O type Silver maybe?

[Loski]

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Hi I bought the above badge in an Aldershot second hand shop in 1980 when I joined the ACF in Aldershot as 15 year old, I think I paid around £3.00 for it I then put the badge on my navy blue 1980s Kangol beret with maroon diamond backing that I was issued a few weeks after joining as a cadet because I did not like the anodised badge that came with the beret. when I left the ACF I kept my badge and beret, Now to the point a friend of mine was looking at the badge and beret a few days back and he seems to think that it is an officers silver badge any ideas if it is or is not silver would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Graham

[grenadierguardsman]

I too have this type, very heavy and solid. I thought it was plated ?
Andy

[Loski]

I thought I was chrome but my mate thinks it is silver I’m still not sure.

[Mike_2817]

As it is unmarked in any way to suggest its silver and at £3 in 1980 at I would think DuBora's in Aldershot it is the heavy plated style also purchased by regular para's in place of the anodised badge.

[Sock Monkey VC]

It looks like silver to perfection but there are federal laws in Britain about all silver being hallmarked so it's likely plated brass or a good white metal. Very nice looking badge.

Premium prices for silver are only justifiable because of scarcity and not really silver content. At $7 an ounce or whatever silver is now, you can bang out a lot of badges from an ounce of silver but it carries a price premium far beyond it's metallurgic value.

Having whined about it, I must admit there is something rich about holding a sterling cap badge in your hand.

I once bought a pair of rank badges that I couldn't identify right off. They ended up begin police Assistant Chief Constable or Commander shoulder wreaths with the crossed torches in the middle. They were sterling and the torches even had a red enamel flame on then. They were spectacular and I have never since seen even one, only ever bullion. I sold them and that's one bit of silver that I think earned it's premium price!

[Loski]

Originally Posted by Mike_2817

As it is unmarked in any way to suggest its silver and at £3 in 1980 at I would think DuBora's in Aldershot it is the heavy plated style also purchased by regular para's in place of the anodised badge.

I know I did not buy it at Debora’s but at a small second hand shop that was on the way to the cadet drill hall that was up behind Aldershot football ground, defiantly not Dubois’s as they were up in the main shopping center at that time.

[Frank Kelley]

1980? it actually looks brand new, rather odd looking crown and lion for nearly four decades ago, perfectly normal these days though.

Originally Posted by Loski

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Hi I bought the above badge in an Aldershot second hand shop in 1980 when I joined the ACF in Aldershot as 15 year old, I think I paid around £3.00 for it I then put the badge on my navy blue 1980s Kangol beret with maroon diamond backing that I was issued a few weeks after joining as a cadet because I did not like the anodised badge that came with the beret. when I left the ACF I kept my badge and beret, Now to the point a friend of mine was looking at the badge and beret a few days back and he seems to think that it is an officers silver badge any ideas if it is or is not silver would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Graham