I have had this thing for at least 30 years and still not sure of what it is. the small hole in the center has a tiny bit of gold in it. this is struck on this side only.
You very well may be right but I can't see why if it was a old button that someone would need to add the gold in the center of it and mark it as warranted fine gilt. I have heard old storys about some companies making things we could use as our coinage before the USA started making a lot of coins. this may be something like that or a button like you said . Maybe someone will see this thing that knows for sure what it is.
looks like a button to me also you may want to either post a pic of the other side and/or check out some of the buttons here http://www.civilwarbuttons.com/infantry.htm especially some of the 1812 officers buttons
Yeah rascal it's a button like the other guys say. The stamp is called a buttonback or button backstamp. Manufacturers generally identified their products with their company names or phrases similiar to this. The center isn't gold, it's the remnants of a brass loop used to fasten the button to an article of clothing. Some of these are known counterstamped on coins and many are documented as to the manufacturer. I don't know who made this one, but it may be Scovill who was a huge button maker for both civilian and military applications. Bruce
Thanks guys for the information. Now I know what it is , looks like we never get too old to keep learning new things. I'm not a button collector so this thing will be looking for a new home.
I would like to invite a certain member to see what your very first thread was.. But maybe you wouldn't care what he thinks. I've known you for a very long time. My apologies if I recently said anything to upset you in any way. But Roy the way you state things are irking at times. I'm being honest.
