The next time you rummage through your button stash to find a replacement button for a missing one, you might look for more than that replacement button. Vintage U.S. military buttons can be worth money—especially early ones, like pre-Civil War era or even some later ones from World War II. Following are some ways to determine the age of U.S. military buttons.
Identifying U.S. Military Buttons
There is a wealth of detailed information available in collector books and on military collector sites to help identify military buttons. This article is meant to provide enough information to help you narrow down the age range of your buttons. Feel free to research further if you want more information.
Most early military buttons can be identified by the following characteristics: construction, motif, and backmarks. Properly identifying your button will help you date it.
Button Construction
This Civil War period button has a
brazed shank(shown below), with the shank soldered to the button base. This early button sold recently for $24.99.
Most military buttons are made of metal, usually brass or pewter. When you examine the button’s construction, notice how the shank (an extension on the back of the button through which the thread passes) is attached. If it has a soldered appearance, referred to as a brazed shank, it was likely manufactured during the 18th or 19th centuries. A two-piece construction that is crimped together was manufactured in 1813 and used until the 1830s. A two-piece construction attached by a thin rim, referred to as a staff button, was used from the 1830s to 1902.
Civil War-era buttons (1861-1865) usually have a circular depression surrounding the shank. Buttons with the shank inset into holes were common after 1918, following World War I. Buttons with tinned-iron backs and stamped-brass backs were typical from the 1880s to the 1920s.
Button Motif
Early military buttons’ motifs usually include an eagle, anchor, or state seal. Below is a representation of each of the five U.S. military branches. The design on the face of the button can help date it.
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Marine
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Army
U.S. Army buttons had some modest design changes during the 19th century which can narrow down a timeframe. Letter buttons with an “A, C, D, I, R, or V” on the eagle’s shield, representing artillery, cavalry, dragoons, infantry, riflemen, and voltigeurs, date from 1821 to 1902. Buttons with a flat-lined shield date from 1854 to 1875. Buttons with a raised-lined shield date from 1875 to 1902.
U.S. Army buttons with a “C” on the eagle’s shield represent cavalry. This Army button sold in November 2020 for $27.
In 1902, the design featuring the coat of arms of the United States was introduced which included an eagle with the escutcheon on its breast, olive branch and bundle of arrows in its talons, and a crest above its head with 13 stars encircling it. This design had some modifications throughout the years but remains on U.S. Army buttons still today.
U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy buttons’ design of an eagle resting on a horizontal anchor changed little over the years except for the direction the eagle faced. From 1851 to 1941, the eagle is facing left (viewer’s right). From 1941 to present, the eagle is facing right. The shift of the eagle’s position is because the right side is considered the honor side of the shield. Other pre-Civil War variations include an anchor without an eagle or an eagle resting on a slanted fouled anchor.
This U.S. Navy pre-Civil War design is rarer and hard to find. This pristine example button sold in November 2006 for $167.50.
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Air Force buttons have changed little from when the branch was created in 1947. Originally, the design included a shield with an eagle on a crest with 13 stars encircling it. In 1994, the design changed to a star with wings known as the Hap Arnold Wings. From 1947 to 1949, the button was gold gilded. Thereafter it was silver plated.
This U.S. Air Force Hap Arnold Wings design button is newer. A lot of 10 buttons sold in July 2020 for $35.
U.S. Marine Corps
U.S. Marine Corps buttons’ design includes an eagle holding a loop of anchor cable in his beak, grasping the ring and stock of a slanting fouled anchor with his talons, with 13 stars arced above. This design has changed little from when it was introduced in 1821, so it’s harder to date U.S. Marine Corps buttons based on the motif.
U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard buttons changed quite a bit throughout the early years. The branch was created in 1915 which merged the Revenue Cutter Service with the U.S. Life-Saving Service and later included the Lighthouse Service and U.S. Navigation Service. As a result, buttons from each of these services that eventually became part of the U.S. Coast Guard are identified as that branch.
Most U.S. Life-Saving Service buttons’ design includes the initials “U.S.L.S.S.” This rarer lifeboat design sold in June 2018 for $202.50.
Most buttons under the Revenue Cutter Service, dated from the 1820s, include the U.S. Treasury shield with a horizontal fouled anchor resting on top. Most U.S. Life-Saving Service buttons, dated from 1878, contain a lifesaver (ring) or lifeboat with crossed oar and hook and the initials “U.S.L.S.S.” Most buttons under the Lighthouse Service, dated from 1884, include a lighthouse or the initials “U.S.L.H.E.” to represent the U.S. Light House Establishment. Most U.S. Navigation Service buttons, dated from 1884, contain a three-masted sailing ship with the initials “U.S.N.S.”
U.S. Coast Guard buttons’ design, introduced in 1916, includes an eagle resting on a vertical fouled anchor with its crown and flukes between a 13-leaf wreath of oak and laurel. Just like the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard buttons changed the direction the eagle faced, from left to right, in 1941.
Button Backmarks
This U.S. Army button includes a backmark with the manufacturer and location. This early example sold in November 2020 for $19.99.
The button backmark is wording that identifies the button manufacturer or outfitter and often the company’s location (city and state). Most early U.S. military button manufacturers were American companies, several were British, and a few were French manufactures. Many manufacturing companies made military buttons during a certain timeframe, so knowing the manufacturer can help provide a period of time. A simple internet search for the manufacturer should yield date information of when that company was in operation. As previously mentioned, there is plenty of published information about dating military buttons based on their backmarks if you want to learn more.
Another date indicator is the backmark impression. Buttons that typically date from the 1830s to the 1850s have a raised backmark in a depressed channel (RMDC). Buttons that typically date to the 1860s or later have depressed backmarks (DM), where the lettering looks hand stamped into the metal.
Additionally, backmarking was produced by die stamping, and over time, the dies were replaced. Subtle differences in the backmark dies are another way to date buttons.
Good Starting Point
Hopefully, this information provided a good starting point for identifying and narrowing down a timeframe for your U.S. military buttons. Now I better get moving; I have a tin full of buttons to comb through in search of potential treasures.
Karen Weiss is a freelance writer and enjoys decorating her home with vintage finds from her many collections. She also has an Etsy shop called SimplePatinaFinds.
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