More House Archaeology

There is still a mound of dirt (really it is ash and debris from an old coal furnace) in my back yard from great well dig of 2006. This mound is getting bigger but it isn't because I am still digging the well, which has at least another 7 feet of dirt to remove. It is because I have been working on that collapsed stairwell to the basement. Every so often things wash out of the mound. A couple of weeks ago I found this



I looked for the patent but couldn't find it. There were over 300 issued on Dec. 10, 1867 so either I missed one or it was the one that was withdrawn. It is a little bit bigger than a quarter. If anyone knows what this was used for please tell me. I will add it to the box of other old stuff of little value that we have found in this place. My other thought was to use it as jewellery for a body piercing since before long it seems that may be a requirement for residency in Dayton!