Badge value

[seadog]

If a cloth badge was manufactured by a recognised supplier of military badges, on order from the Department of Defence. Passed all the quality checks and was issued and worn as part of a military uniform. BUT was made incorrectly with one part facing the wrong way, is this item:

A) Scarce, collectable and more valuable than the standard badge (like a misprinted stamp), OR
B) Is it a dud because it does not meet the uniform standards and regulations of the day, therefore worthless?
C) Does it rate with the copies and fakes?

The badge is pictured below, all WO badges in South Africa were the Coat of Arms and as such could not be altered for left and right facing. But a batch of about 200 badges were made and issued with the Lion on the crest facing right instead of left.


Neville

[Traist]

Hi Neville, firstly I would not consider this badge a fake. It is real and good. As far as value goes, that is more difficult. The correct badge is not very scarce, so I would rate the "mistake" at double the price of the correct one. If you have a soft spot for the WO badges, you may wish to go much higher. We all tend to pay too much for items that tickle our fancy. Regards Andrew

[Alex Rice]

Hi Neville
I think this boils down to personal preference. I'm sure some purists would discount it as a dud, but the average collector (like me) would be more than happy to add an odd badge like that to the collection.
Value on the other hand is difficult...
Cheers,
Alex