Phoenix button

[Holedigger]

Picked up this killer little Phoenix button from a good friend today. Found in the 1950’s during an OAS dig at the decker site near St. Helens Oregon. Thanks for the look

[scwalker]

Rev. war or civil war? nice button.

[Holedigger]

these date to around 1820-1830

[gregszybala]

Hard to see, what is the writing? Is it military?

[Holedigger]

Here is a link explaining the buttons best I can find. Some of the history of how they got where they ended up is still a mystery but it explains the basics.

http://mdgear.com/phoenix-button/

[gregszybala]

thanks

[clovisoid]

Holedigger, my relics are in storage while I’m working overseas, but I have 7 or 8 of those from the Southern Caribbean and Venezuela. They are almost religious relics among black people down there who viewed the King Henry as a freedom fighter. The Southern ones are almost always punched with a hole for suspension.

I had no idea they were found in Oregon.

[Holedigger]

The vast majority of the ones brought to America ended up here in Oregon and spread across the west coast. Most found around this area are associated with burials and found on caches and many are punched for suspension I believe one as big as 250+ buttons in a cache were found at the mouth of the cowliz river. I had no idea of the history or importance outside of North America. Thanks for th info.

[Olden]

Wow - that small button sure is drenched in history.
An early slave uprising against some of the world's heavy hitters, to establish their own government; Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase, moved to the west coast to a traders outlet to be bartered to the natives (just a few short years after Lewis & Clark's arrival), AND has the really cool motto 'I rose from my own ashes': that's what I'd call a great acquisition!

[SDhunter]

Very interesting thread. Thanks for sharing

[SDhunter]

Who knew a button could have such a story?