My Buttons Page

I've found a few buttons since I started detecting last year. They are mostly "flat" or "coin" buttons but  occasionally a two piece does turn up at the end of my shovel.

                    Here are a few buttons I found in my first months of detecting.

I hunted hard and made some decent finds but the closest I could come to a Civil War button was the back and rim of a 3 piece button missing it's face. I can't read it's backmark but it was dug at a site where maps show Union troops camped during August of 1863.

A two piece button with "Extra Fein" backmark. It has a push on it's fact but is still a nice button.

                                A flat button with "Double Gilt" backmark.

Here's a 2 piece Navy button with a Waterbury Button Co. backmark I dug at a productive site I hunt. It is vest size and it's face is identical to Albert's NA 116v. I'm still not completely certain but backmark information I have accessed leads me to believe this is from the 1870's.

A coat size Marine Corps Button I dug in Calverton, Va. This is the first button I ever found. It is identical to Albert's MC 11 except it is not hard rubber. This button has a heavily rusted iron back and no shank. No backmark could be found. I believe this is possibly from the very late 1800's or most likely the early 1900's. Then again, I'm still a beginner,..what do I know?                                                              

I thought I'd finally broken my Civil War button drought when I unearthed this two piece Eagle button. It has a Horstman/Phila back mark. Although the backmark   is different from those listed, it is identical to Albert's GI 98. It was used from 1875-1902. It was attached to the soldier's coat with a small piece of wire which is still attached to the shank.

Days after digging the Eagle button above, I dug this button back. It has a CW period backmark of  Scovill Mfg./Waterbury. It's in perfect condition and should have had it's face attached giving me my first Civil War button. It  still has thread attached to the shank. Go figure...

I hit a new spot on March 30th of 2000. I dug a nicely gilted "flower" button. It has a backmark but I can't read it. Other than a push on the face, it's a pretty nice button. Along with this button, I dug a flat button, cartridge box finial and my second US Boxplate.

It was 5 days until my next hunt. I was still pretty excited about finding a nice flower button and my second US plate on my last hunt. I started hunting an area near where I had found the relics on my last trip and had been hunting about 15 minutes when I got a good signal. I dug the hole and to my surprise I had dug my 3rd US Boxplate. My second in two trips! I didn't think that could be topped. Well again to my surprise, I filled the hole and took 3 steps and got another signal. After a little digging I unearthed this little beauty from a depth of about 8 inches. It's Albert's CS-7. Confederate Staff Officer's button with W.Dowler/Superior Quality backmark. Worth upwards of $400. It's priceless to me. It's my first Civil War button and may very well end up being the best I ever dig.

Spent a couple of hours digging on May 15th and dug my second Civil War button. This is a Zouave button. It is also commonly known as a "ball button" or   "bullet button"

An hour hunt on May 20th turned up this face to a New York 3 piece staff button. It's pretty beat up and is missing the back and rim but it's still a New York button. It shows the New York state seal surrounded by 13 stars with the motto "Excelsior" below. I guess if all I can find is a piece of a button,...this is the piece I want to find.

Searching the same location where I found the above New York button, I unearthed the face and back to another one. I found the face first, walked about 10 feet and found the back. Due to it's condition, I believe that the plow must have seperated the button with in the last couple of years. The back has a Steele & Johnson backmark.

I finally found my first Civil War era General Service Eagle button. I didn't dig it, I eyeballed it while stooped over a hole digging a .44 caliber Barthelow pistol bullet. It's really butt ugly but it's still my first Eagle button.

Buttons found during the month of November, 2000. Shown are two cuff flat buttons, a button back, 3 General Service Eagle buttons, a District of Columbia Fire Department button and an Eagle "R".

    Here is a close up of the Eagle "R". It was found encased by the roots of a corn plant.