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Swordsman Badge


B-17Guy
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Merry Christmas........

 

Do you know how many times I almost slipped when we were talking?

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Merry Christmas........

 

Do you know how many times I almost slipped when we were talking?

 

Yes, lol, my wife told me.

Great story about how she conspired with Ron and you to make the whole thing happen.

Great Christmas present from my wife!

She knew it was a Holy Grail piece.

 

Sundance, they were used on a very limited basis from 1914 till 1921.

Here is an Emerson link-

 

http://www.emersoninsignia.net/files/Download/10Swordsman.pdf

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Maybe to answer the questions. If I remember correctly, this badge was in use in the pre-WW1 period and into the 1920's. A specific qualification course had to be completed on horseback by cavalrymen in order to earn the badge. It was replaced by a "SWORD" bar for the 1921 pattern marksmanship badge. There has been an article or two about this badge in the ASMIC publication "Trading Post."

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As atb says, the "Swordsman" badge was awarded for completing a course designed by George S. Patton, the one and only.

 

And yes, I still have one for sale, named, with a lot of other memorabilia to the soldier who owned it.

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Yowza!

 

Now that is something you don't see every day.

 

Better than even odds that whoever wore that knew George Patton.

 

Congratulations, and well done.

 

Chris

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Congrats. What are these badges? I have never seen these.

 

...Kat

 

Kat,

 

Expert Swordsman. Awarded to the best swordsman in Division and higher, determined by actual competition.

 

Only awarded from about 1910 to about 1917 or so... (Guys help me out here, were these issued any after WW1 or did they stop in 1917???). Possibly only a few dozen were ever awarded--certainly no more than 100.

 

Up there with the 1913 Military Aviator badge in terms of rareness.

 

Chris

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Back in the 1980's, Hayes O. in Montana was offering $1,000 for one of these. Once he found one, I think the price dropped quite a bit, but they are still quite desirable and valuable.

 

Allan

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Thanks to everyone for all the interest in the badge.

Regarding price and rarity, well, I've been looking for years and years, never finding a good one (lots of fakes).

Some collectors have seen them now and then, but I did a search on the forum and found none to add this post to.

Regarding value, anybody's guess, these badges are truly very rare.

I guess Hayes offering $1000 thirty years ago gives some idea.

Again folks, thanks for all the interest and comments, I hope they keep going as more people get to enjoy seeing this rare badge,

as I enjoy sharing it.

 

 

All the best, John

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

 

Kat,

 

Expert Swordsman. Awarded to the best swordsman in Division and higher, determined by actual competition.

 

Only awarded from about 1910 to about 1917 or so... (Guys help me out here, were these issued any after WW1 or did they stop in 1917???). Possibly only a few dozen were ever awarded--certainly no more than 100.

 

Up there with the 1913 Military Aviator badge in terms of rareness.

 

Chris

Two awarded per cavalry regiment is what I read. As stated earlier, issued until the 1921 marksmanship badges were adopted. See Emerson's Army marksmanship award book for an accurate history.

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