BUTTONS
BRITISH MILITARY
The largest database of early British Military Buttons
Contact us by email: britishmilitarybuttons@gmail.com​
To try and aid identification we have listed buttons alphabetically throughout this site but have created this section for the units of the Guards & Dragoon Guards that is seniority and then numerically listed, local units such as the styled Hampshire Light Dragoons feature as alphabetical entries.
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Major Parkyn's work covered many of the known types of buttons to these units, however in recent years with the increase in metal detecting many new examples have come to light, which we are recording here. Whilst of course there is naturally some overlap with Parkyn's work here to help people ID their examples, this site is not intended to be definitive but does allow a place for examples to be recorded that are either unknown or at least little known.
Guards & Dragoon Guards Buttons
1st (King's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 233- ​
Image Source: UK Detectornet
​Notes: The design is possibly the third to the unit and remain largely unchanged for many years. The KDG letters were changed to Old English style with the introduction of the tunic in 1855.
​​​Description: ​​​KDG on sunken eight pointed star surmounted by crown.
Category:​​Dragoons​ ​
Type of button: Flat​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy gilded. Backmark:​;
Date: ​c1790-1830.​​​
3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 271- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Believed to be the first pattern to the 3rd Dragoon Guards.
​​​Description: ​​​PoW feathers with D Gds either side and ICH DIEN below.
Category:​​Dragoon Guards​ ​
Type of button: Flat 18​mm; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy gilded. Backmark: None;
Date: ​c1770-1785.​​​
3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 272- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Believed to be the second pattern to the 3rd Dragoon Guards.
​​​Description: ​​​PoW feathers with DG and ICH DIEN legend either side.
Category:​​Dragoon Guards​ ​
Type of button: Flat 22​mm; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy gilded. Backmark: None;
Date: ​c1785-1815.​​​
1st King's Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 327- ​
Image Source: UK Detector Finds Database
​Notes: The design is possibly the first to the unit and is certainly an early version that is superseeded by 1795 at the latest.
​​​Description: ​​​KsDG surrounded by two layers of wreath type motif .
Category:​​Dragoons​ ​
Type of button: Slightly convex 22mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1770-1790.​​​
1st Life Guards​
Ref No: 670- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 1st Life Guards gained the name in 1788, although little is known of early buttons to this unit.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned LG over I within scalloped edge.
Category:​​ Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 23mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ CHARLES JENNENS LONDON (with PoW crest);
Date: ​c1820-1835.​​​
2nd Life Guards​
Ref No: 671- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd Life Guards gained the name in 1788 which was retained until 1922 when they were ammalgamated with the 1st.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned LG over 2 within crowned garter and motto.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 25mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1780-1800.​​​
2nd Life Guards​
Ref No: 672- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd Life Guards gained the name in 1788 which was retained until 1922 when they were ammalgamated with the 1st.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned LG over 2 within crowned garter and motto.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 24mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ CHARLES JENNENS LONDON (with PoW crest);
Date: ​c1808-1820.​​​
Royal Horse Guards​
Ref No: 673- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The Royal Horse Guards gained the title in 1750, their style and design of button remained largely unchanged.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned monogram letters RHG.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 25mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1780-1810.​​​
Royal Horse Guards​
Ref No: 674- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The Royal Horse Guards gained the title in 1750, their style and design of button remained largely unchanged.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned monogram letters RHG.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 16mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ I. GOOD BIRMINGHAM;
Date: ​c1780-1810.​​​
Royal Horse Guards​
Ref No: 675- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The Royal Horse Guards gained the title in 1750, their style and design of button remained largely unchanged.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned monogram letters RHG within outer ring.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 25mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ S. FIRMIN STRAND;
Date: ​c1780-1810.​​​
1st King's Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 676- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 1st Kings Dragoon Guards gained the title in 1746.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned KDG within double edged decorative design.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 25mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark:​ S.F;
Date: ​c1780-1790.​​​
2nd The Queen's Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 677- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd The Queen's Dragoon Guards gained the title in 1746 later becoming the Queen's Bays.
​​​Description: ​​​QS over DG on six pointed incised star.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 23mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1780-1800.​​​
2nd The Queen's Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 678- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: A style used by the Light Troop which would be raised by heavy units in times of war. The 2nd The Queen's Dragoon Guards gained the title in 1746 later becoming the Queen's Bays.
​​​Description: ​​​QS over DG on six pointed incised star.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Full Ball 17mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1780-1800.​​​
2nd The Queen's Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 679- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd The Queen's Dragoon Guards gained the title in 1746 later becoming the Queen's Bays.
