1789 George Washington Inaugural Button GWI 9
The Dotted Script GW Monogram
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GWI 9 THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM: This button was produced in stamped brass with a Gilt finish. These early buttons were all cast as one-piece buttons with soldered on loop shanks. The Size is 35mm. GWI 9 has an R-4 Rating. To begin with, in GWI 9-A, the GW monogram and the slogan are set off a stippled base.
The button’s pattern depicts a fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram in the button’s center well. The “W” is adorned with a nice flamboyant Colonial Swirl, which circles around both letters. Surrounding the monogram is a Wide Flat Ring which adds a sizable dimension to the button. The wide plain ring also helps emphasizes the inner GW monogram, and accentuates the outer Slogan. Outside of the wide plain ring is a shallow depressed channel. This contains the popular slogan Livingston said for the first time after administering the Oath to George Washington, “Long Live The President”. This is written in raised Roman Font Capital Block letters. In-between each of the three Slogan’s words is a raised Separation Stipple. These 3 stipple are unique to authentic 1789 GWI buttons. Which has a numeric value of 3. In the bottom legend there is a raised Six Pointed Star, which has Twelve Encircling Stipples. This is often misidentified as being representational of the original Thirteen States. U.S. Historians believed the missing dot was the state that didn’t ratify the constitution. This is a mistake! As with all GWI buttons there is a multi-layer allusion with different references for the viewer and overlapping meanings to be taken as one. First, is the religious connotation that this represents the 12 Apostles and their savior Jesus Christ (Jewish). The second layer to this multi allusion is that this is in reference to a code of Chivalry that Edward III introduced in 1348 known as Order of the Garter. This represents the King and his 12 Knights. This is also reflective of Scotland’s, The Order of the Thistle in 1698. Also, representative of the King and his 12 Knights. Each Noble Order demonstrates different characteristics of higher morality. With the 12 stipples symbol surrounding the Star this could easily be the reason why Washington’s Elite Troops (12) would wear this button in reflection.
1. To represent a thinner planchet used for manufacturing, and too note a strike through reverse.
Research records tell a few interesting facts about this particular variety. First, this unique pattern is very similar to the Seal of Fredericksburg, VA Masonic Lodge. The lettering, design, and the use of a Star surrounded by stipples is the same. Second, historical diaries indicate that this particular button was worn by George Washington’s Elite Troops! This button was originally only found in the places of the soldiers who had served under Washington’s direct command.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Nicely Aged Golden Brass.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm. 152.3 Grains.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Museum quality. The brass planchet is smooth and flat, and shows no metal fatigue or deterioration to the planchet. The surface color shows a nice bright brass yellow that is evenly shaded throughout. The center well is nicely inset, and clearly shows all of the stipples, without any flat or smooth spots. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram shows completely fluid lines, and all of the individual dots clearly. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” shows a nice fluid unbroken line with all of the eight dots in the tail. The Wide Flat Ring has a few tiny light scratches, but overall shows a pleasingly smooth surface. The narrow Stippled Well which contains the slogan only has a light foot print impression, but shows all of the stipples in the background clearly. There are a few small flat areas around the Six Pointed Star with the Twelve Dotted Circle, but that is from how the die was cut, not wear. The Three Raised Dots separating the words are nicely elevated, and easy to see. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised with sharp straight lines. The Twelve Dotted Circle is easily seen, but three of the Dots are worn flat into the surface. All the Roman Font Capital Letters are nicely elevated and easy to read. The narrow Boarder Ring that circles the periphery is clean and scratch free, but does show a minor verdigris spot over the “R” in President. This is an exceptional button with all museum qualities.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original, straight, and intact. The surface is smooth with a few very light abrasions. There is a slight ring impression shown through, but this seems to be a trait from the die impression during manufacturing.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-1:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Mint Green With Flairs of Rusty Orange.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Strong Planchet Condition, A Strong High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis:
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original, straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-2:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Digger Owner
Current Button Owner and Location: ~
Dug By Dr. Steven Bridge in Maine.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Deep Rich Brass with Lighter Golden Highlights.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm. 160.4 Grains.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: A rare example that is in pristine condition. The brass planchet is smooth and flat, and show no signs of metal fatigue or deterioration. The surface color shows an even shade of brass yellow with no discoloration. The center well shows a nice deep impression, and clearly shows all the stipples in the foundation. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, and shows all the individual the dots with clarity. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” has good elevation, and shows a nice unbroken fluid swirl. The tail clearly displays all eight dots individually without any muteness. The Wide Flat Ring is mostly smooth, but does show a few light scratches. The narrow Stippled Well containing the button’s slogan only has a light foot print impression, but all of the stipples in the background are vividly shown. The Three Raised Dots separating the words are easily seen, and show no wear. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised with good sharp angled lines. The raised Twelve Dotted Circle is easily seen against the stippled background. All Roman Font Capital Letters for the slogan are nicely raised with good height and dimension. They all show nice straight letter lines without any signs of finger wear or smoothness. The narrow Border Ring which circles the edge is smooth with only one minor small scratch between the “E” and “P”. This is probably the best known example to survive, Top Kudos to the owner!
