Civil War Uniform Buttons
A single button can tell you the branch, the maker, and roughly the year. Learn to read the face and the back, and you can identify most Civil War buttons in minutes.
Quick Identification
- Construction
- Most are two-piece (a struck front over a back with a soldered shank); some early or general-issue buttons are one-piece.
- Federal device
- Eagle with a shield; a letter in the shield gives the branch.
- Branch letters
- I = Infantry, A = Artillery, C = Cavalry, R = Riflemen, D = Dragoons; plain eagle = general service.
- Confederate
- State seal buttons (e.g., a script letter or state device) and plain or block-letter buttons.
- Backmark
- Maker's name stamped on the reverse — the key to dating.
Read the Face
Federal uniform buttons are dominated by the eagle "device" button. The eagle holds a shield, and the letter inside that shield names the branch of service. That single letter is the fastest identification you can make: an "I" is Infantry, "A" Artillery, "C" Cavalry, "R" Riflemen, "D" Dragoons. A plain eagle with no letter is a general service button, the most common of all.
Confederate buttons are scarcer and more varied — state seal buttons carrying a state's device or a script initial, block-letter "I," "C," "A" buttons, and locally or foreign-made pieces. Genuine Confederate buttons are heavily reproduced, so the face alone is never enough.
Read the Back
Turn the button over. The backmark — the manufacturer's name stamped around the reverse — is how you date it. Match the mark to a known maker and their operating years, and you have a date bracket. Familiar wartime and period marks include Scovill (Waterbury, CT), the Waterbury Button Co., and generic quality marks such as "Extra Quality" and "Treble Gilt." Importer and English maker marks appear on many Confederate and militia buttons.
The shank (the loop that sewed it on) also matters: original shanks are soldered in the period manner and show age; a bright, modern, or crudely attached shank is a warning sign.
Real vs. Reproduction — The Tells
Confederate and figural buttons are widely reproduced, and "dug" fakes are salted into fields and flea markets. Work through these before you value or buy.
Before you buy a high-value button, send us the front and back.
What Drives the Value
- Branch and rarity — Confederate and state buttons far outvalue common Federal general-service buttons.
- Backmark — certain makers and marks are scarcer and more desirable.
- Condition — intact gilt, crisp device, and an original shank.
- Dug vs. non-dug and any documented provenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
My button has no letter — what is it?
A plain eagle with no shield letter is a general service button, used broadly across the Federal army. They are common and were made in large numbers.
Is a two-piece button older or newer than one-piece?
By the Civil War, two-piece construction (a struck front crimped over a back) was standard for most uniform buttons. One-piece buttons tend to be earlier or general/utility types. Construction plus backmark together give the best date.
Can I clean the gilt to make it shine?
No. Original gilt and surface are part of the value. Cleaning almost always reduces what a button is worth.