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Obverse Design
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Badge is based around a center circle. Perched on top of the badge is a gold
five-point star. The center circle has a green map of Panama on a blue background,
with crossed rifles and a pistol on top of the map. One rifle is black, the other
rifle and the pistol are gold. There are short gold lines at the top, bottom,
right and left of the circle. This inner circle is surround by a black
outer circle with gold lettering that reads "LEALTAD VALOR SACRIFICIO".
These mottos stand for "LOYALTY BRAVERY SACRIFICE". Under the circle is a small
tricolor shield with the colors of the Panamanian flag (red, white and blue).
Two gold branches come up from either side of the shield and make up the left
and right edges of the badge. A black banner with gold lettering makes up the
bottom edge of the badge. The lettering says "POLICIA" on our left side,
"NACIONAL" on out right and "G.A.P." in the middle. "POLICIA" means "POLICE"
and "NACIONAL" means "NATIONAL". I don't know what "G.A.P." stands for.
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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. Multi-colored.
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Size and Shape
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Unknown. To be determined.
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Dates Issued
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Unknown. The aggressive tone without any references to the "Guardia Nacional"
as the military became known after about 1950 may point to a date in the 1940's.
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Issurer
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National Police of Panama.
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Numbers Issued
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Badge type is unnumbered.
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Rarity
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Very Rare.
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Manufacturer
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Unknown.
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Source
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King Collection.
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Varieties
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None known.
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Function
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Tentatively identified as a Police vest badge.
I would appreciate
e-mail from anyone who can add anything to the history of these badges.
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