did find a #1 Fisher slave tag from 1814. The extremely wet environment has a strange effect on brass and copper. Brass buttons come out looking like gold and it takes a while to get used to. On the first few, you think you're digging gold coins.

Whatever is keeping the buttons from turning green seems to have preserved the tag incredibly well.

 

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[Mud Hut]

That's a rare beauty! I believe that is worthy of a banner vote!

 

[SC Keith]

That is super rare and yes it is a banner for sure. Incredible condition and rarity is just amazing !

 

[villagenut]

Banner find you got there....man that banner train is rollin now, aint it!

 

[awdw]

My. Goodness I’m gonna have to quit work so i can get out there with y’all. Great find by the way.

 

[EagleEye1]

Amazing find! I agree on the banner post aspect as well! Congrats on that find!

 

[tnt-hunter]

Congratulations on a marvelous find. An unfortunate reminder of our history, but it is a rare historic find and a banner worth find. My banner vote is in. Stay safe and keep swingin.

 

[Diggin Dude]

Amazing find!! What a piece of history and well preserved to boot! Well done, Congrats! Banner find!!

 

[Tnmountains]

I know I have seen them posted but do not think I have ever seen so well preserved. Congratulations on saving some historical items.

 

[Squirrel322]

Truly an AMAZING save!

 

[Digger RJ]

Awesome!!! Congrats!!!

 

[CRUSADER]

That is the best condition one I have seen - wow!
So, normally the 'FISHER' bit is the occupation, where they the first registered Fisherman? Or is Fisher a name?

 

[jeff of pa]

Interesting Article Found

• The Greenville News (Greenville, South Carolina)
  
• 04 Feb 1997, Tue

you may have found a Museum Piece !

What ever you Do, Do Not Remove that Hardened Clay from it.
don't even risk getting it wet.
It's the best way to Show it's Old & Dug

 

[ToddsPoint]

Lots of history in SC and you just found some! Congrats! Gary

 

[Gene Mean]

That is the best condition one I have seen - wow!
So, normally the 'FISHER' bit is the occupation, where they the first registered Fisherman? Or is Fisher a name?

https://historical.ha.com/itm/antiq...her-slave-hire-badge-number-55/a/6035-47186.s

Same question I had. This is from a different badge but has the interesting information.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Congratulations on achieving your 1st BANNER on Tnet with this incredibly historic find LS.
I'm curious, now that your tag is exposed to the air, do you think the patina will darken?

Dave

https://historical.ha.com/itm/antiq...her-slave-hire-badge-number-55/a/6035-47186.s

Same question I had. This is from a different badge but has the interesting information.

Great background information on this slave tag Gene.

 

[yaxthri]

A great historical find, although a sad one, too... Congratulations.
""Extremely wet as in a swamp or bog? Could be that the mud they were in is anoxic, that is ther's no oxygen present to oxidize the relics that come out looking like new, polished brass buttons and slightly air-oxidized copper components...
Typical verdigris oxidation needs lots of oxygen and acids and salts to happen.

 

[pepperj]

Congratulations on the amazing recovery of the tag, also getting it up on the banner right quick.

You might find that the brass that came out looking so gold like, will turn to a flattened look after a few months from being exposed to the air again.

 

[Lost Signal]

Thanks for the banner votes everyone! As yaxthri suggests, the subject is not something to be celebrated, but I think that's what makes artifacts such as this, so potentially powerful. It's a tangible object, that was worn by a real person, and it makes us think about that history in a way that is less abstract.

 

[JamieD]

Wow, that is an extremely rare and historic find.

There is a similar fisher tag from the same year as yours that sold at auction in 2006. It’s in great condition, as yours is, but is number 121 issued for the year while yours is number 1 which makes it more sought after I believe.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...on-of-charleston-charleston-1011-c-n8t4llj47n

I don’t have an invaluable subscription so I can’t tell what it sold for.

Jamie