SOLVED!!! Awesome Rare Civil War Relic!!!

Vabeachdigger · May 26, 2017

I was hunting in Virginia Beach. I wasn't having the greatest luck... a lot of aluminum. It was almost time to leave so I went to an area opposite of where I had been detecting and got a clean deep 77-79. At the bottom of an 6" plug is where I plucked this beautiful round copper piece. The back side is concaved and the front has a beautiful depiction of two women shooting the breeze while on break from tending crops.
....If anyone has any ideas as to the date and origin it would be greatly appreciated!!!
Thanks - AA

Chocograph · May 26, 2017

Wow, that looks old.

BB_in_Maine · May 26, 2017

Incredible piece! A large button? Or perhaps it had a pin back so it was actually a brooch? Reclined figure on the left appears to be a man... And that looks like a cornucopia suggesting harvest/bounty... Perhaps two gods - Greek or Roman? Certainly looks like it could at least be 200 years old...

Edit: just found this online - possibly helpful? "In Roman myth, the cornucopia became part of the regalia of goddess Copia, the personification of plenty. Other goddesses, including Fortuna and Pax, also held the cornucopia."

ffgrizzley · May 26, 2017

Wow, really nice find. Congrats! If that's the goddess on the right, I wonder if that could be Winfield or Smith on the left.

cellrdwellr · May 26, 2017

Just a shot in the dark but possibly a horse bridal rosette? Nice find congrats!

BB_in_Maine · May 27, 2017

cellrdwellr said:
Just a shot in the dark but possibly a horse bridal rosette? Nice find congrats!

I had that thought as well... if so, it is one of the most ornate I've seen. Would make sense with the iron staining on the back... and looks like maybe there were two posts there...

MacDiarmada · May 27, 2017

Definitely not 300 years old, not even close. 50-75 years in my opinion, possibly less.

beest · May 27, 2017

BB_in_Maine said:
And that looks like a cornucopia suggesting harvest/bounty... Perhaps two gods - Greek or Roman? Certainly looks like it could at least be 200 years old...

Edit: just found this online - possibly helpful? "In Roman myth, the cornucopia became part of the regalia of goddess Copia, the personification of plenty. Other goddesses, including Fortuna and Pax, also held the cornucopia."

MacDiarmada said:
Definitely not 300 years old, not even close. 50-75 years in my opinion, possibly less.

I do think it is a brooch.

If it is indeed a roman scene (what it looks like) it is neo classicism.
In that case it can be confirmed as up to 250 years old. (ca 1760 up to 1917 with a pause between about 1830 to 1890)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclassicism

Very nice find! Congrats! :thumbsup:

vjmelancon35 · May 27, 2017

It's very similar to this Civil War button showing a variation of the Seal of North Carolina. It depicts Plenty and Liberty. http://www.relicman.com/buttons/Button5300-NorthCarolina-A to G.html

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

Barracuda · May 27, 2017

the back just doesn't look like anything that predates the civil war or maybe the early 1800s.
I can't find anything else on it older.

Hope I'm wrong

EXTREMELY unique nonetheless what a great find and still very old.

Vabeachdigger · May 30, 2017

Chocograph said:
Wow, that looks old.

BB_in_Maine said:
Incredible piece! A large button? Or perhaps it had a pin back so it was actually a brooch? Reclined figure on the left appears to be a man... And that looks like a cornucopia suggesting harvest/bounty... Perhaps two gods - Greek or Roman? Certainly looks like it could at least be 200 years old...

Edit: just found this online - possibly helpful? "In Roman myth, the cornucopia became part of the regalia of goddess Copia, the personification of plenty. Other goddesses, including Fortuna and Pax, also held the cornucopia."

ffgrizzley said:
Wow, really nice find. Congrats! If that's the goddess on the right, I wonder if that could be Winfield or Smith on the left.

cellrdwellr said:
Just a shot in the dark but possibly a horse bridal rosette? Nice find congrats!

BB_in_Maine said:
I had that thought as well... if so, it is one of the most ornate I've seen. Would make sense with the iron staining on the back... and looks like maybe there were two posts there...

MacDiarmada said:
Definitely not 300 years old, not even close. 50-75 years in my opinion, possibly less.

beest said:
I do think it is a brooch.

If it is indeed a roman scene (what it looks like) it is neo classicism.
In that case it can be confirmed as up to 250 years old. (ca 1760 up to 1917 with a pause between about 1830 to 1890)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoclassicism

Very nice find! Congrats!

vjmelancon35 said:
It's very similar to this Civil War button showing a variation of the Seal of North Carolina. It depicts Plenty and Liberty. http://www.relicman.com/buttons/Button5300-NorthCarolina-A to G.html

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

Barracuda said:
the back just doesn't look like anything that predates the civil war or maybe the early 1800s.
I can't find anything else on it older.

Hope I'm wrong

EXTREMELY unique nonetheless what a great find and still very old.

Could not have done this with the help of you alll, thank you so much for reaching out to help me ID this piece.

Vabeachdigger · May 30, 2017

vjmelancon35 said:
It's very similar to this Civil War button showing a variation of the Seal of North Carolina. It depicts Plenty and Liberty. http://www.relicman.com/buttons/Button5300-NorthCarolina-A to G.html

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

Thank you from the bottom of my heart, with your simple reply I was able to ID this beautiful rare piece. Thank you again.

BB_in_Maine · Jun 1, 2017

WOW! I thought it was a fantastic piece anyway, but that is truly a rare bird!! Does that make it Confederate? NC soldier marching through Virginia? Bravo on the ID!

Vabeachdigger · Jun 2, 2017

BB_in_Maine said:
WOW! I thought it was a fantastic piece anyway, but that is truly a rare bird!! Does that make it Confederate? NC soldier marching through Virginia? Bravo on the ID!

Thank you, yes that does make it Confederate! I'm so thankful for this find and after only detecting for two months I'm on a roll! First month a 1773 Virginia Half Penny and now this. Definitely excited to see what the many more years of hunting have in store for me. Thanks again for the kind acknowledgement!

backwater · Jun 2, 2017

Way to go vjmelancon35! Hanover brass foundry makes that same buckle today, i know yours is the real deal. But check out all the different styles they reproduce, amazing. http://www.hanoverbrass.com

matmit · Jun 2, 2017

Very unique find right there!
You should probably quit while you are ahead :lol:

Nothing much more other than a lot of pulltabs, zincolns and heartaches :no:

SOLVED!!! Awesome Rare Civil War Relic!!!

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