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original straight, and intact. The surface exhibits a few micro-scratches, which is only noted for accuracy. There is a slight ring impression showing through, but this seems to be a trait from the die impression during the original manufacturing.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-2:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Antique Yellow Brass.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis:
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9-:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9- THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Antique Gold.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, A Strong Planchet Condition Remains, A Strong High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis:
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9-:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-B THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Light Milk Chocolate with Green Verdigris in the Recesses.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm. 147.9 Grains.
Rarity: R-6
Variety Type: Flat Wells, Smooth Round Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Poor Planchet Condition, A Poor High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: No real redeeming qualities left, but a few remnant images. The brass planchet shows extreme metal fatigue and deterioration. The surface has a granular texture, and is riddled with corrosion and micro porosity. The center foundation well only has a shallow impression, and shows a corrosive surface covering the flat base. The Dotted Script “GW” Monogram still shows an image, but all the individual dots have flat pressed tops, and are bleeding into each other. The fancy Colonial Swirl off the “W” still shows a good outline, but has decayed in several areas. The Wide Flat Ring has heavy corrosion, and microporosity throughout. The narrow Riband containing the slogan only demonstrates a shallow corded impression. The Six Pointed Star is completely worn into the surface of the button. The Three Dots that separate the words still miraculously show a good outline. Unfortunately, only half of the Roman Font Capital Block letters are still readable. The word “PRESIDENT is in the worst condition, and only displays a few vague letter outlines. The rest of the Slogan’s letters are somewhat readable. The outside Border Ring is course, corroded, and decayed; and the left hand side is worn flat into the surface. Even though the button doesn’t posses that many desirable traits, it is a necessary example for a serious collector.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is broken off and filed smooth as if designed for a coin collection in mind. The surface is corroded, decayed and shows porosity throughout.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 B-2:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ Oklahoma ~
The Gray Collection.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Darker Yellow Brass with Light Highlights.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35.3mm. 169.2 Grains.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Another fabulously preserved example that was graded extremely fine to about uncirculated. The center well’s foundation has a nice deep impression, and clearly shows all the stipples without any flattened areas. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram nicely demonstrates all the individual dots within the letters clearly. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is shows good elevation, and shows all eight dots in the tail nicely. The Wide Flat Ring has a few little scratches on the surface, but has blended in with the natural brass color.
The narrow Riband containing the button’s slogan has a nice deep strike, and shows all of the stipples in the background clearly. There is two small flat areas between the “E” and “T”, and the “E” and “P”, but this appears to be a common thread with the manufacturer’s die cut. This is because the die was not cut with stipples in those spots. Also a small note, there is also some kind of discoloration covering the stippled well between the “G” in Long, and “L” in Live. The Six Pointed Star and the Twelve Dot Circle is nicely elevated and easily seen. The Three Raised Dots separating the individual words are also stand out boldly. All the Roman Font Capital Block letters have nice straight lines, and show good height and dimension. The narrow Border Ring is mostly blemish free, but does have a few light micro-scratches on the rim by the word “LIVE”. This is a definitely a well kept example, and shows all good museum quality traits.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. This is the original shank, and is nice and straight. The surface does have a few small scratches and small nicks. There is a moderate ring impression showing through, but this seems to be a trait from the die impression during fabrication.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-3:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9- THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Dull Scratched Brass .
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis:
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The reverse shank is straight and intact. The surface was reported smooth without any abrasions. There is a manufacturers light die ring impression.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9-:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A-1 THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM (Strike Through Reverse)
Color: A Brass Yellow with Light Brown Earth Tones.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Flat Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Poor Planchet Condition, An Poor High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Despite it’s appearance and condition, this is a wonderful representation of GWI 9-A-1 with the ultra rare strike through reverse. Owning a button with a strike through reverse is kind of special, and is just absolutely amazing to look at. As with other GW’s in my collection, I was actually happy to have this button for a very short time, but it went to a serious GWIB Collector who has been a good friend in this pursuit.~ The brass planchet is a bit thinner, and a bit lighter in weight (.25oz compared to.32oz). This probably accounts for the strike through reverse at the time of production. The surface’s color is a wonderful pale green-light gray mix, with earthy brown undertones. The brass planchet unfortunately shows metal fatigue, corrosion, multiple edge ripples, and a fold as if intentionally bent in half. The surface is a bit course and abrasive on the right hand side, and granular to the touch on the left. The center well only has a light foot print impression, but it’s base remains mostly flat. A small piece of the right side does show a bit of corrosion and microporosity. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is still nicely elevated, and shows most of the individual dots clearly. A portion of the “G” and a small piece of the “W” unfortunately got caught up in the corrosion. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” still has a nice raised swirl that is easy to see, but is also affected by the corrosion on the right hand side. Unfortunately the Dotted Tail did not retain a strong strike image, but is easily seen from the reverse. The Wide Flat Ring shows metal fatigue, corrosion, and a deep bend on the right hand side. The left hand side shows an even granular surface. The narrow Banner Well has a nice deep impression with a flat base for the letters, but still shows the same corrosion and decay problems that are exhibited on the right half of the button. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters only show the word “PRESIDENT” and the “ONG” in LONG. The rest of the words are either corroded or decayed into the surface. The slogan actually shows much better on the punch through reverse, without any of the corrosive properties effecting it. The Six Pointed Star is no longer viewable on the obverse because of the corrosion, but the reverse shows it clearly. The narrow Border Ring has a rippling effect because of multiple bends and indents. Even with the unfortunate flaws i mentioned from being buried countless years, i feel the color shade and remaining qualities on the strike through reverse makes this a diamond in the rough.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original, straight, and intact. The surface has a die crack from the 12:00 to 3:00 position. It also shows the rare strike through from the obverse in a good clear image. The surface has an even color shade and granular feel.
