Vernon in Virginia~Formerly Alaska
New member
[size=medium]OK the link didn't work without registering, so I'll copy and paste what I had sent in for submission to Western & Eastern Best Finds [/size]
[size=large] While detecting around an old stone chimney in the woods, I unearthed this Civil War sword plate bearing the letters MVM. I had been searching along the route of Lee's retreat to Appomattox in the final days of the Civil War, not far from the battle of Cumberland Church in central Virginia. After months of correspondence with the top Civil War relic authorities in the United States, plus having the plate on the cover of a Civil War relic magazine, this unique belt plate has baffled the experts and still remains a mystery. They all agree that it is authentic, was made just before or during the Civil War by the means of sand cast mold. It is agreed by all that the "VM" in the MVM initials stands for "Volunteer Militia". The question is, what does the first "M" stand for? The CW relic experts speculate it could stand for any of the northern or southern states beginning with the letter "M", or possibly a unit designation, or perhaps even the name of a city or town. To date, there is no known matching example or era photo of this belt plate. It remains a one of a kind, find of a lifetime. Perhaps one day the answer to this mystery will be solved.
*Value Undetermined [/size]
[attachment 69987 MVMplatejustdug.jpg]
[attachment 69988 MVMplatefront.jpg]
[attachment 69989 MVMplateback.jpg]
[attachment 69990 MarkParkerletter.jpg]
[size=large] While detecting around an old stone chimney in the woods, I unearthed this Civil War sword plate bearing the letters MVM. I had been searching along the route of Lee's retreat to Appomattox in the final days of the Civil War, not far from the battle of Cumberland Church in central Virginia. After months of correspondence with the top Civil War relic authorities in the United States, plus having the plate on the cover of a Civil War relic magazine, this unique belt plate has baffled the experts and still remains a mystery. They all agree that it is authentic, was made just before or during the Civil War by the means of sand cast mold. It is agreed by all that the "VM" in the MVM initials stands for "Volunteer Militia". The question is, what does the first "M" stand for? The CW relic experts speculate it could stand for any of the northern or southern states beginning with the letter "M", or possibly a unit designation, or perhaps even the name of a city or town. To date, there is no known matching example or era photo of this belt plate. It remains a one of a kind, find of a lifetime. Perhaps one day the answer to this mystery will be solved.
*Value Undetermined [/size]
[attachment 69987 MVMplatejustdug.jpg]
[attachment 69988 MVMplatefront.jpg]
[attachment 69989 MVMplateback.jpg]
[attachment 69990 MarkParkerletter.jpg]