Is this junk?

[bob_e99]

I found this object when I found my two large coppers and I initially thought it was just trash but after looking at it, I'm not sure. I hesitate to take up people's time posting trash but curiousity got the better of me. Can someone tell me if this is a relevant button or was I correct about it being trash.

I did try to search for this on the web but couldn't find a match.

Thank you.

[CTDirtFisher]

That is a nice tombac button...

[CTDirtFisher]

The Oxbow Archaeologists have recovered two tombac buttons during the course of excavations. Tombac was a brass alloy with a high percentages of zinc and sometimes arsenic. This alloy can range from yellow to aluminum in color. It is often still shiny when excavated and was commonly used for buttons in the eighteenth century, particularly 1770-1800 (see Warren K. Tice, Uniform Buttons of the United States 1776-1865, page 2). These buttons are common on Revolutionary War period sites and have also been found at the Battle of Fallen Timbers battlefield in Ohio (see www.heidelberg/FallenTimbers/FTFinal18.html (http://www.heidelberg/FallenTimbers/FTFinal18.html)).

The two tombac buttons recovered at CNC were found at Site 20MD534 and the Ponton site. Both are gray in color and somewhat shiny. The 20MD534 specimen is a flat 1-piece button that measures 14.7 mm in diameter and it's brass shank is broken away. The Ponton specimen is a convex (exterior with concave interior) 1-piece button that measures 24.5 mm in diameter and it's brass shank is present. The Ponton specimen also has some corrosion present.

These buttons are generally considered to date to a period earlier than our occupations. The Ponton site settler cabin dates to the 1830's. It's tombac button is likely intrusive in Feature 4 (we also recovered a fragment of a filagree/cartouche trade knife handle and a stone pipe bowl fragment from this feature that can be associated with a Chippewa occupation). Site 20MD534 is a Chippewa occupation that we have been dating to the 1810's and 1820's based on it's similarity to the Cater site and the gunflints, earthenware and white clay pipe fragments present at it. These buttons might indicate the presence of late eighteenth century sites in the area!

http://www.chippewanaturecenter.com/oxbow/tombac%20buttons.htm

[bob_e99]

Thank you CT for identifying the button and my apologies for not posting a measure next to it. It's 28mm wide.

I'm kicking myself a bit because I should know by now that I should question a lot of the stuff that I find and not assume that it's trash. The history of the button is extremely interesting and I very much appreciate that you took the time to share your knowledge.

Bob

[del]

Bob , tombacs are always a nice sign at sites as they date the place from mid 1700's to about 1810 ( the time period when they were in style or popular) . the fancy ones with designs like you have were usually a bit larger than the average size and were far more uncommon and if your pulling those out of the ground the coppers and silver will be old ones . you can clean tombacs up with some fine steel wool and they will brighten or shine up nice .

Dan

[bob_e99]

Bob , tombacs are always a nice sign at sites as they date the place from mid 1700's to about 1810 ( the time period when they were in style or popular) . the fancy ones with designs like you have were usually a bit larger than the average size and were far more uncommon and if your pulling those out of the ground the coppers and silver will be old ones . you can clean tombacs up with some fine steel wool and they will brighten or shine up nice .

Dan


Thank you for the additional information. I was wondering about whether I should clean it or not but from what you write, I will go ahead and do it. Also, I will hit that site again with great attention and hope I can find more interesting objects (old silver would be really nice).

Bob