Big Boys Hobbies

Is this a Civil War button?

didymus

didymus

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Joined
Jun 9, 2012
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Crawfish Capitol of the World
Out hunting this evening and found this on the surface. I was really pumped for a while thinking that I'd found my first CW relic. After doing some searching on the net I'm not so sure that's what it is.

There is an an eagle with spread wings above a shield, the shield has flags on either side of it.

I haven't done any cleaning to it other than just rinsing it with water.
Anybody able to ID it?
 

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Didy try and clean it up some. The pic is too hard to see to figure out what is on it. Maybe one day this week we can get together and I can take a look at it for ya.
 
Interesting. I'd give it 1830s or 40s if it's cast copper or brass as it looks to be made the same way as an Artillery button I'm familiar with. Sometimes more modern buttons mimic that early style but they are usually junk metal. (The edge has me a little concerned but not enough to convince me) Those modern ones are quite light compared to an early cast copper one so that would also be a sign.

You'll definitely get an ID at some point and I'd leave as is because it's probably close to as good as it will be. You can probably fine tune the cleaning using a toothpick to carefully scrape the dirt away.
 
From my best research...


It's a coat-of-arms of Columbia

banner's motto, "Libertad y Orden

adopted in 1834

Here's a pic of their coat of arms, seems to match
 
Last edited:
I think you've nailed it. Good job!
I kept looking at the flower on the shield and trying to make a fleur de lis out of it. Now I see it's not that at all.

Makes you wonder how a button from the early-mid 1800's found its way to the heart of Cajun country. Wish it could talk.
 
This is the first button I've found, in fact it's the first thing I've found that was older than the 1930's, so I'm interested in the best ways to care for my finds.

So your advice Charlie would be to forgo any further cleaning, even with a toothpick?
 
Cleaning can be bad from multiple stand points, for one from a monetary stand point (I'm sure like most digger you want to keep your stuff but you never know) cleaned items such as say a CW Cav insignia, the value can be immensely lowered by cleaning, People want to see the genuineness of the item and practically taste the dirt on it. From a preservation stand point it can be bad to, I know many people who worn, deteriorated and item further, or even flat out destroyed an item by cleaning it. Carefully with a tooth pick if you wish not to have big dirt chunks is acceptable, but remember, there is nothing in the world like that patina that almost only mother nature can provide to an item.
 
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