​​​Description: ​​​QS over DG on six pointed star.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 13mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ FIRMIN & WESTALL STRAND;
Date: ​c1794-1811.​​​
3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 680- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 3rd Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards gained the title in 1765.
​​​Description: ​​​PoW feathers with DG either side and garter motto around.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 22mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark:​ CHARLES JENNENS LONDON (Pow crest);
Date: ​c1815-1820.​​​
4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 681- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Previously known as the Blue Horse, they were the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards from around 1788 until 1920.
​​​Description: ​​​Shamrock with IV above under RIDG on eight pointed star
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 21mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ BEST I.B PLATED;
Date: ​c1820-1830.​​​
4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 682- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Previously known as the Blue Horse, they were the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards from around 1788 until 1920.
​​​Description: ​​​Shamrock with IV above under RIDG on eight pointed star
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 22mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1820-1830.​​​
5th Dragoon Guards (2nd Horse)​
Ref No: 683- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd Horse also known as the (Green) Irish Horse used the name between 1717-1788 when they then became the 5th Dragoon Guards 1788-1804 when they then gained the Princess Charlotte of Wales's title.
​​​Description: ​​​2H within mottoed garter on eight pointed star
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 25mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ S.F;
Date: ​c1780-1788.​​​
5th Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 684- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd Horse also known as the (Green) Irish Horse used the name between 1717-1788 when they then became the 5th Dragoon Guards 1788-1804 when they then gained the Princess Charlotte of Wales's title.
​​​Description: ​​​V over D.G within crowned mottoed garter.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 24mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1796-1804.​​​
5th Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 229- ​
Image Source: Colchester Treasure Hunting Club
​Notes: The 5th Dragoons became Princess Charlotte of Wales's Dragoon Guards in 1804.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned Hannover Horse over V D.G with VESTIGIA NULLA RETRORSUM around. Category:​​ Dragoons​ ​
Type of button: Slightly Convex​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silver gilded. Backmark: ​​;
Date: ​c1780-1796.​​​
5th Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 685- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Note that whilst very similar to REF 684 above the final word of the motto is the curtailed RETRORSM rather than RETRORSUM.
​​​Description: ​​​V over D.G within crowned mottoed garter.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 22mm​​; ​
Metal: Pewter. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1796-1804.​​​
5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 686- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: The 2nd Horse also known as the (Green) Irish Horse used the name between 1717-1788 when they then became the 5th Dragoon Guards 1788-1804 when they then gained the Princess Charlotte of Wales's title.
​​​Description: ​​​V over D.G within crowned mottoed garter on 8 pointed star.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 23mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy. Backmark:​ W. JONES OPPOSITE THE CASTLE CORK DUBLIN;
Date: ​c1804-1820.​​​
6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)​
Ref No: 687- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Formed from the 3rd Irish Horse in 1788, they retained the name and number until 1920 when they were amalgammated with the 6th Dragoon Guards to from the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards.
​​​Description: ​​​VI DG in shield over crossed rifles with CARABINEERS above.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 26mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​c1788-1798.​​​
6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)​
Ref No: 688- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Formed from the 3rd Irish Horse in 1788, they retained the name and number until 1920 when they were amalgammated with the 6th Dragoon Guards to from the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards.
​​​Description: ​​​VI DG in shield over crossed rifles with CARABINEERS above.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 19mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, silvered. Backmark:​ CHARLES JENNENS LONDON;
Date: ​1820-1830.​​​
7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 689- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Formed from the 4th Irish Horse in 1788, they retained the name and Princess Royal's title until 1920 when they were amalgammated with the 4th Dragoon Guards to from the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards.
​​​Description: ​​​PR DG in centre of crown surmounted eight pointed star.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Flat 27mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark:​ None;
Date: ​1788-1798.​​​
7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards​
Ref No: 690- ​
Image Source: DP
​Notes: Formed from the 4th Irish Horse in 1788, they retained the name and Princess Royal's title until 1920 when they were amalgammated with the 4th Dragoon Guards to from the 4th/7th Dragoon Guards.
​​​Description: ​​​Crowned 7 over DG with PRINCESS ROYAL either side.
Category: ​​Cavalry​ ​
Type of button: Convex 19mm​​; ​
Metal: Copper Alloy, gilt. Backmark:​ I McGOWAN LONDON;
Date: ​1800-1835.​​​
