Tell me more! Wartime vs. Postwar Corps Badges

CyleKostello

Sergeant
Joined
Jan 27, 2021
Location
Washington, DC
Hi all,

As I get deeper into ACW collecting I was wondering how do we determine if a metal corps badge is wartime or post-war? For example, the pictured badge is labeled as a wartime badge and I would like to know what factors led to that determination?

Full disclosure, I put in a lowball offer on that badge as I was unsure if it was wartime or post-war.


Thanks for any help!

s-l1600 (33).jpg


s-l1600 (32).jpg
 
These are tough, the back pin is a way to tell but they were used well into the years after the war. If you are going to collect them I would suggest Stan's book.
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The 34th New York was a 2 year regiment that mustered out on June 30, 1863 and so would only have used the corps badges for the last couple months of its service. It's possible that someone made one of these badges after the war to commemorate their service but there is a window for it to be from the wartime period.

Ryan
 
The 34th New York was a 2 year regiment that mustered out on June 30, 1863 and so would only have used the corps badges for the last couple months of its service. It's possible that someone made one of these badges after the war to commemorate their service but there is a window for it to be from the wartime period.

Ryan
A lot of GAR member wore these as well.
 
An interesting item. I had no idea how to tell if it was Civil War or not.
Really the only possible identifier I’ve found thus far is the hinge, which seems to match 1860s examples but that is far from conclusive as UCVrelics said. Absolutely a neat item tho, as someone who focuses on NY or Ma. regts I was very much interested in it.
These a tough, the back pin is a way to tell but they was used well into the years after the war. If you are going to collect them I would suggest Stan's book.
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Thanks for the book rec! Will be sure to pick it up.

was able to find a similar badge, albeit made of brass, not silver that sold at Heritage Auctions awhile back. No conclusive info re:date but the closing price of 950~ would suggest wartime production. (Either that or a very unlucky buyer)
Here’s the link: https://historical.ha.com/itm/milit...he-face-with-decorative-border/a/6015-57829.s
 
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Really the only possible identifier I’ve found thus far is the hinge, which seems to match 1860s examples but that is far from conclusive as UCVrelics said. Absolutely a neat item tho, as someone who focuses on NY or Ma. regts I was very much interested in it.

Thanks for the book rec! Will be sure to pick it up.

was able to find a similar badge, albeit made of brass, not silver that sold at Heritage Auctions awhile back. No conclusive info re:date but the closing price of 950~ would suggest wartime production. (Either that or a very unlucky buyer)
Here’s the link: https://historical.ha.com/itm/milit...he-face-with-decorative-border/a/6015-57829.s
These are called t-bar backs and are easily replicated, the Heritage Auction one is a prime example, I believe it to be a fake. I have one right here on my desk, just a silver 2nd Corps trefoil that a friend had made for me by a local jeweler, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Unless you really know what you are doing, are willing to take an expensive risk, or just have to have, this is an area that is fraught with heartache. The one tidbit i can pass on, is that the pin should not extend very far beyond the badge. Many reproductions extend a quarter to a half inch beyond the badge border.
 
These are called t-bar backs and are easily replicated, the Heritage Auction one is a prime example, I believe it to be a fake. I have one right here on my desk, just a silver 2nd Corps trefoil that a friend had made for me by a local jeweler, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Unless you really know what you are doing, are willing to take an expensive risk, or just have to have, this is an area that is fraught with heartache. The one tidbit i can pass on, is that the pin should not extend very far beyond the badge. Many reproductions extend a quarter to a half inch beyond the badge border.
Very helpful, thank you for taking the time to write that up!
 
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