My first substantial find with new etrac

[JohnnyI]

This is my first attempt also to use "photobucket, so I hope it comes through. First, thanks to those who convinced me to back drag several inches off the top of my "iron patch", and thanks 3ringer for the ferrous program!
I skimmed off about 8 inches a few inches at a time, and used the new 6" coil. at three inches down I found old gravel which had been a road which ran in front of the house to the icehouse. (this area is presently my wife's back lawn (oh yeah, thanks wife too!) There was dark soil above this gravel, and several inches below it was busted brick (probably from the 1780's addition work) and a litter of nails. At this eight inch level I finally got a poor signal (ferrous reading of 30, which turned to 15 after it was removed) but it was higher tone at times and repeated. At a further depth of at least another eight inches I pulled out this button. At first it seemed to be the common early 1800's plain brass, and I was going to bet it said "orange gilt" or something similar on the back. I hope the scan shows it clearly (I haven't cleaned it yet) but it is the 1820 Monroe button; missing shank, but who cares! Now I've fouind the "Long live the president" laural wreath with a fisher, the "jackson" (also back-marked) with a white's,and now this back-marked Monroe with the etrac. Hurray! The adreniline is still coarsing. Still have to sift all the soil I removed. Here's the scan. Hope it works... <img src="http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj255/johnirwin_2008/monroe.jpg" border="0" alt="monroe button">

 

[JohnnyI]

More from the pit today.... <img src="http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj255/johnirwin_2008/outofpit-1.jpg" border="0" alt="out of the pit">

 

[3RINGER]

That is good news! I knew it would come together in the end and if you saved the top soil you will never know you've been there when you recap it.

Many more years of hunting in that spot I bet.

WTG!

 

[JohnnyI]

Thanks 3ringer. Yes, many more years I hope. Here's a picture of "the pit" which occupies a tiny portion of the lawn. It is keeping me busy!

<img src="http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj255/johnirwin_2008/thepit2.jpg" border="0" alt="the pit 2">

 

[3RINGER]

Take each layer of dirt you pull off (2-3'' at a time) and put it on a large tarp. Use that large magnet I spoke of to pull out the iron then use the detector on it.

Once you are done with that layer place it on another tarp and start over. When your done you should have one big pile on one tarp to sift back in the hole if you want to get out the other items.

Looks like a great dig though. The way listed above will get that dirt out of your way in the hole and the use of the tarps will keep the grass clean of lose dirt as well.

HH

 

[ashdigger]

I really like seeing those buttons come out, great finds,

 

[treasurefiend]

n/t

 

[JohnnyI]

Thanks tresurefind. I'm still working on researching it, but so far have found very little. I'm really hoping for some feedback from someone who might have a similar button. I was able to find a reference to what must have been the button eventually listed in Albert's last book (PC 75 A), a reference which is from a 2005 Heritage Auction Gallery web site.

quote,

"Extremely Rare James Monroe Back-Name Clothing Button. A very important piece, both to political and clothing button collectors, it is not listed either by Sullivan of Albert. The front is blank, while the back has two concentric bands. The outer band has "Monroe" in incused letters, with a vine of leaves completing the perimeter. Around the shank are the words "extra strong." We have never seen one of these before, and did not know of its existence. It fits, of course, into the tradition of political back-name buttons generally thought to have begun with various varieties for Andrew Jackson. As any political collector knows, period Monroe items are prohibitively rare.
This is a brass button, but it was long in the ground, and has an even patina of thin surface corrosion. The original shank seems to have been replaced, and then the replacement shank also broke off (perhaps the occasion which caused it to be thrown to the ground). Perhaps not a very esthetically pleasing piece, but certainly an important one. Diameter 19mm."

Apparently the button was not sold, which probably indicates a prohibitive reserve bid, or possibly an unwillingness to bid on what had at the time not been listed anywhere, or maybe even a collector holding out for a button with a shank attached. (so far, neither example, this one or the one I found, has its shank.) Anyway, check those backmarks! There have to be more of these sitting in detectorist's drawers gathering dust.

* By the way, all these political back name buttons are so cool, as they give some glimpse into what the society of the Federal period must have been like. I doubt if anyone wearing them "flashed them" to a friend, but instead, it was probably something more like when you visited a home and offered your coat, the host would have a chance to take a gander at the backmark and know where you stood when it came to the "delicate" subjects of conversations to come. Just my guess.