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Productive half hour today!

jbow

Active member
I stopped by a place I know after work today and spent about 30 minutes swinging and digging before the thunderstorm ran me off. I found a "pain bullet", one of these small three ringers that come's to a sharp point. Then it got a little better... I found a button back. It is about the size of a quarter and the back, where there is a single metal loop, is grey. There is writing on it. Looking at the back there is a crown at the middle top, then within a circle of dots are the words "Extra Quality". Between the crown and the words and two stars. Outside the ring of dots are some more words that I cannot read. I will take a pic and post it later... plus a pic of the next item...

Then it got even better. I almost threw this one away because I thought it was surely trash BUT... I found a Sutler's token. One issued by "D.J. Church" who was the regimental Sutler for the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry... It is a very thin token and I am very glad that I kept it...

I'll post pix later but the token wont show much, we had to maginfy it to tell what it was. Maybe I can get someone to take a pic that will show the detail a little.

The token seem's to be one sided and this is all I can make out on the face... One, Goods, D. J. Church, Sutler; then we read 105 around the edge with a lot of other letters we cannot make out.

I involve my wife in my hunting this way... I let her try and ID things that I bring home and she love's it!.. me too!!

http://105ovi.authentic-campaigner.com/personalities105.html#church

J
 
There are two minnies in the pictures that came from this site, one has a hollow base and the other is solid and slightly smaller, they both seem to have teeth marks, the site was a hospital. The token is the smaller disk and one photo show's how thin it is. The button measures 1 1/8" across and has a lip that came out around whatever was in the front, it is like a bezel. There is a small metal frame that I found there last week in one photo. This is the same site that produced the candle holder.

J

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That was a great day J! Never throw away anything you can't positively ID. It's amazing how much "junk" turns out to be a great find. Good hunting, David @ Dixie
 
n/t
 
Your bullet on the left appears to have been carved (center rings cut away). It is a carbine bullet, used mostly by Cavalry. One piece button predates the CW era, and has a backmark that I can't read. Let us know what your token reads. Teeth marks are common finds to a degree, but do not indicate a Hospital site per se. Most all men and young boys carried pocket knives, so carving lead bullets and wood were favorite past time activities during periods of inactivity. Biting or chewing on bullets as well. I have found many chewed bullets from campsites and bivouac areas. The longtime thought that Soldiers would bite down on bullets during amputation is a myth in my opinion. Surgeons carried a device in their medical kit that consisted of a wooden dowel wrapped with a leather thong. If this wasn't available, a small stick of wood could pass as a substitute. The danger of swallowing a lead bullet would have done more damage (choke) than good. We find carved and chewed bullets anywhere troops were static. Good hunting and thanks for the pics.
 
What is a backmark. I'll take a closer look. Your idea about the bitten bullets make's sense. There was, however a Confederate hospital on the site, in the original house. It burned sometime in the late 1800s and the current house was built in 1905 by either the sister or aunt, some close kin of, Bobby Jones, the golfer.

Julien
 
A backmark is a maker or merchant mark found on the back of most, but not all buttons. A "local" bm is a term we use when referring to a Confederate button made "locally" in the South which has a blank back. However, you will find blank backs on some Union buttons as well. Many of these Northern buttons made their way into Confederate hands, as some Northern button companies had family or business ties to Southern families or businesses. There are several good books on military buttons, but the McGuinn/Bazelon "backmark" book is $20 and a great investment to learn about backmarks. It is how we determine the approximate age of buttons. As for the hospital site, look at CW period pix of house site hospitals; you'll generally see men lounging around the yard while recouperating; doing all sorts of things to pass the time. Such as chew on bullets :laugh: You'll also find dropped and carved bullets unless the area has been worked over by other Detectorists. Good hunting, David
 
Nice...
 
I don't know if this is it but it has a crown of sorts at the top of the back. It isn't a pointy crown but a wide crown with two loops for the top/sides. Sort of like a "Crown Royal" thing.

J
 
Several years ago I was lucky enough to find a camp of the 105th Ohio here in Tennessee. We dug 5 of the suttlers tokens like yours in this camp along with many other things including an Ohio breastplate. Here is what is on my tokens, front side:
"Good for 5 cents in goods at D.J. Church's Suttler 105 Reg. O.V.I."
Back side:
" John Stanton Stamp Brand Cutter Cincinnati"
Hope this helps. Donnie V
PS- The tokens that we dug look exactly like yours and are very thin. I'll bet that yours says the same thing.
 
Yeah... from what I can read, that is what it say's. I can see no lettering on the back and can't read but about half of the front. Since it is so thin I don't want to damage it. I have cleaned it some with dish detergent, water, and a toothbrush. Do you have any suggestions for getting it cleaner without damaging it. I realize my responsibility for whatever I do and wont hold you or anyone responsible for advice, if I take it. So.. you have any ideas? I have some Naval Jelly but am afraid to put that on it. I guess I need to buy an ultrasonic cleaner.

Julien
 
First of all, I wouldn't try to clean it with anything other than olive oil. Those tokens were lightly stamped and can be damaged with several cleaners. I would soak it in virgin olive oil for several days and wash it off with warm, soapy water and a soft tooth brush. If that doesn't work, I would leave it alone. Good find but you may just have to display it as it is. Donnie V
 
Nice finds jbow! If what you and Donnie V. says is correct about the Sutler token then it is a rare piece. In the book "Civil War Sutler Tokens and Cardboard Script" by David Schenkman (1983), he lists the 5 cent piece from Church as a rarity R8 (between 5-10 known) in brass and an R9 (1-4 known) in copper. Either way, a nice rare token that is just full of history.
 
Hello jbow, the round relic with the pretty design looks very similar to a square one I found not long ago. I believed mine to be a belt buckle, but it has no back belt loop. Nice find.
HH Angela:)
 
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