A Friend Needs Help With Button ID

[Bell-Two]

A friend on another forum posted this: Ok guys you are the best I know with these types of finds...what is the answer?

found this flat button last weekend and was wondering if any of you could help ID it. It hard to see in the photo but on the back is an eagle facing to the right with a single arrow in one foot. Beside the other foot it looks like wheat. Stars circle the button at least on the bottom left side. The front is plain as far as I can tell. If it's any help it was found in the same location that I found three coins from the 1700s one day a few years ago along with other buttons I could date to the late 1700s to the early 1800s. Any help you can offer would be great.

http://i643.photobucket.com/albums/uu156/mallett65/DSCN0481_zpsb53445d3.jpg (http://s643.photobucket.com/user/mallett65/media/DSCN0481_zpsb53445d3.jpg.html)

[coinnut]

I'm not sure if this is accurate or not, but I have always thought of those type of back marks as being of patriotic design. There are a few different ones out there. They may have even been a trademark of sorts for a specific company, but I have never seen them listed or associated with a particular button maker. The problem with flat buttons with out a makers name is, that they end up being unattributed to anyone. I love the design and I am always happy to see one like that. I usually date these after 1800.

[del]

Tony , there has been much forum debate on these type of buttons . some say military some say civilian. here are some things to think about , after each large military campaign there was a large surplus of items the government sold off . even button suppliers would reuse some of their stock to save money.

Now this button could very well be an enlisted man's button some of these were plain fronts but had to have a military themed reverse. It could be as Coinnut mentioned a patriotic button sold for civilian use . I tend to lean to either of the last two possibilities . regardless of the type it is an old button and has a raised winged federal type eagle and were prevalent from 1800 to about 1830.

Dan

[Timewarpdigger]

Congrats on the find. Interesting button. Safe & HH

[giant056]

I've found a couple buttons that are the one piece as well but a different design, I've been told a few different things, I even seen one on the cover of Western Eastern Treasures identical to the one that I found, they claimed it was a military button but also I've heard that they might have been production over runs where they put the shank on the emblem side and sold it to civilian's. ???

[Otis Campbell]

Very unusual button for sure! I enjoy seeing all the input from other diggers. Great read.