Rarest Cap Badge

[KingHouse]

What is the rarest Cap Badge for collectors from the British Military and what is it's generally sale value?

[GriffMJ]

Thats a hard one to get a general consensus of opinion on......

In my experience....a genuine 1916/20 Leicestershire PAO Yeomanry ORs with slider has got to be one of the hardest to achieve. As to its value..... its what you are prepared to pay for it really. I have seen two in the last 10 years of proper searching. The "W" scroll looped version is a close second..... if not as rare.

I am sure there are more rare ....

[Roy]

Yes an almost impossible question I would imagine.

It may be better to start a thread asking 'what is the rarest badge in your collection'? I think we could possibly get some interesting answers.

Also rarity doesn't always equate to value. Hedgehog 'poo' is pretty rare here in Arizona but I'm sure I couldn't get much for it if I had some.

Cheers, Roy.

[GriffMJ]

Knowing how rare something actually is..... is another thing

For me a badge with rare provenance is a valuable thing. A bog ordinary badge proven to be attached to the head of soldier in a famous action..... would be more valuable.

[David Tremain]

That really is a toughie. As we all know, some badges are much harder to find. I'm having trouble finding a few of the war-raised cavalry units as depicted in Peter Seaman's book (also hard to find), but does hard-to-find also make them rare, or am I just not looking in the right direction? I've seen a few of them, but none that I would want to spend money on, all being of dubious quality.

Early badges, for those who collect helmet plates or shako plates, are likely to be rarer, I assume.

I would like to say that my 'rare' badges are those given to me by my late grandfather, who wore them in India and Burma - 14th Army badge, SEAC badge, the slouch hat referred to in another post (see also Glossary). Even though they may not be that rare, as in hard to find, I can never obtain others with the same provenance. I just wish the few others he gave me, which I traded as a kid, were still in my collection.
David

[Peter Brydon]

At one time I considered a Liverpool Scottish officers feather bonnet badge to be incredibly scarce and exchanged a Liverpool Welsh Rifle Volunteers sword for one so I would have an example.

Then a couple of months later I got the opportunity to buy a Liverpool Scottish officers feather bonnet complete with badge so it turned out to be not quite as scarce as I had thought, I now think the Liverpool Welsh R.V.sword was the scarcer item but this is what collecting is all about.

We all have our own holy grails but they are probably all different items for different individuals.

P.B.

[matti467]

Suffolk and Essex Cyclists. Never seen a real one or one with a provenance.

[Mike Jackson]

An authentic Indian Long Range Squadron (with provenance) and associated slip-on title I.L.R.S.
Mike

[Sonofacqms]

I would say an original Essex and Suffolk Cyclist Btn OSD cap badge with blades would be pretty scarce, I don't know if they were ever made or issued, but in theory they should exist.

The bi-metal other ranks is scarce and has been faked, along with the OSD, so beware . . !

Rob

[manchesters]

A Victorian Parachute Regiment cap badge is very rare

[Bill A]

As is a Victorian Royal Canadian Air Force badge.

[Paul Spellman]

Originally Posted by manchesters

A Victorian Parachute Regiment cap badge is very rare

Early para wings as worn by RE Balloon Section

[Fatboy Ken]

Giggle, Chuckle, Chorkle, Snigger, Snicker.

You are so funny, you lot

FBK

[grenadierguardsman]

Its go to be a Grenadier Guards OSD Grenade cap badge.............
Andy

[ubervamp]

Genuine restrikes are pretty hard to come by.