What is it

[bamaart]

I went hunting with Member Lee today and found this button, Can anyone tell me about it ? Lee said that it may be rare.

[coinnut]

What does the back look like. Any pictures of the reverse may help.

[chief5709]

Wow if that's a regiment button. I'm not familiar with that style of construction (first I've seen). I bet Del will be able to id it.

[bamaart]

After a little late night research, It leans toward the 85th Saintonge Regiment under Compte De Rechambeau. They were in my neighborhood.

[del]

heres the issues I have with the button Bamaart...

The button's construction is all wrong with buttons from Rochambeau's time period . they should be made or cast pewter or brass.

the number and design , the loop all look machine pressed or stamped and very modern as well.

theres no patina on the button and after over 200 years in the ground there would be more.

I know another member here found a similar button on a town green where Rochambeau's troops were suppose to have been as well , his looked more like an early 50's or 60's crude re-enactors type .


Dan

[lee]

del. its very heavy mate , ive never felt a button so heavy !!! the shank is iron cos its rusted but still there.
the button i think is made of brass or bronze and is in two pieces and folded around on the back very cruedly.
Rochambeau did infact bring 400 troops to this green when he came to meet washington acording to the historical sociaty of the town , this is also the same green where chrisinct found his royal provicals button and i have found 18 musket balls and 8 mini balls.
i think you need to see this thing in the flesh del to conferm what it is (real or not) .
del is the master of relics bam and what ever he says i would go with......but bloody hell its nice :loveit: :loveit: :loveit:

[del]

Lee buttons back then were of a 1-piece cast construction of either brass , pewter or even lead , iron wasn't used in button construction until about the 1860's and much later.

this was the standard look of the French buttons in the Revolutionary war era .

[lee]

i see what you mean del.
well there ya go kevin......so near but yet so far.......still a cool find though mate.

[bamaart]

OK, I had the Watermen's Museum in Yorktown , PA. examine the button. Staff archaeologist Jason Lunge said that it is from the 85th san...How ever you spell it. And that it was a pressed enlisted mans button not a caste officer's button. But said that $500.00 would be an extremely conservative estimate.

[bamaart]

And I'm going back....there were a lot of other beeps in the same area.

[lee]

yes...yes...yes...i knew it .....weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
congrats mate and im glad i was there when you dug it.

[del]

hey bamaart the button i posted is an enlisted man's button not an officer's . i would strongly suggest getting a hold of Don Troiani he has written a few books and has done extensive research on this subject , he would be an authority on these type of buttons and could varify its authenticity.

please let us know what he says .

Dan