The IMACS button chronology section notes: "Quality Mark's: 'A term used for certain words found on the backs of buttons made after 1800. It is believed the purpose of the words was mainly to promote sales, as the differences in quality can seldom be noted. Most of the marks appeared between 1800 and 1850. Examples are 'Rich Gold,' "Gilt", and 'Rich Orange' (Luscomb 1967:163)."



Some sources note that they were used by Native American  troops in the Civil War:

http://books.google.com/books?id=aBnAadssV4kC&pg=PA102&dq=civil+war+cherokee+troop+uniform&hl=en&ei=zMAvTYeHC8P38AbNvJSMCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDsQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://sgtriker.com/Confederatestatebuttons.htm

http://www.relicman.com/buttons/zBackmarkRich.htm



-----Original Message-----
From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Branstner
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:37 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: BUTTON ID?



Hey Guys,



Here is a button we picked up off a farmstead in central Illinois ...

Nicely made solid brass w/ soldered loop ... "RICH GOLD COLOR"

stamped on back ...



http://flic.kr/p/99NHsv



Is this anything special? We also got "Excelsior" NY militia button

off this site ... Any connection?



Thanks in advance.



Mark

--



Mark C. Branstner, RPA

Historic Archaeologist



Illinois State Archaeological Survey

Institute of Natural Resource Sustainability

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571

23 East Stadium Drive

Champaign, IL 61820



Phone: 217.244.0892

Fax: 217.244.7458

Cell: 517.927.4556

[log in to unmask]





When you think of that perfect retort five minutes after the

conversation is over -  that's when you're:



  "... bursting with the belated eloquence of the inarticulate ..."



Edith Wharton in the "The Age of Innocence"