Flat Gilt Buttons - Best places to learn about them

[a_cmc_2b]

Howdy to all...

I've just recently gotten a new permission, and in 3 hunts it's given me 4 Flat Buttons, that I'd like to learn what years they were produced.

I'm also curious as to what other item are found in areas where Flat Buttons are found?

I recovered these in Forrest County, Mississippi. The attached Pics are of two of them.

Whites MXT Pro Metal Detector
Whites TRX Bullseye Pin Pointer
Lesche Samson Shovel

 

[EmuDetector]

Flat buttons are a good sign to get into some good finds. Obviously it means people were there and moving around. Keep in mind people of the colonial times into the 1800s could be wearing as many as 30 in a nicer outfit. Yours look mid 1800s or so.

People will have some links to help ID and maybe offer some books if you want more information. The one thing you'll find is there were so so so many companies making buttons that you might not get much more information than the makers name on the back unless you get something that's a uniform button with a front design of some kind. They're cool finds though and always lead me into better ones. If you can, start tracking the paths of where you find them and search the spaces in between. It will help you find whatever else they dropped.

 

[duggap]

You backmarks are the best thing to get a fix on the date. Try and give us the backmarks and we can run them thru the books.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If you can find the book "Dating Buttons", by Warren K. Tice, that will answer all your question. Also his book "Uniform Buttons of the United States" (which also has general button info. as well). Those books will answer all your questions.

But I think they're both out of print. And last I saw, if ever any come up on the used market (Ebay, etc...) they fetch a BIG DOLLAR AMOUNT. But well worth it, if you can find those books.

As for your buttons in your pix, I'm going to guess 1810s to 1840s- ish.