Hi Vincent
Nice badge you have there.
I suppose out of all the ww1 rising suns, the most sought after would be what’s known as the double marked tiptaft badge.
Why they are double marked? Well Andy’s suggestion is as good as any.
Why are they so expensive? Who knows as Mick said there not that rare? I have 12+ of them. I am still buying them but I wouldn’t pay more than $100aust. Most Australian badge collectors know that these badges can not be classified as "light horse" badges as I bought a collection of items to a battalion man and he had one of these badges. It’s probably more likely that they were replacement badges for whatever reason sourced from a UK manufacturer in the absence of any Australian made badge for troops in or around the UK. As tiptaft and Gaunt had made some rising suns pre war, namely a superb hallmarked silver version (with lugs) the same dies may have been used giving Andy’s theory legs and a slider fitted as per the British army regulations.
Overall, the English made badges are generally a better strike, with crisper detail and more of a substantial badge. This is the reason I still buy them.
BC
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