kangaroo badge types
Sorry for not jumping on this sooner, but I was on vacation in B.C. the past few weeks.
I will attach a picture showing the badge types side by side, hopefully that helps. It is hard to tell the difference if you don't have the other type to compare to.
Despite, Chris Brooker's claims about the 2nd Die Variety, I only believe that the type 1 badges are Wartime issue. Type 1 comes in a bronze officer's pattern (RARE) and the all rank's Brass (Scarce). Type 2 comes in two metals; A very "yellow" brass (Scarce), and a red/orange gilding metal variety (Common as dirt).
Gilding metal is a type of jeweller's brass with a high copper content that makes it more maliable.
There is a way to tell the difference between the brass and gilding metal type 2's. They have different lugs. The Brass type 2 has lugs identical to the original issue. The brass type are very stiff and could not be easily bent despite the fact that they are actually thinner (they look kind of flimsy) the gilding metal are a relatively "thick" stamping but can be very easily bent or even snapped in half if you so desire!
Where or when the Type 2 badges were manufactured is a mystery? Because the Brass type 2's are very similar in construction to the Type 1's (Brass/same lugs) it would be easy to surmise they are of the same time frame. However I can't see why two different dies would be created? The Type 1 "original" badges were only manufactured and distributed between January and May of 1945. maybe only 1500 were made at most (that would be 3 per man!My Dad only was issued a single badge.) that is not enough to wear out a die? Even if the die wore out and you needed a new one, why would there be a different engraving? The only badges I have seen in veteran collections are Type 1. Jason Spurrier's Grandfather had 4 of them! And even though he attended at least one large reunion, there were no repro's among his belonging's.
I doubt will ever really know where the repro's came from. Beyond these type's I also have various brass and plastic cast badges of both die varieties, these however are obvious fakes.
Bill.
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