Fort Johnson, on Charleston (SC-USA) harbor served as a quarantine station
among other things. I found a variety of cu alloy nails, tacks, and rivets
there. Only a few were "headless" and none looked like they had been snipped on
purpose. Most are interpreted as maritime related since you can still buy them at
the local marine supply stores - they call them "boat nails."

One documentary source gives a second use however. It describes a water tank
lined with copper sheathing, and specifies that it should be attached with
brass (cu alloy) tacks. It is possible that in such a case any tips that stuck
through the outside would be snipped off, or (more likely) that nails would be
pre-trimmed to insure they didn't completely go through the wood...

Carl Steen