Badge collecting?

[GuyW]

I hadn't really considered LE badge collecting before, but I already have a start with my grandfather's Oakland PD badge.

Now, at the Smith & Wesson Collectors forums, I see bogus Inspector Callahan badges and ID cards that some collectors of Model 29s like to round out their Dirty Harry (fantasy? fetish??) paraphanelia....and this got me thinking....

I'd also be up for a real US Marshal badge from the 1875-1885 era, as 2 of my relatives (Daltons) were Marshals before they got tired of being stiffed on their pay...

So, anybody here collect badges?

(I wonder what typically happens to old badges anyway? Lots probably get thrown away by decendents)
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[TurboChrisB]

I wouldn't ever throw it away....but I bet there are tons sitting in drawers around the country...I assume you've been on ebay and looked?

[Eirerogue]

US Mint Society produced a really fine set of "Badges of the Old West" in a glassed case. Must be 20, including Texas Rangers, Pecos, NM Sheriff, etc.

I bought mine years ago and tried to Google to see if they were still available, but came up with zero. I'll get a picture up tomorrow.

[Ron-Solo]

Most badges now retained by the agency and there are a lot of new laws prohibiting their possession. When we retire, we can get our badge encased in a thick lucite for display purposes.

They're cool to collect, but it is getting more difficult because of abuse.

[Notorious]

Yep, lucite is the standard or mounted permanently on a wooden plaque. Badges aren't given to guys upon retirement like they used to.

[CaptMike]

our departmet takes our original badge and gives us a new badge with "retired" on it. It does take them about six months to get you the new badge.

[GuyW]

.....badges....there are a lot of new laws prohibiting their possession.

Can you head me in the right direction so that I can read those laws?
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[CSACANNONEER]

Back in the 80's, I had a freind who worked dispatch for SLOPD and collected bages. She was also going to Poly along with her kids. Anyway, her book bag was covered with real badges from different depts. Even back then, there were laws about possession and misuse. But, she felt that her job sort of protected her.

My dad retired from a federal agency just 3 or 4 years ago. I've never asked him if he retained his badge, they presented him with a retired one or he got nothing at all. I'll have to find out.

[BigDogatPlay]

I'm not a collector, but I started following the market a bit when I worked a case where the company that made my department's shoulder patch was knocking them off and selling them into the collector market. It was an issue because our patch contained a copyrighted image.

Suffice to say there are tons and tons and tons of knockoffs and counterfeits out there. Buyer beware is the #1 rule of the trade. Vintage badges, the real deal with provenance, are like crown jewels. If you are interested in seriously collecting, get some more background and approach cautiously. They turn up at estate sales, and you almost always see guys selling them at gun shows and other types of swap meets where collectors gather.

Police Badge Network is one source of info.

[Uhhlexxxis]

There are some military surplus stores that have some oldie type badges... They were all behind a case though so they may be worth a little something. just fyi.

[CSACANNONEER]

There are some military surplus stores that have some oldie type badges... They were all behind a case though so they may be worth a little something. just fyi.

Hey, if I put coyote scat in a glass display case, do you think it's worth more than the pile on the shelves? Seriously, many times display cases are used more for marketing than to protect the item against theft.

[Ron-Solo]

GuyW,

Most of them are protected by County or City ordinances. The search would be like trying to herd cats.

Most of the state laws deal with the misuse

[jayboy74]

I sell reproduction old west badges like the ones at the link below. I do not touch modern badges at all , I have had a chance to purchase a few modern badges but due to the crazy laws that seem to change daily i avoid them. Be careful is all i can say about collecting badges.

http://www.realmcollections.com/old-west-collectibles.html

they are nicely made and are heavy. If you age them they look authentic and make a very nice display item. Its not a law but a rule i use , I avoid modern looking badges that could be mistaken for an active or still used badge. I think most badges from the 1900s fall under could be mistaken for modern so i avoid them unless they are something like a firemans badge or other nonlaw enforcement badge. I remember when the texas ranger badge was very scarce because they were trying to make it illegal to own even replicas of early badges. I guess that went flop because now you can get them easily =)

[2patchHero]

This is my collection of badges. Some are fakes and some are real. My patch collection is huge.

[Notorious]

If your department lets you keep yours in authentic untouched condition, I don't imagine why you would want to sell it anyway... I know I wouldn't.