Button ID

[SteveStonewall Brigaide]

Yesterday while detecting with my deus 2 I found a small metal button. I know very little about old buttons. I have been detecting for quite a few years but a button like this has eluded me. Can anyone possibly id it and maybe an idea when it was made. The dime is just for size comparison. 
Thanks.

[F350Platinum]

Hey SteveSB,

Your button is what I would call a "small flat", the "DON" indicates it was made in London, England. Not sure where you are but I've found many of these in my part of Virginia, they are old but not early colonial, depending on the shank type they have.

Here is a good general but not great quick reference to identify buttons:

Yours is probably anywhere from 1785-1820, it's brass but may have been plated. looks like a cuff or vest button. 🙂

 

[SteveStonewall Brigaide]

Hey F350Platinum,

I really appreciate that info. That will help me a lot. I am in SW Virginia, Floyd Co, and found it at an old home site dating early to maybe mid 1800’s. 

[F350Platinum]

11 hours ago, SteveStonewall Brigaide said:

Hey F350Platinum,

I really appreciate that info. That will help me a lot. I am in SW Virginia, Floyd Co, and found it at an old home site dating early to maybe mid 1800’s. 

Nice to talk to ya then! I'm in Northern VA, in one of the first settled counties after James City, ca. 1640s. Buncha folks were brought here because they disagreed with things in MD. If one brought settlers, one was given land and money. 🙂

I probably have ~200 buttons of all types and sizes from lead to Tombac to brass, some gilt, one or two silver. It's been quite the history lesson these past 4 years.

The best places for you to find the old are farms that were prosperous. I've been lucky in that regard.

[SteveStonewall Brigaide]

Good to talk to you as well. Wow a lot of history there. Great on your finds. We don’t have that down here so the best finds are far between. 

[CPT_GhostLight]

Congrats on your button find, well done!