55 Button Spill at Cellar Hole

[Sam]

A few days ago, I headed out to a new spot that I had high hopes for. I started swinging on a hill directly behind a cellar, when I isolated a good target between lots of iron on my MXT Pro. I dug down and pulled out a nice colonial dandy button and noticed there were more buttons in the hole. I eyeballed 3 or so more buttons before I decided to see if I could locate anymore, and sure enough they kept coming. I extended the width of the hole and was equipped with only my eyes and my pinpointer.

I spent the remainder of my time there scouring the area for buttons, and by the time I was done I had accumulated over 50 colonial buttons. Almost all of them are in good condition, with the shanks standing perfectly upright, and plenty of them have designs/patterns too. Among the buttons, I found a rare War of 1812 era diplomat's button... Definitely one of my favorite button finds to date.

http://i66.tinypic.com/24x2d7q.jpg
http://i64.tinypic.com/21obt6v.jpg
http://i64.tinypic.com/2q8akqc.jpg
http://i63.tinypic.com/2uhbxwl.jpg

[calabash digger]

thats a killer find!

[Lodge Scent]

Now that is pretty cool ! Any design on the face of the button in the 4th row down, 5th in from the left ?

[aloldstuff]

Now that's a great hunt. Any clue as to why they were all congregated in that one spot? I consider it a good day finding only 1 colonial button.
Congrats on the War of 1812 button.

[OxShoeDrew]

:omg: Were the buttons in such a way as to suggest they were attached to clothing and the clothes rotted away....or in a pile? That is one incredible find!!

[MangoAve]

Nice score. I think I saw this posted on the bookface, but I didn't think it was you that posted. Lol. So many people on there that I can't keep track. Ref below to Drew....


Were the buttons in such a way as to suggest they were attached to clothing and the clothes rotted away....or in a pile?

Drew, I thought you knew on history by now. We don't have many CW encampments around here, however that was one reasoning I have heard for spills of buttons. The thing we did have around here were shoddy mills. A perfect reason why the shanks would be intact. Usually the shoddy mills had more like 1000s of buttons, but maybe this was a small time person who repurposed clothes or their trade was such.

[del]

Great button "cache" find Sam , not too many explanations can be given for that many buttons in one spot . Maybe a spot where they burned some clothes (smallpox and cholera outbreak) which was a common thing to prevent the spread of disease. Also where someone was pulling off buttons to recycle the wool like someone mentioned are the two most likely . Either way its very cool to find that many .

Dan

[Digger_O'Dell]

Great lot of buttons, awesome find!

I have one other viable explanation. As what happens even today-wife catches hubby cheating on her, she burns all his clothes and or belongings in the yard. :lol:

[Sam]

Thanks!!

[Sam]

Now that's a great hunt. Any clue as to why they were all congregated in that one spot? I consider it a good day finding only 1 colonial button.
Congrats on the War of 1812 button.

Thanks! Not entirely sure honestly... couldn't really come up with a plausible theory other than a clothing dump, but the buttons were within such a close proximity almost as if they were dumped there, so I'm not certain!

[Sam]

:omg: Were the buttons in such a way as to suggest they were attached to clothing and the clothes rotted away....or in a pile? That is one incredible find!!

They were all within a close proximity of each other, within a two-foot wide hole I dug out. Although there very well could be lots more buttons on the side of that hill; I plan on going back with better equipment. Thanks!

[Sam]

Great lot of buttons, awesome find!

I have one other viable explanation. As what happens even today-wife catches hubby cheating on her, she burns all his clothes and or belongings in the yard. :lol:

Thanks! That's better than any explanation I could come up with! :lol:

[Sam]

Great button "cache" find Sam , not too many explanations can be given for that many buttons in one spot . Maybe a spot where they burned some clothes (smallpox and cholera outbreak) which was a common thing to prevent the spread of disease. Also where someone was pulling off buttons to recycle the wool like someone mentioned are the two most likely . Either way its very cool to find that many .

Dan

Thanks! I'm very curious myself as to why they were all within such a close proximity of each other (2 feet), although there definitely could be more buttons on the side of the hill. I plan on going back sometime soon, this time better equipped.

[The Rebel]

WOW! That's an amazing hunt!

[BTV Digger]

Fantastic button spill Sam! I'd agree with Del on the two most logical explanations on why they were there. I would add that if they were from burned clothing due to a cholera/smallpox outbreak etc, you'd expect to find many of the buttons of the same variety. Congrats nonetheless!

John