Found this Rare W.C. Co. ESSEX Headstamp while metal detecting in some woods a couple of weeks back. I decided to try a new section of woods that I have permission to detect, across the street from where I normally hunt a couple of old homesteads. I didn’t find alot of targets, but I was able to sniff out a couple of neat relics.
W.C. Co. ESSEX Circa 1906-1915
Later I found this Train Button. I believe that it is probably from overalls or some other type of work clothes.
I have seen other train buttons similar to this one, but oddly enough, I haven’t seen another picture of this exact train button making me believe that it is probably an earlier design of the others that I have seen on the internet. A neat find either way!
I also found that Rare HARRS Token awhile back in the same area of woods.
I keep searching for silver there, and so far it has eluded me, but sometimes finding rare relics can be as exciting as finding an old coin. This Essex headstamp is a rare find, considering that the company only had this stamp for around 10 years and maybe even less depending on who you ask. A very small window in the grand scheme of shotshell history.
That’s what it is all about, finding a historical artifact, learning something about that relic’s history that you didn’t already know, and preserving a record of the finds for future generations to enjoy too.
It was a beautiful day, and I enjoyed exploring the woods as my mind got a break from the hustle and bustle of the real world outside of the woods and wildlife. I’ll take an average day metal detecting over a typical work day… any day!
Take care my friends, O
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Ozarks
Metal Detecting the Ozark Mountains 
I’ve just found the same button as shown in your article, about 2 hours ago while metal detecting in the woods also. It was among 3 or 4 civil war shots.
Very cool, sorry for the late reply… Congrats on your great finds, I’ve seen a couple of these train buttons found, but not many. Neat finds to be sure, thanks for reading my blog.
I found the exact same train button yet don’t know much about but it. We’re you able to find any information or a time range?
Hi Todd, best I was ever able to come up with was overalls button, from ‘probably’ the 1930s. They’re neat buttons, aren’t they?
I recently found an old train button that looks just like yours. I was out hunting with my detector in Lincoln County, NV when I came across it. Not sure why it came to rest where it did. I was ascending a mountainous area through a very rough, rocky wash. I spent a little extra time with the detector around a large tree that’s growing in the middle of the wash between two sharp bends. At the base of that tree I ended up finding a train button that is similar, if not identical, to the one you found. From where I found the button the nearest train stop (which no longer exists) was over five miles away and all downhill through some very rough terrain. Many ideas have run through my head as to way that button was buried where it was. I plan on returning to the area and searching more thoroughly when the weather cools down to see what else is hiding up there.
Have you learned anymore about the button you found? I haven’t attempted to clean mine, any advise? I don’t want to do anything that could potentially ruin it.
Thanks in advance,
Brian