Unofficial Plastic 2nd/14th Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry) hat badge
 

Here's a rare badge!

A plastic 2nd/14th Light Horse (Queensland Mounted Infantry) hat badge made up as a bush badge for 3 Troop, 'A' Squadron, 2/14 LHR - circa early 1990s.

Probably only 20 or so in existence and made by a member of the troop.

Worn on a kepi when on exercise.

Enjoy!

Mick

plastic 2/14 badge
 

Would like to get hold of one of those

A very hard to find badge given the small quantities produced.

Mick

That is something that could be reproduced tomorrow on a 3D printer I don't think I would invest more than $10 on one of those badges.

I dare say you probably won't find another one to invest $10 on.

Most would be with the former troop members as there would only have been 25 or so made.

Mick

Well my humble opinion only, it is just a piece of plastic, more of a novelty item than a rare badge but each to their own I guess. Probably of more value to a member who wore it than on the collectors market.

I would agree with that.

I place a high value on it myself as its my old regiment.

Mick

Hello Mick
Not sure if I agree with green jas on his value of the plastic QMI badge.

Even though it wasn't an official badge the providence behind the small group of badges is significant.

Another example is a white metal Melbourne Uni Regiment badge that was made and issued to a small number of soldiers in the regiment when they had a small number of armoured vehicles allocated to them for a short time.

If we apply his logic to all non official badges then most band badges, unofficial unit patches etc & my whitemetal Melb Uni Reg badge are of little value and we know that is not the case.

I would be very happy to have a plastic QMI in my collection.

Dennis

Like I said these types of insignia have a value for the people who wore them but thinking that these types of insignia be it a plastic badge someone made 20 of or a modern barracks/unofficial patch etc are worth any real $$$ is in my opinion is a false economy. A current/modern patch can be embroidered in bulk tomorrow and a plastic badge can these days be printed in someone's back yard. That is why anyone who spends serious money on these types of items will eventually lose their shirt because the first time a piece of one of only "20" QMI plastic sells at public auction for $300 they will appear all over the market in short order! You only have to look at what the European's have started to do to earlier badges, if a plastic badge was worth big money they would be all over Ebay tomorrow. Again just my personal view.

How many plastic badges have you seen churned out by 3D printers to date?

I've not seen any badge for that matter manufactured by a 3D printer.

Mick

You will see them churned out when someone is foolish enough to pay decent money for a plastic badge, that's what happens in today's world if an item is selling for good money people reproduce it and a plastic badge is probably the easiest thing to be reproduced.
If you were to take that plastic QMI badge to any 3D printer shop they can reproduce as many as you want, they do it like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft22sMwGRX8

All I am saying is in my opinion be wary of these types of items, well be careful how much money you invest in these items.

Here's some more unofficial black plastic bush badges I picked up today.

They were made up around 1990 by a member of 'B' Squadron, 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment who was also a dental technician (in his full time job).

Probably only a small handful of these exist.

The 2/14 LHR and 5th Light Horse AIF lapel badges aren't bad either. :)

Mick