Sometimes referred to as generic police badges the correct identifier is stock police badges. Although in the United States the use of police badges dates to the 1840s stock police badges were commonly used from the post civil war period until the 1920s.

Badge manufacturers produced these badges and carried them in stock readily available for purchase direct from the companies or their traveling representatives. Because of their easy availabilities most smaller law enforcement purchased and used these badges. In 1880 if you were in Dodge City, Kansas and saw a man wearing a stock Marshal’s badge that he was the town Marshal..

Mant larger law enforcement angencies used stock badges into the 20th century, some examples are the San Francisco and Oakland Police Departments and the Los Angeles and Alameda County Sheriff Offices.

Original badges were made of tin, nickel, german silver and plated jeweler’s bronze. Many of the earlier stock badges were not hallmarked by the manufacturers in the late 1800s but hallmarks (maker’s names stamped on the badge’s back) became more common in the early 1900s. Badge finding included “T” pins, springstem pins with “C”, tongue and tube catches and wire pind with or without saddle covers.

Collecting stock police badges wwas mostly ignored until the 1980s. It was not uncommon prior to that to purchase stock police badges for $3.00 to $10.00. It is not uncommon today to pay upwards of $100.00 for an original stock police badge in good condition.

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