Tag?........

[JB(MS)]

Found this tag at an old plantation site. According to the landowner all the buildings were torn down and/or burned before 1950 and is now woods and pasture land. The newest coin found there was a 1917, the oldest 1841. Was told it was a luggage or baggage tag from a ship but got my doubts about that. I think it may be a livestock tag of some kind. Didn't find anything doing searches and since some oddball things are ID'ed here I thought I'd give it a shot. It's brass and almost exactly the same diameter as a half dollar.
<center><img src="http://www.boomspeed.com/cleotus/america18.jpg"></center>

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

n/t

 

[JB(MS)]

I've never heard of a slave tag being found in this part of Mississippi, and while I certainly wouldn't mind finding one I'd say chances are pretty slim that the tag I found is a slave tag.

 

[dirtykneesrus]

Appears to be a livestock tag. However I have not seen one with "America" on it. Typically just a number.

 

[JB(MS)]

I've found several livestock tags that had just numbers. Most were round, two or three were square and one triangle shaped that was a lot bigger than the others, also a couple that had a letter and a number. Never saw one that had a word on it, but considering the old plantation site is in a pasture that has a lot of cattle in it I think it probably is a livestock tag. Thanks for the input.

 

[Texas T]

[size=medium][/size]
49 years ago I worked in the bottom of overseas cargo ships,directing the long-shore man unloading the cargo. Cargo is unloaded in such a manner as to keep the vessel stable, (not tilting). The manifest dictated the order of unloading, considering weight distribution.In Port lingo, the cargo was divided into"Chops" All cargo (Chops) for each receiver had a tag with destination (Country) & a number.Some tags say from Japan were stamped on tin discs, Some from the middle
East were Brass. History-note Some private & commercial,valuable
cargo tags were brass,so if the ship foundered, The cargo owners could be identified if salvaged.Your tag is old, the hole is hot-punched, the style of the letters I think are mid-to-late 1800,to early 1900,s.
Is your tag a Cargo tag? The chances are greater that it is, than not. Slave Tag "NO"--Stock-Tag-"NO" (To heavy & expensive)As for any value of the tag it self.Same as the Crown-Jewels** In the eyes of the beholder. PEACE JOY & PROSPERITY!

 

[JB(MS)]

As I said in the original post, I was told, by a friend who used to run an antique store, that it was a luggage or baggage tag from a ship but considering where it was found I didn't think so. It could very well be a cargo tag as the site where it was found was a huge plantation with wealthy owners so it's not a stretch to think they could have had something sent from overseas. Thanks for the input.