Why so valuable?
 

I am mystified by this badge which sold on ebay yesterday which went for £460. Can any member please tell me why it is so valuable?

Link

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203782002...sAAOSwiMVh1cDI

Tim

I know nothing of military badges. That said, I feel the need to ask a question. Why manufacture a solid silver hallmarked badge and then plate it with gilt?

Presumably the gilt finish must have been applied after the badge had been assayed. I say that because had it been applied before, I suspect that it would have been unable to be hallmarked. Or am I wrong?

Dave.

I have a Royal British Legion "Golden Award" badge which is silver gilt , I assume it was cheaper to have a 'gilt' badge than a 9ct Gold one.

From Assay Office :

• The term ‘Silver gilt’ may be used to describe gold plated silver, providing a specific gold fineness is not applied as part of the description e.g. silver gilt ring.

• The gold plated layer must be of fineness of at least 375 parts per thousand and should not exceed 2 microns in thickness.

.

Is it a Gold Hallmark and not silver?

regards

It looks like a standard British silver hallmark with the sterling lion, Birmingham anchor and letter date z for 1924. Was there an all gilt Welsh Regt badge?

It is a silver hallmark as it is a silver item that has been gilt/plated with gold.

GUIDANCE ON DESCRIPTION OF GOLD PLATED SILVER ARTICLES IN THE UK


.

[QUOTE=altcar73;570211]I know nothing of military badges. That said, I feel the need to ask a question. Why manufacture a solid silver hallmarked badge and then plate it with gilt?

Silver is harder than gold and shows detail better.

I would say its the 1899 date letter given the very slight flex in the letter and the solid edge shield,the 1920s shield had the shaped bottom, does that then change the reason behind the value?
Gary

self removed

If the badge is 1924 then it would be extremely rare as it has SH spelling not CH, I say that the z is for 1899.

Never seen or even heard of a h/m silver Welsh Reg cap badge so possible one off for a high ranking officer.

Ta

Jonathan

I agree with Jonathan on everything.

Never seen or heard of a badge like this so I expect for ardent silver badge collectors and Welsh Regiment aficionados alike it was a very rare, perhaps almost unique, must have.

Style of the Z also matches 1899 better IMO.

A lovely piece.

...its the 1899 mark.

Interesting discussion, I wouldn't have touched it with a bargepole, so would love to learn more about it. I have been collecting infantry officer badges for a while now and have never seen one made like that, ie: scroll tabbed onto the feathers. I would have assumed it to be an out-and-out fake. Why make a silver badge in 2 parts, it means it was die-struck. Most silver badges are cast and a decent silversmith would have made in in one piece. Too many alarms bells for me and I would not be surprised if somebody has been ripped off.
Cheers,
Alex

I would have expected a 2 part item to be hallmarked on both parts ? :confused:


.