Any button experts out here???

[bombgod1]

Found this button at an old house foundation. I hoping somone out here can help me date it so I will know about when the house was occupied. Button is the size of a dime and has three stars, one on three sides and a steam engine with coal car on the top. I hope the picture helps. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[VaBill]

There are tons of "self proclamed" experts out there. Im not one of them. Im not sure its a button but if it is I have no idea what it is.

 

[ThatCannonballGuy]

Hello again Bombgod1. Thank you for your kind words about my book. Having been a relic-digger for over 30 years, I'm certain that what you've found isn't technically a button ...it's the "collar" part of a overalls-rivet (in this case, a Railroad Worker's overalls). It's what the over-the-shoulders straps fasten to, on the top front of the overalls. In case you've never seen what I'm talking about, a very similar collared-rivet is located above the zipper on most blue-jeans. A rivet is used because a button (attached by thread) isn't strong enough to hold the two pieces of jeans-fabric together. Because rivets of this type have been in use from before the civil war up to today, there's no way to be certain how old your item is.

Regards,
TheCannonballGuy (PCGeorge)

 

[Angela (Australia)]

Hellop Bombgod1, can you clean it up further, maybe use some WD40? Because there appears to be a pattern or inscription, which might help us determine something about the rivet.
Angela