button id ?

[bootyhoundpa]

[attachment 286065 phpEceRW8PM.jpg][attachment 286065 phpEceRW8PM.jpg] found this button today.. appears to be only the front half of a 2 piece button... any ideas on exactly what it was... the place I found it ranges from mid 1700s to 1970s... thanks in advance..... bootyhound..

 

[bootyhoundpa]

size wise its about the size of a Lincoln cent diameter ....

 

[Aarong81]

Civilian iron back button which is why the back is missing, Common around 1950. It is copied from a Civil War Navy design shown below....
http://images.oneofakindantiques.com/7168_civil_war_navy_buttons_1.jpg http://www.yankeerebelantiques.com/media/3/a2079291243f2066214bf9_m.jpg
Below is an example of a modern Blazer button with an iron/tin back....

Most, if not all, of the modern blazer Navy style buttons with iron/tin backs had self shanks. Self shanks were never used by the US Military. Below shows the back of the same button as you have....

Most of the sources cannot be linked here per rules since they are from competitor sites.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Thank you so much AA81.i do appreciate that info.. funny thing is I found it in a part of the feild where I had found civil war buttons in the past, but there is no disputing your findings . You certainly nailed that ID and once again thank you very much..