Raf path finder badges ??

[tony75]

Hi
what are your thoughts on these pieces
I was told the one with the backing was a 1918 sleeve insignia ?
are these worth anything
thank you for your time and help
Tony

[asterperious]

Sorry, they are cap eagles, the lower one in your last pic is off a post war side cap - the hollow casting and big buttons and maker are a dead giveaway. The top one in your lowest pic is a WW 2 officers wedge cap eagle. Pathfinder badges are vexing - they were only semi-official and were typically adapted from cap eagles, usually with a jewelers clasp pin on the back, sometimes the pronged eagle from the bullion cap badge, often the lower eagle from the wedge cape badge like you show here. They were not worn operationally. WW I sleeve eagles are typically solid cast with fine thread screw posts, often with three posts versus two - but not always three. The pronged eagle is from a bullion cap badge, by the shade of finish I'd say 50's or 60's era. A few tenners of value here at most. All of these are widely and cheaply available from dealers and ebay etc.

It can be a bit of a minefield really, and there are legions of variation as officers was private purchase and private makers all did things a little differently.

[tony75]

Hello
thank kyou very much for the info very helpful
Tony