Circa 1790s Eagle and Star Button. Cobb-17, Albert WI-12F, DeWitt-unlisted, Baker-unlisted. Brass. Choice About Uncirculated.

17.7 mm. Original shank intact. Handsome olive brass with glossy surfaces, traces of luster in the recesses and just a couple of old scratches near the right edge. Boldly impressed and with exceptional eye appeal. The brass solder at the shank appears bright, but this is typical of those we have seen of this size. The stamped surface is superb, and this was clearly never a lost-and-found button, but rather one that must have been put away shortly after it was issued. Cobb did not own an example of this button and as of 1968, he had confirmed the location of only one, presumably that plated by Albert, which is not the same as this. It was reported that B.G. Johnson turned up a dozen from an original pair of breeches, first published in 1961. Those that have been offered in recent years seem to be nice enough to have largely come from that set, which was broken up.

From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Purchased from Jim Skalbe, March 2008.