Some nice 1700 era buttons today

Don in SJ · Feb 10, 2009

Went on a hike today, covered about 5 miles total walking and some of it thru the brush, and even more when I lost my digger and had to backtrack and find it! ::)

I hit two homesteads today, the first one appears to have been occupied 1820-1850s period, I have not found a coin at this site yet, but my son found 4 the first day he hunted it. Today, after an hour of swingin there I only got the Toe/Heel protector piece, so I decided to move on and try and find a site that has alluded me, of course I cut straight through the woods looking for it and after about 15 minutes of walking realized I lost my digger, luckily I was fairly certain it was back at the first site I hunted so I had to back track and find it, which I did. Just more exercise for me.

I gave up on trying to find our mystery homestead and went to one next to where I found the Daguerreotype photograph last early Spring.

This time I remembered seeing a depression that most likely was the cellarhole of an very early cabin. So when I finally got there (over 45 minute straight no detour walk from my truck) I started getting the nice iron hits. I got all three button within 15 feet of the depression and one is a Tombac, one a beautiful flower with design button, no backmark and one was rather ugly, but it is concave and not sure it if is part of one of the earlier blowhole type buttons, but no blowholes on this piece. So perhaps just an ugly concave button.

Don

romeo-1 · Feb 10, 2009

A couple nice buttons Don...I really like the tombac!

YankeeDownSouthAdv. · Feb 10, 2009

WTG on finds!! love the way you animated the buttons...keep us updated on the site..gregg

seger98 · Feb 10, 2009

Really neat what you did there on the pictures, looks like a really nice spot to detect. congratulations on your finds!

Chris

Jack(IN) · Feb 10, 2009

Nice finds Don, its amazing whats buried under the ground, just waiting to be found!! Lots of history still to be discovered!!

civilman1 · Feb 10, 2009

Glad you found your Diggin tool there Don...And found the iron too,Sure did pay off...For now.Great button.....Good Luck!!!!

kdismuke1 · Feb 10, 2009

NICE BUTTON. GLAD YOU FOUND YOUR DIGGING TOOL.

ModernMiner · Feb 10, 2009

Don,
Fantastic buttons!!! Congrats. It's already been said above, but I too love the way you presented your before & after of those buttons. Amazing job of bringing them back to life. :icon_king:

As far as losing your digger, I feel your pain. About a month ago I lost my cell phone while detecting. I had the brainy idea of calling my cell phone and listening for the ring, but then realized I had nothing to call it with. Duh. :tongue3:

I found it after I retraced my steps though.
Great post,
Doug

kmcneil · Feb 10, 2009

Sweet buttons. :thumbsup:

cwdigger · Feb 10, 2009

How did you get your buttons so clean :icon_scratch:

nice finds

CW

Don in SJ · Feb 11, 2009

cwdigger said:
How did you get your buttons so clean nice finds

CW

Both buttons were put into hot peroxide for about half hour or so and used wet Q-tips then to remove the loosened dirt. The shine on the buttons was from Blue Ribbon conditioner which will be buffed today to finish the preservation of the button. Tombacs usually require nothing more after cleaning, than a good water soak (preferably I use distilled water) and then thoroughly dry under a desk lamp.

The 3rd button was not only dirty but evidently heavily corroded and peroxide does not touch corrosion per se.

Don

SHERMANVILLE ILLINOIS · Feb 11, 2009

Don in SJ,
sounds like a good hunt.
Nice buttons, congrat.

Thanks for all the photos.

have a good un...
SHERMANVILLE

funkman · Feb 11, 2009

those look fantastic Don!

Congrats on the great buttons and the great site!

Funkman

Bavaria Mike · Feb 11, 2009

Couple of nice buttons Don! HH, Mike

West Jersey Detecting · Feb 11, 2009

Once again some nice finds! You are not starting off the year like last year, but you have had some great finds just the same!

I am happy for you that you found your digger. When I dropped something last May, it took me until November to re-find it!

Today is going to be a nice day for detecting, so I hope you are able to get out.

Good luck!
Neil

dgaughan · Feb 11, 2009

very nice buttons don i'm sure if there some coppers to be found you'll find them there congrats and hh

nova treasure · Feb 11, 2009

Very nice Buttons Don,
I always enjoying seeing your experience at work.

Nova Treasure

COUNTRY GIRL · Feb 11, 2009

Awesome post! Love the way you presented the before and after pictures! :thumbsup:

Don in SJ · Feb 11, 2009

Neil in West Jersey said:
Once again some nice finds! You are not starting off the year like last year, but you have had some great finds just the same!

I am happy for you that you found your digger. When I dropped something last May, it took me until November to re-find it!

Today is going to be a nice day for detecting, so I hope you are able to get out.

Good luck!
Neil

Thanks Neil, I did get out today and will be posting later. :wink:

Im still looking for one of my pruning shears I lost a year and half ago, I seem to lose them more than diggers.

For those who do not know what a Tombac button is, look at this site, they are always a good indicator of late 1700 era finds.
http://www.chippewanaturecenter.com/Oxbow/tombac buttons.htm

Don