Old Flat Button

[Geologyhound]

I was back out to a Civil War site this last weekend, and found what appears to be an omega shank flat button.  From what little I know about buttons this may date it to post-1800?  I have been carefully trying to clean the back and can make out GOOD(Y?) ??(U?) ? (BE?)ST (L or I)(O?)N(N or V?).  Letters in parentheses with ?‘s are uncertain.  Question marks by themselves indicate spaces where there might be more letters.  If I knew what it was supposed to say it would help the cleaning process. Any ideas?  I don’t see any identifying marks on the front, but there appears to be a layer of patina, paint, or something on the front surface.

In addition, I found a brass “identification tag” and a 1955 Ford Custom-line V-8 sedan Tootsie Toy (Chicago) which appears to have been a rollover accident 😏.  Sadly, the identification tag does not have any discernible name on the front or back.

These were all found using a D2 with an 11 x 13 coil.  Depending on the number of nails, I was switching between deep high conductivity, my custom fast, and Tekkna. The button was found in a square nail bed with Tekkna and was about 6-7 inches down. For every hole in that area my pinpointer would go nuts and I would dig about a half dozen nail bits before finding the target.

I would greatly appreciate any input from button aficionados.  Thanks!

[JCR]

Interesting finds.  Once you get the button back as clean as possible without loosing details you can wet it & sprinkle dry white chalk on it & gently work it into the lettering. This may help on the faded lettering.  Light oil works better than water.

[L David Keith]

Might be Goodrich New Orleans, LA