I HIT THE LOTTERY (Rev War Lottery Coat Button)!

[Donnie B]

This past Saturday, Danny, Ron and I revisited the small cabin site where Danny dug the 62nd British Regiment of Foot Button two weeks ago. We had high hopes as we marched to the site on the snowy trail! Snow in May! All three of us are swinging Deus machines now and we got to work to see if lightening could strike again. It wasn't long until Ron recovered a Blow Hole button of which I was immensely jealous as I had never found one. I'm not jealous anymore because a few minutes later I got a whisper under a fallen tree limb. I kicked the tree limb out of the way and got a banging 85 on the Deus. I was thinking coin but it turned out to be MY first Blow Hole button. Before recovering the Blow Hole button I had dug another pewter button. It was actually my first signal at the cabin. It was faint and very deep at about 8 - 9 inches. I showed it to Danny and we both thought it was a plain pewter button. I thought the shank was degraded. I didn't notice until I got home and started cleaning it that it had a turret shank. I checked Don Troiani's book and couldn't believe my eyes. It looked like I had found a 1777 - 1778 Continental Army French Contract pewter button with a turret shank! The next day I emailed Don and he confirmed that I had indeed found a Revolutionary War Button! In 1777 the Continental Congress ordered 40,000 suits of clothing from French clothiers. The coats were fitted with pewter, plain face, turret shank buttons. George Washington's aides held a lottery to determine which states lines would receive the suits. This is why they are called Lottery Coats. Here's several photos of my 1777 - 1778 French Contract "Lottery Button"........ I didn't post my finds from the week before but Danny and I had hit an old site that has seen many coils. Danny found an amazing coin weight with a silversmith's touchmark. I found a 1697 French Liard on the lip of that old hole.It looks like 1693 in the last photo but further cleaning confirmed it was a 1697. I think the Universe is telling me I need to learn how to speak French! Vive La France!

[aloldstuff]

Donnie, nice post and congrats on the Rev War button. Great piece of history learned here. Getting a 1697 coin ain't to shabby either.

[calabash digger]

Very nice my friend!!

[Bucknut]

You have hit the lottery many times! Very interesting history with that button. Awesome finds and congrats!

[Full Metal Digger]

Awesome finds! I've never heard of a turret shank before. You had some super finds that are about as old as you can get in the USA. Is that your first 1600's coin? If so, welcome to the 1600's club!

[Donnie B]

Donnie, nice post and congrats on the Rev War button. Great piece of history learned here. Getting a 1697 coin ain't to shabby either.

Thanks! The Liard cleaned up much better than we thought it would. I worked on it some more after these photos were taken and it looks even better now.

Very nice my friend!!

Thanks. Love the Deus. It's the best machine I have ever used in the iron around cellar holes.

You have hit the lottery many times! Very interesting history with that button. Awesome finds and congrats!

Thanks. I'm so glad I bought Don Troiani's book. I had read about turret shanks being military before so I checked the book and it was there. I then emailed Don to confirm. That's two Rev War buttons from that tiny little site now counting Dan's.

Awesome finds! I've never heard of a turret shank before. You had some super finds that are about as old as you can get in the USA. Is that your first 1600's coin? If so, welcome to the 1600's club!

I had read about turret shanks before being military so that's what gave me my first clue when I was cleaning the button. I then checked Don Troiani's book and it was there. I emailed Don the next day to confirm before I posted it anywhere. That's now my sixth 1600's coin and second Liard. They don't come up often.

[CTTodd]

That’s a sweet find Donnie. Congrats

[Lodge Scent]

Good work Donnie B!

[Donnie B]

That’s a sweet find Donnie. Congrats

Thanks Todd. It's my first confirmed Revolutionary War button. I found a possible 47th Regiment of Foot button a few months ago but didn't get a definitive confirmation from Don Troiani. He said it might be a 47th but the condition is very poor.

Good work Donnie B!

Thanks! It's still sitting next to me on my desk.

[badgers325]

Congrat miseur. I think that is French. 1697 coin is beyond awesome as well as the turret button. It pays to clean things to see what they all are. Not only did you find it, congrats on doing the research and figuring out what it is. Great work!!

[OxShoeDrew]

Wow, Donnie...datable Liard! They're rare!! Nice job! I can't believe we're still dodging snow!