Library Records Has Limited Information WI 9 A-4:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ Oklahoma ~
Excavated in 1992 right by Route 31, in New Hampshire.~
The Gray Collection.
Previously The Isabela Collection.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Brass Yellow with Coppery-Brown Undertones Tones.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: When this button was sold in 2003, it was thought to be the best known example for GWI 9-A to survive. Since then, Dana Linet from Early American Auctions has premiered The Discovery Set of 4 GWI 9-A. I would have to adjust this to either 4th or 5th best known example. The center well has a nice deep strike, and shows most of the stipples in the base, but unfortunately there are some smooth flat spots. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated and easy to read, but some the dots have flat pressed tops and are blending into each other (This is probably the result of die fatigue from production then wear). The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely raised, and shows no breaks or flat spots in the swirl. The Pointy Tail still has a good image of all eight dots. The Wide Flat Ring does shows multiple light abrasions, but has blended in with the button’s color nicely over the years. The narrow Banner Well only has a light foot print impression, and also demonstrates the die’s weak depth cut for the Separation Dots between the “E” and “T” and the “E” and “P”. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised, and shows nice sharp angled lines. Most of the Twelve Dots that circle around the Star have good elevation and a clear image; except for two of the dots that appear sunk-in and flat. The Three Raised Dots separating the individual words show no wear and are easy to see. All the raised Roman Font Capital Block letters are extremely bold with strong straight letter lines. The Border Ring that circles the periphery has no bends, and is scratch free. Overall, this is an exceptional example with nicely preserved traits.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The reverse shank is straight and intact. The surface was reported smooth without any abrasions. There is a manufacturers light die ring impression.
Library Records Has Limited Information WI 9 A-5:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Harold Cobb/Descendants 1950 to 2003
Purchased from C. March in 1950.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Rusty Brown with Orange Patches
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-6
Variety Type: Flat Wells, Smooth Round Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: No real redeeming qualities left, but a few remnant images. The brass planchet shows extreme metal fatigue and deterioration. The surface has a granular texture, and is riddled with corrosion and micro porosity. The center foundation well only has a shallow impression, and shows a corrosive surface covering the flat base. The Dotted Script “GW” Monogram still shows an image, but all the individual dots have flat pressed tops, and are bleeding into each other. The fancy Colonial Swirl off the “W” still shows a good outline, but has decayed in several areas. The Wide Flat Ring has heavy corrosion, and microporosity throughout. The narrow Riband containing the slogan only demonstrates a shallow corded impression. The Six Pointed Star is completely worn into the surface of the button. The Three Dots that separate the words still miraculously show a good outline. Unfortunately, only half of the Roman Font Capital Block letters are still readable. The word “PRESIDENT is in the worst condition, and only displays a few vague letter outlines. The rest of the Slogan’s letters are somewhat readable. The outside Border Ring is course, corroded, and decayed; and the left hand side is worn flat into the surface. Even though the button doesn’t posses that many desirable traits, it is a necessary example for a serious collector.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is broken off and filed smooth as if designed for a coin collection in mind. The surface is corroded, decayed and shows porosity throughout.
Library Records Has Limited Information WI 9 :
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Digger Owner
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ Massachusetts ~
Dug by Jeff in Clinton, Massachusetts.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Light Chocolate Patina with Dark Green Verdigris within the Recesses.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-6
Variety Type: Flat Wells, Smooth Round Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This is a strong example of the ultra rare GWI 9-B. The brass planchet is solid and flat, and shows no metal fatigue or deterioration. The surface shows a nice even chocolate and green patina. The center well has a nice deep impression, and shows a solid flat background. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, and is easy to read. Unfortunately, most of the letters individual dots show flat pressed tops, and are bleeding into each other. The Colonial Swirls off the “W” is still pleasantly raised, and shows a nice unbroken swirl. The Wide Fat Ring is mostly smooth without any scratches, but does have a few small nicks and dings in the surface. The narrow Banner Well that houses the slogan has a nice deep strike, and a spectacular dark green patina between the letters. The three raised Separation Dots between the words are still easily seen under the aged patina. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised, and shows good sharp angled lines. The raised Roman Font Capital Block Letters are all nicely elevated, and have good straight letter lines that are easy to read. The Border Ring is mostly smooth and flat without any scratches, but it does show signs of a slight microporosity. Between the dark natural dark patina and good viewable impressions, this makes an outstanding example that should be cherished and sought after by collectors.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. This is the original shank, straight, and intact. The surface shows verdigris spots, and has scratches and abrasions. There is a heavier then usual die ring impression from the manufacturer during production, but this is a common trait with this variety.
