Tomback????

[Joe-Dirt]

I’ve never found a tomback button so I have nothing to compare this little buckle to. I was going through some finds from my buddies backyard from a few weeks ago and thought this little buckle was made of something other than brass/copper. I don’t recall what the signal was but pulled out of the ground as you see it. Let me know if you think it’s tomback or something else, the house dates back to the early 1800’s.
Thanks
GL&HH

 

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[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

You most likely have a late 1800’s brass buckle there. It should ring up like a clad quarter. If it was tombac it would be more like a Nickel signal. Congrats

 

[Joe-Dirt]

It’s really weird , most brass I dig of that age is green or tan, this came out as you see it, still smooth and shiny. Thanks Pa-dirt

 

[Aureus]

Must be some type of copper alloy, probably brass. Sometimes particular metal composition and soil conditions affect the state in which it comes out of the ground. Some of my sites produce beautiful brass with olive color patina where others give up only corroded one.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice find, congrats! IMHO: It dates in the mid-1800's

 

[A2coins]

Pretty cool find

 

[Lost Signal]

Hmmmm. In the photo, the area, that does not have corrosion, has sort of a tombac-look, but I don't know. We've dug a lot of tombac buttons in the past 6 months, and I don't think that any of them have had any corrosion. It might just be our soil/water table, but they come out of the ground smooth and kind of shiny.
Not sure what your buckle might be made of. I think they sometimes used alloys that don't necessarily match metals that we use today.

 

[smokeythecat]

It probably is brass. I have seen one or two in Pewter, but they just didn't hold up and disintegrated. Brass can come out lots of colors. It's in great shape. Composition of brass varied depending on what they had to work with. I'd say mid 19th century also.

 

[Inspector]

Nice buckle, congrats & HH

 

[Joe-Dirt]

Hmmmm. In the photo, the area, that does not have corrosion, has sort of a tombac-look, but I don't know. We've dug a lot of tombac buttons in the past 6 months, and I don't think that any of them have had any corrosion. It might just be our soil/water table, but they come out of the ground smooth and kind of shiny.
Not sure what your buckle might be made of. I think they sometimes used alloys that don't necessarily match metals that we use today.

I’m not totally sure it is corrosion, it seems to be plastered on there. I didn’t want to lemon juice it or scrub it and ruin the patina. Thank you for the replies everyone!!

 

[smokeythecat]

I would leave it just like it is.

 

[Doug from NS]

Nice buckle. I get them like that too. I suspect that it is brass, perhaps the alloy is a bit different. Is the soil where you detect very acidic? It is here and I see a big difference if the soil is well drained or wet and swampy

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[Joe-Dirt]

I would leave it just like it is.

I’m going to leave it as is, the patina is just too nice, it looks much better in person, like most used cars