Rare California button find

Here's a rare button find from California, my second in my career. It's a button from the first Regiment of New York Volunteers of California, New York Legion button.

From what I remember, 700-1000 Volunteers under Col J.D. Stevenson were assigned the duty of protecting its shores from Mexican occupation. Before California was a state, this land was Mexico.

These men, also went on expeditions into the San Joaquin valley (my area) and into the Sierra Nevada mountains. These men were also the last american troops to leave the soil of Mexico after the close of the Mexican war.

These troops camped up in Gold country, and the old settlements we detect today down in the valley or Coastal mountains even both upper and lower California. I know a total of seven of these buttons found by friends, others, myself this being the eighth. I'm sure more have been found, so this being my second believe me I'm still grinning ear to ear. Gave my first one to a button collector friend, was on a mission to dig another and lucky as I was swinging back to my car about to call it a day this beauty surfaces about 30 feet my my car.

Would take this find over an old coin including a Gold coin anytime, the history behind this button especially knowing it is from one of the brave Volunteers coupled with making the find is priceless.

The area is of an old Indian Spanish settlement, allot a traffic in its day soil is tough allot of masking. The only two detectors used for this recent hunt were my GPX 5000 and V6 with Ore mode, the V6 Scored the button.

Thanks for looking,
Paul

WoW Paul, good pull.

Very nice Paul---- trophy case material no doubt.

Congrats...

I got one word for that find you just made Paul-------AMAZING!!!!!

Thanks Ozzie, David, Doug,

This one I'm going to frame, Ordered a book last night (New York Volunteers of California) covering how the Regiment started and complete Journey getting to California and the expeditions after arrival.

Once had this book, can't find it must have gave it away. I'm still grinning ear to ear with this find

Thanks again
Paul



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2015 05:17PM by Old California.

That's awesome!
I'm always envious of everyone's button finds.
Some day I'm going to plan a trip to an area where I have a chance for one.
Bryan

Great score .

Thanks Bryan and Gman,

Picked up a hand full of lead but this was truly the find of the day.

Doug, if memory serves me right believe the Regiment also lead expeditions into Oregon. I'll have to reread the book when it arrives, believe me I'm still grinning ear to ear on this find

Thanks my friends,
Paul

Outstanding find OC!

And I'm with you = I'd take that find over a coin any day of the week including a gold one!

Congrats on such a historical find

NICE! See what you were talking about Paul. Excellent find bud!

Congratulations Paul! Looks like that V6 Beast is sniffing out the good stuff for you.

Charles

Cool find there buddy I think I will have to go back east this winter on a civil war hunt to find some nice history...I go every year but this maybe the best area I will hunt. This year we are hunting against other states seven to a team..we are two short...It's in March you have to pay a fee to hunt but well worth it..

LowBoy

TAKE A LITTLE TIME KICKBACK AND WATCH SOME OF MY DETECTING VIDEO'S BELOW ON YouTube

[www.youtube.com]

If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

Very happy for you Great Button!!!

Keith

“I don't care that they stole my idea . . I care that they don't have any of their own”
-Nikola Tesla

Great find and just think if you had quit detecting a couple of years ago as you once considered that beauty might never have seen the light of day.
I still treasure my only bust coin I recovered with the Vista Gold you sold me......

AWESOME, Paul!
And it's a gorgeous button! Love the color. Congrats!

Wayne

Pleasant Garden, NC
AT Max, Nokta Impact, MX Sport, Nokta FORS Relic, GPX 4800, Infinium, Racer, Deus, F75SE, Nautilus DMC II (order of acquisition, last to first)

Does an archeologist argue with a plow? A bureaucrat with a bulldozer?

Excellent find Paul, one I'd absolutely love to find! Congrats, it's up there with Phoenix buttons in my book

hh,
Brian

That's a beauty Old California. Thanks for posting the picture. Now that you know how to post a picture with your cell phone maybe we can see more of your great finds.

What were the soil conditions, coil you used on the V6 and the approximate depth of the button?

Thanks and congrats,

TD

Very cool..... I like that, well done.

Nice save I love the old buttons

Extremely well done, Paul!!!!!! Congrats!!!!!!! Very nice!

Nice to see in Calif we can still find some nice relic history...I'm due for a button

LowBoy

TAKE A LITTLE TIME KICKBACK AND WATCH SOME OF MY DETECTING VIDEO'S BELOW ON YouTube

[www.youtube.com]

If you don’t dig it, then how are you going to know what you’re missing!
How can you have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat!

Sorry for the slow reply gang, since switching to cell phone it's been tough logging onto some forums including this one. Pretty sure its my cell phone, may need to upgrade.

And Thanks Wayne, Tom41, Charles Tx., Lawrenzo, Keith, silver hound (Ray) NCWayne, Brian, TD, Ziggy, doc bars and Kevin.

Believe me still excited this NYL button surfaced, ordered the book which pertains to the men issued the uniforms that had these buttons. Can't wait to read the book again, for me one if my most cherished finds.

Also, Lawrenzo if memory serves me right believe you found one of these NYL buttons before. And I hope you dig another one you're due

Silver hound (Ray) I remember when you dug the Bust 1/2 dime, think it was an 1835 or 1836. My first and only Bust 1/2 dime was an 1835 and that is now in our local museum along with other artifacts.

Brian, Agree finding a NYL button in California is right up there with a Phoenix button. But in terms of finding one the odds of finding a Phoenix button is much easier, based from my Phoenix and NYL button ratio. For me, based from my finds its 1 NYL button per 6 Phoenix button. Have dug 12 Phoenix buttons and 2 NYL buttons.

TD, the soil conditions were slightly on the harsh side and the area is laced with iron. And that's an under statement, masking at it's worse really can't get depth here even with the best processing detectors. The button was down maybe a couple of inches, other detectors missed it just so happened luck was on my side this day and the v6 nailed it.

Wayne, Appreciate you selling the old modified Whites to me, that is one clean machine and a joy to use.

Thanks again everyone, appreciate everyone's kind words of encouragement. Can't wait to get out again

All the best,
Paul