Library Records Has Limited Information WI 9 B-4:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Previously Part of the Joe Brown Collection.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A High Polished Brass Yellow.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This button has a lot of good merit, and some solid retained characteristics. The center well only has a skin deep impression, and unfortunately the stipples in the base are mostly flat. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is barely raised, and shows a lot of flatness in it’s appearance. All the letter’s individual dots have flat pressed tops, and are blending into each other in most spots. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is easily seen, but is unfortunately worn down in a couple of places. The eight individual dots in the pointy tail barely show an image anymore. Fortunately, the Wide Flat Ring has a nice smooth surface, and shows no scratches or blemishes. The Banner Well has a nice deep impression, but most of the stipples in the base are worn flat into the surface. They only show some stipple remnants close up against a few letters. All the Roman Font Capital Block letters are nicely raised, and show clear straight letter lines. To note for accuracy, there is a slight nick in the bottom of the “I”, and a scratch in the back line of the “E” in PRESIDENT. The Six Pointed Star shows good elevation, and has nice sharp angled lines. The Twelve Dot Circle shows all of it’s dots clearly, but there appears to be a wear down in several of the lower dots. The Three Raised Dots separating the individual words are superficially outlined, but still easily seen. The Border Ring is mostly blemish free, but does have a small indent by the “P”, in PRESIDENT and a scratch by the “G” in LONG. Overall this is a solid example, with a pleasing color.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The reverse shank was replaced with a plated loop. The planchet is reportedly smooth, but does illustrate some minor scratches to the surface.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-6:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM (Strike Through Reverse)
Color: A Rusty Reddish Brown with A Hint of Whip Cream.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-6
Variety Type: Flat Wells, Smooth Round Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Strong High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This button shows the rare strike through reverse. A true tell tale sign of authenticity! The button has some metal fatigue with a slightly curved or wavy planchet. The whole surface has a coarse texture to it, and shows some micro porous spots. The center well unfortunately only has a skin deep impression, and it’s flat base is showing a semi granular texture. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, and shows all the individual dots in the letters clearly. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely raised with good definition, and shows no breaks or flat spots in the swirl. The Wide Flat Ring has no scratches or abrasions to the surface, but it is a bit granular in texture with a few micro porous spots. The Banner Well has a nice deep impression, and still shows a good flat base within the dark rich patina. The Six Pointed Star still demonstrates a raised outline, but is worn with weak angled lines. The Separation Dot between the “E” and “P” still has a viewable image, but is barely raised from the surface. Unfortunately all the Roman Font Capital Block letters are barely raised from the surface, but they are still easy too read with clear lines. The Border Ring shows a porous surface on the right hand side, but there are no scratches, indents or nicks. Overall this is an excellent rare example of GWI 9-B, and should be cherished.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is harshly broken off leaving a stub. The design is wonderfully struck right through the verso with great clarity and distinction of the original impression from the obverse.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 B-5:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A True Brass Yellow with Bright Tones.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35.3mm. 157.3 Grains.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This is a great button which preserved it’s design well. The brass planchet is smooth and flat, and shows no signs of metal fatigue, decay or deterioration. The center well has a nice deep impression, and shows most of the stipples in the base clearly. There are a few small flat spots around the letters, but i only mention it for accuracy. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated with crisp clear lines, and all of the individual dots are shown clearly without any flat pressed tops or muteness. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely raised without any smooth spots or broken lines in the swirl. All eight individual dots are nicely shown. The Wide Flat Ring does have some small minor scratches and abrasions, but they have blended in nicely with the button’s color. The narrow Banner Well shows most of it’s stipples clearly, but does have a few flat areas around some of the letters. There is also a few foreign blemishes to the surface between the “LON” in LONG. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised, and shows clear angled lines. Ten of the Twelve Dots show a strong image, but they are barely elevated. The other two dots are worn smooth into the surface. Two of the three raised Separation Dots are clearly seen, but the one in-between the “G” and “L” only shows a faint image. All the Roman Font Capital Block letters have good height, and show strong straight letter lines that are easy to read. The narrow Border Ring has a few small light abrasions around the top of the button, and a small indent above the “H” in THE. Otherwise, aside from a few light scratches and blemishes, this makes an outstanding example of GWI 9-A.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. This is the original shank, and is nice and straight. The surface shows some minor abrasions and surface nicks, but nothing to detract from it’s quality appearance. There is a slight ring impression showing through, but this seems to be a trait from the die impression during manufacturing.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-7:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Brass Yellow with Brown Undertones
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This is a wonderfully preserved button which is in extremely fine condition. The brass planchet is smooth and flat, and shows no signs of metal fatigue or deterioration. The center well has a good deep stamp, and clearly shows all the stipples in the base without any flat spots. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely raised, and shows most of the individual dots clearly. Unfortunately, there are some dots in the “W” that have flat pressed tops that are bleeding into each other. This could be from die fatigue durning manufacturing. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely elevated, and shows no broken or smooth spots in the swirl. All eight dots are clearly shown in the curl, and doesn’t show any flat wear or muting to the tops. The Wide Flat Ring’s surface shows scratches and has numerous abrasions, but time has allowed them to blended in with the buttons patina nicely. The Banner Well has a nice deep impression, and shows all of the stipples in the base clearly. The Six Pointed Star is nicely elevated with sharp angled lines. The Twelve Dotted Circle is flat pressed, but shows eleven of the twelve dots clearly. The Three Raised Dots separating the individual words are still easily seen with no signs of wear. All the Roman Font Capital Block letters are nicely raised, and show strong straight letter lines. The narrow Border Ring has some microporosity, and a few minor scratches and scuffs. I think the eight dotted tail and the well’s stippled base is this button’s strongest attributes. This would make a fine addition to anyones GW collection.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank was reported to be original, straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-8:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Brass Yellow Green Mix with Brown Undertones,
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This button’s unusual color makes it stand out among it’s peers. The brass planchet is smooth and flat, and shows no metal fatigue, decay or deterioration. The button has an even olive green shade that is consistent throughout the surface. The center well has a nice deep impression, and clearly shows most of the stipples in the base. There is a few smooth flat spots that around the outside of the letters, but i only note it for accuracy. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely raised, and clearly shows all the individual dots. They do not have flat pressed tops, but there is a touch of muteness in the lower portion of the “W”. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely elevated, and shows no broken lines or flat spots in the swirl. The curl shows all the eight dots vividly without any obstructions or wear. The Wide Flat Ring is flat and smooth, and has no scratches or abrasions. The Banner Well has a good deep impression, and shows almost all the stipples in the base clearly. The are a few areas around some of the letters which show a flatness, but this could be from how the original die was cut. The Six Pointed Star has good height, but not all the sides show clear angled lines. The Twelve Dotted Circle is mostly flat, and only shows an image of nine of the twelve dots. The other three are absent because or a poor die cut or wear. The Three Separation Dots are clearly visible, and show no signs of wear. All the Roman Font Capital Block letters are nicely elevated, and show good straight letter lines that are easy to read. The Border Ring has a few minor blemishes around the top, but seems to give the button some character and charm. If this button wasn’t dipped or buffed to a high finish, i would say it is in the top five because of it’s retained designs and clear impressions.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is reported to be original, straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-9:
History: No Recorded Sales Price: No
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A True Brass Yellow with An Earth Brown Flavor.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, A Strong Planchet Condition, A Strong High Relief Pattern Remains..
