Actually found this more than a month ago, but couldn't figure out what it was until now due to the poor condition.
The only way I was able to figure out was from narrowing down the letters to being the end of "excelsior", the new york state motto.
It's had a pretty rough life, but I believe this is my first militia button, so a pretty neat find in my opinion.
An example photo of what a non-destroyed one should look like is included for reference.
It seems to be a cuff button rather than a coat button since the diameter is only .600", and the shank had me scratching my head a bit since I'd never seen a self-shank button like that before. Apparently that style shank makes it post civil-war, maybe 1870-1900
The only way I was able to figure out was from narrowing down the letters to being the end of "excelsior", the new york state motto.
It's had a pretty rough life, but I believe this is my first militia button, so a pretty neat find in my opinion.
An example photo of what a non-destroyed one should look like is included for reference.
It seems to be a cuff button rather than a coat button since the diameter is only .600", and the shank had me scratching my head a bit since I'd never seen a self-shank button like that before. Apparently that style shank makes it post civil-war, maybe 1870-1900