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Obverse Design
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Top has perched eagle, wings spread, head ducked down and facing right. This eagle
has the wings swept down below the feet, unlike the earlier design where the
wing tips were about even with the feet. The center of the shield has the
first seal of the Canal Zone with a Spanish Galleon sailing through a sea level
canal. There is a smooth circle around the seal with lettering. All lettering
is incuse. The lettering
says "CANAL ZONE" curving above the seal and "POLICE" curving below. On the same
circle there is one five pointed star to the right and one to the left of the seal.
Below the shield is a smooth diamond with the badge number. The shield overall
has a textured background. All edges of the shield except the top have a leaf
design as the edge.
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Reverse Design
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Probably a pin back. To be determined.
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Metal
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Unknown metal. Silver color.
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Size and Shape
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About 56mm wide by 76 1/2 mm high (2 1/8 inches by 3 inches).
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Dates Issued
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Unknown. The first Canal Zone seal was designed in 1905 and lasted through 1950.
The badges with a square number plate are more complex than these with the diamond
number plates. Therefore this is tentatively determined to be the second
earliest design type.
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Issurer
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Isthmian Canal Commission and/or the Panama Canal Company.
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Numbers Issued
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Pieces include #449 and #493.
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Rarity
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Rare.
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Manufacturer
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Unknown.
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Source
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Levy Collection and King Collection.
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Varieties
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None known.
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Function
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Police vest badge.
I would appreciate
e-mail from anyone who can add anything to the history of these badges.
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