Obverse Button Analysis: I call this the jaguar. The brass planchet is solid and flat, and shows no metal fatigue or deterioration. The button has an unusual mix of colors that make it really stand out. The center well has a nice deep impression, but the base lacks a deep cut for the stippled base. Unfortunately, there appears to be a lot of flattened areas in-between the letters. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is regrettably worn down, and lacks good height for letter dimension. Most of the individual dots are clearly shown, but some in the “W” have flat pressed tops from wear, or they are muted into each other from die fatigue. The Wide Flat Ring is smooth and flat with no scratches or abrasions. The Banner Well has a good deep strike impression, but most of the stipples have flattened out in-between the letters. The Three Separations Dots show a vague image that appear almost flat. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised, and has good angled lines. The Twelve surrounding dots unfortunately lack height and dimension, but they do have a traceable image except for one. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters are all nicely elevated, and have sharp straight letter lines that are easy to read. The Border Ring is extremely smooth, and shows no scratches or abrasions. Overall this is an excellent example with a lot of retained design traits.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is reported to be original.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-10:
History: No Recorded Sales Price: No
Current Button Owner and Location: No
*
GWI 9-A-1 THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM (Strike Through Reverse)
Color: A Brass Yellow with Light Brown Tones.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Flat Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Strong Planchet Condition, A Strong High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Unfortunately this wasn’t a good photo that was provided to show the true color. The brass planchet is solid and flat, and shows no signs of metal fatigue or deterioration. The button’s center well has a good deep strike, but the stippled base is mostly flat. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is easily recognizable, but the individual dots show flat pressed tops, and are blending into each other at the wear points. This could be a combination of die fatigue from production and garment wear. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely raised, and shows no breaks or flat spots in the swirl. The eight dots in the curl are still visible, but only show vague outlines that lack clear individual definition. The Wide Flat Ring is flat and smooth, and only show a few light scratches. The Banner Well is only skin deep, and unfortunately fails to provide enough depth for the letters to have the proper height and dimension. The stipples in the base are present, but hard to see in the photo. The Six Pointed Star is barely elevated, but still shows nice angled lines. The Twelve Dot Circle is mostly flattened into the surface, and only shows a vague outline of the dots. The Three Raised Dots separating the individual words are just silhouettes at best. All the raised Roman Font Capital Block Letters are barely elevated from the surface, but they are still easy to read. The Border Ring is mostly smooth, but does show some light scratches and microporosity in some spots.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original straight and intact. The surface shows a strike through from the obverse.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-11:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Harold Cobb/Descendants 1956 to 2003
Purchased from W.F. Sunday in 1956.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Dark Chocolate with Algae Green.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Fair Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Despite being buried in the ground for countless years, this button still posses some admirable qualities. The brass planchet is solid, but is unfortunately bent, corroded and decayed. The button is course and has a semi-granular surface texture. The center has a deep strike impression, but it’s stippled base is corroded and mostly flat. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, but hard to read because most of the dots are worn and muted into each other. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” still shows a raised swirl, but it has flat breaks in the line. The Wide Flat Ring is a bit wavy with a granular surface. The Banner Well is also wavy and bent, and no longer shows the stipple base within. The Six Pointed Star is mostly decayed into the surface, and barely shows it’s angled lines. The Twelve Dots that encircle the star are completely absent, as are the Three Dots that separate the words. The Roman Font Block Letters are worn down, flat and hard to read. All in all, the button has some retained pleasing qualities and should be considered by collectors on the bases of it’s rarity.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is roughly broken off. The surface is coarse and wavy.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-12:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Dug in Plainfield New Hampshire, Aug, 2015.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Muddy Milk Chocolate with Pale Green Encrustations.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Fair Planchet Condition, A Fair High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: A great find by a metal detector hobbyist. The brass planchet is unfortunately wavy and bent, and shows metal fatigue, corrosion, and decay. On a positive note, the surface’s color has a natural uncleaned patina. I like that there is no harsh scratches or pitting effecting any of the designs. The center well has a deep impression, and miraculously still shows some of the stippled base. