New Badge Collection

[KnightTN]

Hello thank you for letting me join the group. I have recently bought a collection of cavalry cap badges and would like to know more about them and if I have done good.

[SillyOldGrandad]

I would advise you to join the British and Commonwealth Military Badge Forum for the best advice on the authenticity of those badges. I usually avoid giving opinions myself on what is good or bad as it generally tends to be too much hassle. I will only say that several of yours would not appeal to me if I was still a collector.        Pete.

 

[Farkas]

On 05/09/2024 at 20:48, KnightTN said:

Hello thank you for letting me join the group. I have recently bought a collection of cavalry cap badges and would like to know more about them and if I have done good.

Hi, 

I just wanted to add a little to the advice Pete gave… 👍

 

If this is your first purchase then it’s a nice mix of badges to start to build a collection on.

On face value, they are a variety of ages and cavalry badge designs look good in my opinion. The challenge is knowing whether they are from the period or a reproduction or restrike made in the years since. As with Pete, I’m not the man to pick which is which, in my case I couldn’t with any confidence.

To assess how well you did is tricky because for now you have to assume they are all relatively modern, so… It really depends how much you paid.

 

If you paid 30 quid or so, you had a good price regardless.

If you paid much more you are relying on some being original period made items.

 

Just a last point you may or may not be aware of…

The design of the Crowns on badges changed with the death of the Monarch.

Queen Victoria died in 1902.

Her crown was this one.

 

1902 -1952 was a period of 4 Kings.

Kings crowns below.

 

1952 onward was Queen Elizabeth II.

& her crown looked like this below.

also from 1952 , Anodised Aluminium was introduced for making badges and buttons. Replacing the use of brass, it is known as ‘staybrite’ and , the use of one or other, will also help you narrow down the period of manufacture.

 

Cheers

tony 🍻

 

pS if you want to post clearer pictures of any individually on here , go for it…

[Terry37]

Regret to say the Machine Gun Corps badges is a fake. The bottom of the crown should be bowed down, not flat. Sorry about that, but I not met a collector yet who hasn't picked up more than a few fakes.  I have a box of those I've not given away, fully identified as fakes, to friends who aren't collectors, but just thought they were neat. All part of the hobby, learnnig about badges, and is part of the fun.

 

I will second joining the British Badge Forum as another source of information.

 

Terry