Month: October 2025

There was a time when joining a fan club felt like joining a secret society. Long before social media or official merch drops, you showed your loyalty with a small badge pinned proudly to your lapel. These early fan club badges are a fascinating corner of collecting, full of nostalgia, pop history, and occasionally, surprises.

Many performers had official fan clubs, and membership often included a badge. Most collectors focus on their favourite artist, but there is a growing interest in the wider world of early pop fandom. These examples include Frankie Avalon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Tommy Steele, the Everly Brothers and others whose names once filled jukeboxes and teenage bedrooms. Some remain legends. Others slipped into quieter chapters of music history. That shift, though, can be where the collecting opportunity appears.

Then there are the badges that capture an era. The Fonz, for example. A cultural icon in the 1970s, now a warm memory of leather jackets and jukebox cool.

Elvis, of course, remains in a category all of his own. Fan clubs still run, Graceland still welcomes visitors, and the number of souvenir badges keeps growing. Spotting the original pieces from his lifetime adds both challenge and reward. Some early tin badges can now reach significant prices, while later 1960s examples remain surprisingly accessible.

Small objects, perhaps, but backed by big stories.

From fierce bulldogs to finely stitched wings, Royal Air Force squadron patches chart a fascinating history of identity, pride, and craftsmanship. These cloth emblems first appeared in the inter-war years, worn on flight overalls and coveralls much like today. Early examples were handmade in fine silk, their vivid colours designed to endure the rigours of service life. One striking example is the 57 Squadron patch, its red and gold threads still catching the light decades on.

Modern squadron patches are machine-embroidered, yet collectors still prize the originals, particularly those issued and worn in service. Bullion-stitched blazer pocket badges made for veterans in the Far East often lack the intricate detailing and finesse of earlier British-made pieces, which were created with remarkable precision and artistry.

A standout from the 1980s is the bulldog patch, complete with a Lincolnshire maker’s label listing both telephone and fax numbers, a period detail that places it firmly in its time. Produced by Terrane Promotions, it represents the 525th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, worn by both RAF and USAF personnel during the 1991 Gulf War.

While countless commemorative and souvenir patches exist, discerning collectors seek those directly linked to active service. American examples from the 1950s and 60s, made for units like the Intruders and Tomcats, can now fetch well over £1,000, a testament to how these small cloth badges have become rich pieces of aviation heritage.

Among the many handcrafted cigarette cases made by prisoners of war in North Africa, this example stands out for both its craftsmanship and its story.

Many Allied and German POWs fashioned cigarette cases from aluminium food containers, recycling what they could from the supply tins that once held rations. Most surviving examples feature familiar scenes such as pyramids, palm trees or maps of Africa. This one, however, was clearly a commission, an individual soldier’s request for a reminder of his service.

The case bears the inscription “HQ 1st Parachute Brigade”, framed within the famous parachute wings badge. Below it appears the German phrase “DIE ROTEN TEUFEL” (“The Red Devils”), the nickname given to the 1st Parachute Brigade by the German troops they fought in North Africa. Inside, the engraved panels include space for photographs and a tender scene of a couple embracing beneath a lamplight, most likely a reference to Lili Marleen, the haunting wartime song loved by soldiers on both sides.

The 1st Parachute Brigade, formed in 1941 as part of the 1st Airborne Division, earned its fearsome nickname during the fierce fighting in Tunisia. Their HQ staff were at the heart of operations in the desert campaign.

For collectors, themed enamel badges can become as absorbing as the hobbies they represent, and few subjects are as visually striking as archery. From the bold target rings to the heraldic shields of county associations, these small works of art once celebrated the skill and spirit of local bowmen across Britain.

Before mass production and plastic finishes took over, enamel badges were made using real glass enamel, fired onto metal and finished by hand. That craftsmanship makes them prized today, especially those with intact colour and original pin fittings. As with most collectables, condition counts, but a rare badge with a chip or old repair can still serve as a valuable “gap-filler” until a better one comes along.

Collectors should always check the reverse. Many older examples were engraved with winners’ names or specific awards, which adds a layer of history and desirability. One fine example here bears the inscription “Most Golds 1962”, a tribute to an archer’s accuracy marking every bullseye struck that season.