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, and clearly shows all of the individual dots with only a few flat pressed tops. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is nicely raised, and shows the individual dots in the curl clearly. The strong letter presentation of the monogram is definitely the strong point of this button. The Wide Flat Ring has a granular/porous texture to it’s appearance, but there are no harsh scratches or abrasions that show. The Banner Well shows a good deep strike, but unfortunately is wavy and bent. Very few of the original stipples in the base show any remnants. The Six Pointed Star is only a vague silhouette, and is mostly worn flat. The Twelve Dots that encircle the Star are hard to see, and only have remnant images. The Three Dots that separates the words in the slogan are barely traceable or visually absent from the surface. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters are mostly decayed and a little hard to identify, but they are still readable. The Border Ring is course, micro porous, and is wavy and bent in several areas. Even with the unevenness of the surface and the flatness in the letters, this device still retains some charming characteristics, with that pleasing milk chocolate patina.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is completely broken off.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-13:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: No
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Excavated by metal detector hobbyist in 2002.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: Brass Yellow with a Chestnut Undertone.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This button has a nice even shade throughout the surface. The brass planchet is solid and flat, and shows no signs of metal fatigue or deterioration. The center well has a nice deep impression, and shows most of it’s stipples on the base clearly. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated and shows fluid letter lines with no smooth wear. The individual dots in the letters show clear without any flat or muted tops. The Wide Flat Ring is smooth with no scratches or abrasions. The Banner Well is nicely in-set and shows most of the stippled foundation. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised, and shows good sharp angled lines. most of the Twelve dots are clearly presented, but three are worn smooth into the surface. The Three Separation Dots are nicely outlined and easily seen. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters are all nicely elevated and show no wear or decay to the letters. The Border Ring shows some verdigris and some micro porous spots, but there is no scratches or abrasions. This is an outstanding example, from the original photo i received. unfortunately it’s bmp format did not allow me to transfer it’s image to the site properly.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original, straight, and intact. The surface reportedly has a few minor light scratches.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-14:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: No
Current Button Owner and Location: No
American Revolutionary War Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: An Rusty Orange-Brown.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Fair Planchet Condition, A Fair High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: The rusty brown color gives this button some nice charm. The brass planchet unfortunately shows metal fatigue, corrosion and decay. The surface is a bit wavy and has two protrusions from the reverse. The center well has a deep strike impression, but no longer shows any of it’s original stipples on the base. The Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is still easily identifiable, but the dots are worn smooth and bleeding into each other. There is also an unattractive shank protrusion from the reverse in the middle of the “G”. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is barely raised, and has several broken flat spots in several areas of the swirl. The eight dots in the tail curl is decayed, and only show a vague remnant image. The Wide Flat Ring has a granular texture, and shows microporosity throughout the surface. There is also has raised protrusion from the reverse at the nine o’clock position. The Banner Well lacks depth, and no longer shows the stippled base through the corrosion. I do like the corroded orange color in-between the letters, but then again its causing metal fatigue underneath. The Six Pointed Star is barely noticeable, and no longer shows it’s previous sharp angled lines. The Twelve encircling Dots and the Three Raised Dots separating the slogan’s words no longer show visual images. The Raised Roman Font Capital Block Letters are still readable, but are decaying and lack easy clear concise letter recognition. The Border Ring is very course, and shows micro porous areas and pitting. This was a lucky find for a treasure hunter, and makes a good memento.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank.( Unknown if present ).
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-15:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Excavated in Troy, New Hampshire 2005.~
GWI 9-A-1 THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM (Strike Through Reverse)
Color: A Brass Yellow with Light Brown Tones.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Device, A Good Planchet Condition, A Good Impression Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Well the person who took it upon himself did a pretty good job making it into a modern two hold thread attachment button.
