Any idea on this small button

[Anonymous]

I know the picture isn't real good. The front of the button is smooth. Only letters on the back I can make out are MP on the top and ARD across the bottom. It's about a 1/2" dia. Found it in the middle of a field that had so many nails and iron junk that the detector was nulling out almost all the time.
Mike

 

[Anonymous]

It's a "coin button", fairly common find (though a nice one). I'm betting the writing says "Imperial Standard". Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it is of the civil war era but not necessarily limited to that time frame. I've heard they could be of civilian origin and some are found on confederate sites due to a lack of uniform equipment. I'll attach a picture of mine. HH

 

[Anonymous]

an overall button with the word: Mallard on it. I can't really see the image well enough to tell. Overall buttons will have iron rust in the center, and usually a turret back. As for Coin/Flat/Penny buttons, these go way back before the Civil War era. Older styles were cast pewter, then later copper, brass, silver and even gold, although many brass buttons were gold or silver plate. Treble Gilt, Rich Orange Colour, etc refers to the claimed quality of plating. These one piece buttons were plentiful at the outbreak of the CW, and many early Confederate uniforms were adorned with them. I have examined a great number of early Tennessee Confederate Tin Type photographs where the Soldier had "Penny buttons" on his uniform. They are civilian, and are common finds in Confederate camps/house sites and on occasion, Union camps. Good hunting, David @ Dixie <center><a href="http://www.dixie-metal-detectors.com"><img src="/metal/html/d-m.jpg"></center>