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Spectacular Bullion Navy Rates


dpcsdan
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You are correct Dennie, not a CPO rate nor is it a WW2 era rate. But, it was in use just outside the WW2 era, pretty difficult to find, and unusual in that there were no CPOs in the Sailmaker rate. I just had to have it. I should mention that it is the only 1st class bullion rate I have. I need to keep it a little longer.😄 I do love the red/blue one from Helvey's collection.

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I'm not surprised at your response; that must be one of the most difficult rates to find, especially considering that there is not a CPO rate in the rating.  Have you seen many of the silver bullion examples?  Also, I understand that the rating is Sailmaker's Mate.  Would there have been a Warrant Sailmaker and I wonder what insignia he would have worn?  I know of the early mark bearing the image of a fid but that was worn by the mates, I believe.  Probably a question I should post in a related forum. 

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2 minutes ago, busternfo said:

I'm not surprised at your response; that must be one of the most difficult rates to find, especially considering that there is not a CPO rate in the rating.  Have you seen many of the silver bullion examples?  Also, I understand that the rating is Sailmaker's Mate.  Would there have been a Warrant Sailmaker and I wonder what insignia he would have worn?  I know of the early mark bearing the image of a fid but that was worn by the mates, I believe.  Probably a question I should post in a related forum. 

There was a Warrant Sailmaker, that was one of the original Warrants when the USN was established. I believe they wore an “S” on their shoulder straps into about 1866, then (IIRC) a Diamond as a mark. Not sure when they went away. 

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3 hours ago, busternfo said:

Hi Steve,  Thanks for the info. on Warrant Sailmaker.  Please tell me what IIRC stands for. 

 

Dennie

“If I Recall Correctly “

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On 10/20/2022 at 12:42 PM, busternfo said:

I'm not surprised at your response; that must be one of the most difficult rates to find, especially considering that there is not a CPO rate in the rating.  Have you seen many of the silver bullion examples?  Also, I understand that the rating is Sailmaker's Mate.  Would there have been a Warrant Sailmaker and I wonder what insignia he would have worn?  I know of the early mark bearing the image of a fid but that was worn by the mates, I believe.  Probably a question I should post in a related forum. 

My mistake. I forgot to add Mate to Sailmaker.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Showed this one off on the ASMIC FB page. Description says it's a martini glass but I like to think of it as the "Holy Grail" of Navy rates 😅

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  • 7 months later...

Beautiful rate Bruce. I have one like it as well as a bullion khaki CPO. This rate had an effective date of 02 April 1948 and was replaced on 09 June 1948(69 days) with Exclusive Emergency Service Rating ESM(Underwater Mechanic)(see Specialist M) per John Stacy. Difficult rate to find.

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  • 2 months later...

Got this the other day and I'm a bit perplexed. It's a Chief Pharmacist's Mate in bullion but on khaki. I know that in 1948/49 khaki rates were supposed to be in bullion and Pharmacist's Mate became Hospital Corpsman in 1948. I've seen a small handful of WWII khaki rates in Bullion but not nearly as many as I have with Post-war rates. Obviously anything is possible and sailors were getting all sorts of stuff made for uniforms so it's possible it's legitimate.

 

The price wasn't horrible so if it is fake it is what it is. 

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1 hour ago, PatLaabs said:

Got this the other day and I'm a bit perplexed. It's a Chief Pharmacist's Mate in bullion but on khaki. I know that in 1948/49 khaki rates were supposed to be in bullion and Pharmacist's Mate became Hospital Corpsman in 1948. I've seen a small handful of WWII khaki rates in Bullion but not nearly as many as I have with Post-war rates. Obviously anything is possible and sailors were getting all sorts of stuff made for uniforms so it's possible it's legitimate.

 

The price wasn't horrible so if it is fake it is what it is. 

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First, this is a beautiful rate.   It doesn’t look like it’s ever been on a uniform. A bullion Pharmacist Mate wouldn’t be out of the question.  It looks legit to me. A second question, what would be a “Reproduction”. We got locally made stuff in off base shops all the time, not produced or provided by the Navy. And we wore it. So, if it is used, why would it be a repop?

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1 hour ago, sigsaye said:

First, this is a beautiful rate.   It doesn’t look like it’s ever been on a uniform. A bullion Pharmacist Mate wouldn’t be out of the question.  It looks legit to me. A second question, what would be a “Reproduction”. We got locally made stuff in off base shops all the time, not produced or provided by the Navy. And we wore it. So, if it is used, why would it be a repop?

Thank you! I had a similar way of thinking, it's just that 9 times out of 10 when you see a bullion khaki rate it's post-war and then there's also the few from way back in this thread that make absolutely no sense like the Aviation Quartermaster in bullion on khaki (although that was a known reproduction). I feel like it probably was one of those one-of-a-kind pieces from a shop outside the base. Sometimes things just seem too good to be true hahaha. I appreciate your assessment. Things like this just make me curious/worried.

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16 hours ago, PatLaabs said:

Thank you! I had a similar way of thinking, it's just that 9 times out of 10 when you see a bullion khaki rate it's post-war and then there's also the few from way back in this thread that make absolutely no sense like the Aviation Quartermaster in bullion on khaki (although that was a known reproduction). I feel like it probably was one of those one-of-a-kind pieces from a shop outside the base. Sometimes things just seem too good to be true hahaha. I appreciate your assessment. Things like this just make me curious/worried.

This one looks like it’s never been used so, it could have BEEN, produced between 1945 and 1948. Then, sat in the exchange/shop and ended up in a back room somewhere until whoever had it realized there was a collector market. It looks good. 

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7 hours ago, sigsaye said:

This one looks like it’s never been used so, it could have BEEN, produced between 1945 and 1948. Then, sat in the exchange/shop and ended up in a back room somewhere until whoever had it realized there was a collector market. It looks good. 

I think, also, those rating badges, contracted by the Navy, ( for the non blues uniforms), had blue eagles and marks. Those rating badges with bullion eagles and marks, were commercially made, for private purchase sale in shops. 

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