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old Texas ranger badge ??

7K views 42 replies 21 participants last post by  yosemitesam 
#1 · (Edited)
Anyone here know anything about old Texas Ranger badges ? is this one real or fake ? I was told it is made of a silver coin.
I'm thinking from the 1940's or 1950's, not sure, I have heard that some Texas Rangers had their badges made by a badge spec. co. as theirs was better looking then the issue one's, or for a special award [retirement] some of you LEO folks might know. Thanks.

The last pic. is of some fake old west badges for displays with my Colts SAA's. Thank.s.
 

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#6 · (Edited)
Badge Emblem Circle Art
Badge Fashion accessory Emblem Logo Symbol



I've a pic of the real thing (actually, both the PA badge and the TR badge): the Ranger badge was sold by Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson's widow, so I believe we can consider it authentic. The Threepersons badge is genuine, too (at The Autry Museum) and is known to be made from a silver dollar. Another pic I have, but haven't scanned, is a TR badge that is inscribed "Company D" in the centre, "Texas Ranger" at bottom, and "Frontier Battalion" at the top; with similar (but not identical) scrollwork to the Jackson badge; in the book Age of the Gunfighters, which uses pics of items held by The Autry Museum. So I think the Texas Rangers' site should pick up the phone and call The Autry, because the Hall of Fame states:

No genuine Texas Ranger badges are known to exist with "Frontier Battalion" engraved on them.The Frontier Battalion was in service from 1874-1901. Some Frontier Battalion fakes have cast replicas of 1940s Mexican coins on their reverse.
 
#11 ·
View attachment 254258 View attachment 254266


I've a pic of the real thing (actually, both the PA badge and the TR badge): the Ranger badge was sold by Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson's widow, so I believe we can consider it authentic. The Threepersons badge is genuine, too (at The Autry Museum) and is known to be made from a silver dollar. Another pic I have, but haven't scanned, is a TR badge that is inscribed "Company D" in the centre, "Texas Ranger" at bottom, and "Frontier Battalion" at the top; with similar (but not identical) scrollwork to the Jackson badge; in the book Age of the Gunfighters, which uses pics of items held by The Autry Museum. So I think the Texas Rangers' site should pick up the phone and call The Autry, because the Hall of Fame states:

No genuine Texas Ranger badges are known to exist with "Frontier Battalion" engraved on them.The Frontier Battalion was in service from 1874-1901. Some Frontier Battalion fakes have cast replicas of 1940s Mexican coins on their reverse.
Here's some artifacts from the Gene Autry western heritage museum and the Buffalo Bill historical center, they might have some bad info. on old badges, esp. on: no Texas Ranger badges are known to exist with "Frontier Battalion engraved on them" ???
 

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#8 ·
My reading indicates that it was common fro Texas Ranger badges to be made from a Mexican silver coin.
I think the coin was the largest one issued by Mexico and various Texas jewelers cut them out with a jewelers piercing saw and hand stamped the markings.

These were smaller then the typical badges used by most law enforcement of the time.
I'm not sure when the Rangers began wearing badges, because I've never seen an old photo of a Ranger wearing any type of badge.
 
#10 ·
Most likely a fake. The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco has a good description of real and fake badges. And according to the historians at the Museum there are NO authentic Texas Ranger badges with "Frontier Battalion" engraved on them.

The Official Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas | Learn About the History or Rangers Past and Present

You can buy a "Texas Ranger Badge" at any gun show in Texas or on Ebay. And most likely all of them are fakes. The one below was one I bought for about $5 at a gunshow.
 

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#13 · (Edited)
The tradional coin used to make the bage was a "cinco peso".
I don't know if they still do that or someone has a contract to make them.
I believe a book about Rangeres had "cinco peso" in the title. Mike Cox was probably the author.

rayb
 
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#14 ·
#15 · (Edited)
As several people have pointed out, the chances of a real Ranger badge showing up are very rare. When they do, they usually have adequate provenance that supports the claim. The faux badges are frequently made up with an equally faux Mexican coin on the back side. The badges are jealously guarded by the owners and heirs and seldom sold. Take a look at a book called Pictorial HIstory of the Texas Rangers by Charlie Schreiner. Schreiner was a very advanced gun and badge collector and his book has a section on Ranger badges. During the Frontier Battalion period there was no issue badge, Some were made up by individuals but I don't think that the state issued any. The men carried warrants. If there is no provenance and no return privilege I would keep my money. I only know of one that was "found out in the yard".
 
#16 ·
Another of Tom Threepersons' badges has been sold at auction (El Paso Deputy), and it, like his Prohibition Officer's badge and Joaquin Jackson's badge, has his name on it. So, perhaps they're only genuine badges in that era, if the officer's name is on it: literally their authorisation for police powers? I'm deducing, I don't actually know one way or the other.
 
#20 · (Edited)
#19 · (Edited)
It looks like a common fake, Langenbacker & Sons Catalog #273, (Frontier Battalion Co "D")

Logo Emblem Trademark Font Symbol


Shown here: The Official Texas Ranger Hall of Fame - Fakes

"No genuine Texas Ranger badges are known to exist with "Frontier Battalion" engraved on them.The Frontier Battalion was in service from 1874-1901. Some Frontier Battalion fakes have cast replicas of 1940s Mexican coins on their reverse."
 
#27 ·
"Mea culpas" being mutually exchanged, it's interesting to me that Tom Threepersons also married again just before his death. A year in Tom's case, and p'raps he lied about his age to get her, because his headstone states 1899-1969 whilst his U.S. census reporting shows his birth 1890, including when with his first wife Susie and his second wife Lorene. Lorene was born of a German father and a Cherokee mother, and was married and had children before marrying Tom: to a chap named Nichols and her children carried the Nichols name during her marriage to Threepersons (though she changed hers). "No relation to the author".
 
#23 ·
I am a former LE officer and a collector for 27 years. What you have is a fake badge. Texas Rangers never had a badge with Battalion on it. They are the most duplicated badge in the market and some are well made. Most are cast from a Mexican 5 Cinco pesos coin. They are sterling silver and most were maker marked. Star Eng., Sammangs, DWA, ALFORD, Haltoms are some manufacturers over the years. Unless you can link the badge to an actual Ranger it is hard to confirm its authenticity. There were also many without hallmarks and were made by jewelers. Hope this sheds some light.
 
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#30 ·
With all your years as a collector, I hope you can lead me in the right direction. I would like to get a nice replica Texas Ranger badge. Who would you suggest as the best place to get a nice one? Thanks, in advance, for any information.
 
#24 ·
Rangers used Mexican coins due to it is not legal to damage US currency. I have seen badges made with Morgan silver Dollars. The Ranger Captain badges were made with Gold Mexican 20 Pesos coin. Not any longer since the prices of gold has climbed so high.
 
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#35 ·
Here's a photo of 3 Texas Rangers from Traces of Texas. Notice that there are 3 different badges in use by these men.


View attachment 277098
Gorgeous. I would think late 19th century because the SAAs appear to be 7-1/2" (at least their holsters are). The TRs appear to have made the switch to the 4-3/4" early in the 20th century, when they started carrying their pistols in short, threepersons-style holsters on a trousers belt when in cities. Think Lone Wolf Gonzaulles and other Rangers of his era.
 
#37 ·
Thanks for the clarification. The photo was published online by Traces of Texas and they were unable to identify the men. Their only comment published with the photo was, "Texas Rangers, undated. I am not sure who these men are but I hope somebody out there can tell us."



I googled the auction website and there are several badges and other interesting items included in the inventory.

Texas Antique Auctions Waco Texas Antique Auctions Waco TX Antique Auctions
 
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