Reverse Button Analysis: This originally was a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. Now made into a sew hole button.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-16:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ New Hampshire ~
Excavated in the early 1990’s right by Route 31, New Hampshire.~
Currently for sale by Dana Linet of Early American Auctions.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Silvery-Rusty Brown Mixture.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition:A Dug Specimen, A Fair Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This button was a great find, and makes a nice memento for the treasure hunter. The planchet has metal fatigue, and shows a waviness in the surface and around the periphery. The center well has a deep impression, but corrosion covers up most of the stippled base. The Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is still easily recognized, and the individual dots still make-up good letter lines. Unfortunately, there is a blunt strike that pressed the center portion of the letters flat. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is still nicely raised, and shows a fluid swirl without any flat or broken lines. Unfortunately the eight dots in the tail’s curl are all decayed, and they barely show a remnant image. The Wide Flat Ring shows corrosion on the surface, and has a highly porous nature. There is also a wide indent located under the “N”. The Banner Well shows a deep impression, but the stipple base is corroded and heavily porous. The Six Pointed Star is still nicely raised with sharp angled lines. The Twelve Dot Circle miraculously shows a strong image for ten of the twelve dots. Unfortunately, only two of the Three Dots for Separation still have a clear image. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters are all nicely elevated, and have strong letter lines that are easy to read. By the clarity of the die impressions, this button was most likely from an early production strike from the die. The letters or dots don’t show any flat pressed tops from die fatigue. It amazes me how bold the designs still show outside of the blunt trauma and corrosion. I believe the button had very little use or wear before it was lost or discarded. I am thinking the blunt trauma happened after, or during excavation because of the freshness of the metal’s color in the strike. Judging from the flow of the bright metal color, it looks like a shovel strike hit the center and glided over the top area on the scoop-up. My analysis, this would have been an excellent example if poor excavation techniques didn’t occur. This button has a lot of great characteristics that rival non excavated examples.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is harshly broken off. The surface is slightly bent, corroded and porous.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-17:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
Excavated in Clinton, Massachusetts.~
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Bright Brass Yellow.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Strong High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This highly polished example still demonstrates some good clear designs. The brass planchet is smooth and flat, and shows no metal fatigue or deterioration. The button is brightly polished, but it’s color is evenly shaded throughout the surface. The center well is barely skin deep, and most of the stipples in the base are worn flat. The Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is barely elevated, and all the individual dots are muted into each other and worn flat. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is barely raised off the surface, but the swirl still shows without any broken lines. The Wide Flat Ring is smooth and flat, and shows no scratches, pits or porousness. The narrow Banner Well still has a good impression, but the stipples in the base only show right up against the letters themselves. The areas between the letters are flat. The Three Separation Dots stand out boldly because of the flat stipples and highly polished surface. The Six Pointed Star is worn down, but still shows nice clear angled lines. Seven of the Twelve Surrounding Dots have a traceable image, but the rest are worn flat into the surface. The Raised Roman Font Block Letters are nicely elevated, and show strong straight letter lines. Overall, this button has retained some good qualities aside from it’s over polished surface. I think this is definitely worth consideration of a serious GW collector.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is was originally a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank shows a modern replacement. The surface shows a few light scratches and a nice remnant of it’s original tone.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9-18:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A true Brass Yellow Color
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, Exceptional Planchet Condition, An Exceptional High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Hard to give a fair evaluation without a better photo. I am still posting it’s image anyway to help show what is out there for collectors to obtain. I am going to incorporate the auction houses evaluation with my own which i usually don’t like to do. There trying to sell something for a high value, and usually don’t give an honest assessment, or just don’t know how to properly. They claim the surface is extremely lustrous, and is virtually free of any scratches or imperfections. The center’s foundation well shows a deep strike from the photo, and they claim all the stipples are present without any flat or smooth spots. They also state, the fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram explicitly shows all the individual the dots clearly. From the photo, i see The Colonial Swirl off the “W” has a few flat breaks in the swirl, and the dots in the tail barely show. The Wide Flat Ring appears a bit porous to me, but hard to really tell without a better photo. The Banner Well shows a good deep impression, and they claim, “the motto is outstandingly vivid, with nice toning between the letters”. Nothing about the stipples in the base. The rest is their sales pitch on it’s rarity, bla bla bla, and we get 20% of both ends! Anyway, I can see two of the Three Raised Dots separating the words. The Six Pointed Star and the Twelve Dot Circle isn’t clear enough for an evaluation. All the raised Roman Font Capital Block Letters appear nicely raised, with no signs of decay. The narrow Border Ring appears to have several blemishes, but your guess is as good as mine. My favorite line from the seller comes at the end ” The finest example we ever handled”, but when i checked their past records, they only show one back in 2007, and that was a worn down GWI 11-A. Thank God this place went out of business a few years back.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. They claim the shank is original, straight and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-19:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Redish Brown Mixture.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Non Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Please tell me that Washington issued this to his troops for crowd control.~ Okay maybe not, but it would be as good story, probably just as good as that cherry tree morality tale by biographer Parson Weems (After Washington’s death, Weems interviewed people who knew him as a child. He printed the story for Parents to teach their children morality lessons from past historical heroes like Washington). Let me say nice job to the person who took it out of the club and cleaned it up. Originally i thought i was looking at two different buttons, but with a blown up image, i was able to determine it was the same. The brass planchet obviously has some metal fatigue because of the hole and numerous small indents, and must have been bent at one time, and then straightened out. The center well only has a light foot print for an impression, and all the stipples in the base are pretty much flat. Aside from the big hole, the Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is still easily recognizable. The individual dots and letter lines still hold a good image without any muteness or flat tops. The Wide Ring has a few small indents and pits, but is mostly scratch free, and buffed smooth from cleaning. The Banner Well appears to have a nice impression, and still shows some of it’s original stipples around the letters. The Six Pointed Star and the Twelve Elevated Dots still show a clear image, but hard to tell if flattened into the surface. The Three Separating Dots appear absent from the design or just hard to see. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters are all easy to read with straight letter lines, but lack height and dimension. The Border Ring shows some indents, and some light scratch that have been buffed down.
