I know there's a lot of history buffs here, help ID this oddball Military button?

[TooSlo86]

Found by a buddy of mine while metal detecting. Everything about it is the Great Seal of the United States.........EXCEPT that there is only 3 stars above the eagles head, not 13 as there has always been since 1789. We've found one person who has found an identical one but no solid answers. http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=111091

From what I can tell the riveted button was patented in 1872 by Levis Strauss and couldn't be replicated (patented) until 1890 by other companies, so that puts this somewhere after 1890 most likely, unless Levis made it.

militarypin-1.JPGP0011140.JPG
P0011143.JPGpin3.JPG

[black88coupe]

Thats cool!

[TooSlo86]

Thats cool!

Agreed, it's one of the cooler things he's found and brought in. It would be a lot cooler if we could figure out why there are only 3 stars

[TooSlo86]

So we figured out from a Civil War button collector/dealer that it is a WWI era overall button.

[nitrouspete]

worth?....i always watch that diggers show..they go crazy when they find something and then the potential value is like 5$

[TooSlo86]

True, I've only seen the show once myself. I think your chances of finding anything with real value is slim to none, but it's cool just to find something with history if you can track down what it is, or when it came from. I don't do it myself, but he brings the stuff in then we try to figure out the vintage and most of the times wth it even is/was.

[Falcon64]

Thats the General Service button 1902 to present but the three stars on top is unique. Email a photo to CCParks@Clarkcountynv.gov Mark Hall the curator of the Clark County Museum. He can probably tell you what it is.

Keep us posted on what you find.

[TooSlo86]

Thats the General Service button 1902 to present but the three stars on top is unique. Email a photo to CCParks@Clarkcountynv.gov Mark Hall the curator of the Clark County Museum. He can probably tell you what it is.

Keep us posted on what you find.

Thanks Jeff! Will do.