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Thread: USA Button cleaning - midpoint

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    USA Button cleaning - midpoint

    I found a USA button about 3 years ago and frankly I was just too afraid to try and clean it. The last thing I wanted to do was destroy probably one of the coolest relics that I would ever find. But I practiced on some other buttons and decided to give it a go.

    First two pics are the original front and back. The last few nights I have been gingerly scraping away the dirt with tooth picks and a dental pick. I was afraid of what I might find under the dirt but I am getting more and more excited as it seems like it is a pretty solid surface. The edges look pretty scary in a few places though. I'm just going to continue to take my time and make sure I am removing dirt and not pewter. The button is shiny because I've been hitting it with the wife's hairspray to seal it and keep it from drying out and crumbling. It's worked well for 3 years.

    One of the coolest aspects of this button for me is if you look at that last picture at the tip of the toothpick. It is pointing to some threads still attached to the shank. And with a strong magnifier you can clearly see that it is blue thread !

    Wish me luck !
    Attached Images Attached Images     
    Oldest find: 5,000 year old copper spearhead
    Oldest coin: 1699 William III halfpenny
    Purdiest coin: 1832 Capped Bust quarter
    Coolest find: USA button with blue threads still on shank

    "He who would search for pearls must dive below."

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