Reverse Button Analysis: This originally was a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-20:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: No
“The Brisley”
President-Elect Washington Crosses Floating
Bridge (Gray’s Ferry) on Inaugural Journey,
Philadelphia, April 20, 1789.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Brownish-Orange.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Poor Planchet Condition, A Poor High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Another lucky metal detector find. The brass planchet definitely shows signs of some kind of mineral build-up. The button has both advanced metal fatigue and deterioration. The surface metal appears to be flaking from corrosion, or oxidation. This could have created or contributed to it’s very porous surface. The center well has a nice impression, but unfortunately none of the stipples in the foundation show through the corrosion. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is still has some elevation for the initials; and the dotted pattern still has a good image in the main parts of the monogram. Unfortunately the tail dots are worn down or corroded over. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is slightly elevated, but unfortunately the swirl is broken, or maybe corroded over at the top portion. The Wide Flat Ring’s metal is flaking, and is pitted, and porous. The narrow Stippled Well containing the button’s slogan only has a light impression, and barely shows any depth or the stipples in the base. The Three Raised Dots separating the words no longer hold an image, and are worn flat into the surface. The Six Pointed Star is also decayed into the surface. The raised Twelve Dotted Circle surrounding the star only shows remnants, and only two dots have images. The rest are decayed into the surface. The Roman Font Capital Letters for the slogan are readable, but lack good height and dimension for a clear readable image. The letters are just too corroded or decayed. The narrow Border Ring which circles the edge’s periphery is chipped, pitted and porous. Most likely this was excavated near or in ground water. This button should be treated and cleaned to prevent further oxidation and decay. I would recommend some form or crystalline preservative. Since there is only a limited number of these examples, This should still be sought by serious collectors unless a better specimen is available.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original, straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-21:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Digger Owner
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ New York ~
Excavated Mass/ New York Border.~
The Dale Collection.
*
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: A Colorful Iridescent Brass Yellow
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Good Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: Another rare example of GWI 9-A. The brass planchet is flat, but shows some signs of distress. The surface color has a nice brownish- yellow hue which gives it an antique charm. The center well has a nice deep impression, but only shows half of the stipples in the foundation. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, but unfortunately shows blunt flat trauma to the center of the initials. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” has good elevation, and shows a nice unbroken fluid swirl. The tail does displays all eight dots individually, but has a little muteness toward the end at the tail. The Wide Flat Ring unfortunately shows indents and porous spots. The narrow Stippled Well containing the button’s slogan has a nice deep strike impression, and still has an image of most of the stipples. The Three Raised Dots separating the words are easily seen, and show no wear. The Six Pointed Star is nicely raised with good sharp angled lines. Ten of the twelve raised dots that circle the star still have a good image. Two are worn flat into the surface, or just not cut deep enough, or left out of the original the die. All the Roman Font Capital Letters for the slogan are nicely raised, and show good height and dimension. They all show exceptionally straight letter lines without any wear or smoothness. The narrow Border Ring which circles the edge’s periphery shows verdigris and porous spots, but overall in good condition.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is broken off.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-22:
History: No Recorded Sales Price: Yes
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ California ~
The auctioneer claims that the two missing dots may be significant. He states, “At the time of Washington’s inauguration, two states had not yet ratified the Constitution of the United States (North Carolina & Rhode Island). The missing dots may well represent those two states. -Dana Linnet
I can only believe that this theory on Dana’s part is pure speculation. There is no documentation or written records to support this conclusion. My personal belief after handing and examining several specimens is that the die was either fatigued when stamped, or the pattern just wore into the surface. I do hold Dana’s opinion of high regard because he has handled, and sold more GW then anyone I know of, even myself with all the collector submissions for examinations, COA’s, encapsulations I have done. Being someone who has an advance degree in political Science, and a good understanding the “Colonial Times”, I do believe his notion might have some merit of a button that was manufactured early.
GWI 9-A THE DOTTED SCRIPT “GW” MONOGRAM
Color: An Algae Green with Dark Brown Verdigris Patches.
Metal: Flat, 1-Piece, Raised Design in Depressed Well & Channel, Brass.
Size: 35mm.
Rarity: R-4
Variety Type: Stippled Wells, Dotted Tail Variety.
Present Condition: A Dug Specimen, A Fair Planchet Condition, A Good High Relief Pattern Remains.
Obverse Button Analysis: This is a great find to start off the New Year by a Massachusetts metal detectors enthusiast. The brass planchet appears solid, but shows signs of shows metal fatigue, and corrosion. On a good note, the surface’s color has a natural green uncleaned patina. There are no harsh scratches or pitting effecting any of the raised designs. The center well has a nice deep impression, but unfortunately corrosion covers over the stippled base. The fancy Dotted Script “GW” Monogram is nicely elevated, and does shows all of the individual dots. Some do show a few flat pressed tops. The Colonial Swirl off the “W” is still raised, but decay has worn the swirl down toward the surface. None of the individual dots can be seen in the tail without extreme magnification. The monogram is definitely readable on this button. The Wide Flat Ring has a granular/porous texture to it’s appearance, but there are no harsh scratches or abrasions that can be found. The Banner Well shows a good deep strike, but unfortunately the base is porous. Very few of the original stipples in the base show any remnants. The Six Pointed Star is only a vague silhouette, and is mostly worn flat. The Twelve Dots that encircle the Star are hard to see, and only have remnant images. The Three Dots that separates the words in the slogan are barely traceable or just visually absent from the surface. The Roman Font Capital Block Letters are barely elevated, but still hold a clear viewable image. The edge Border Ring appears to be course, possibly some microporosity.
Reverse Button Analysis: This is a flat one-piece button with a soldered on loop shank. The shank is original, straight, and intact.
Library Records Has Limited Information GWI 9 A-23:
History: Yes Recorded Sales Price: Digger Owner
Current Button Owner and Location: ~ Massachusetts ~
Excavated in Massachusetts in January of 2012
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