Just to show you that you have to do your homework, here's a listing on eBay for a 'Civil War era' railroad hat badge. Let's take a look.


What is wrong with this picture? Keep in mind the seller's belief that it is from the Civil War era. Note the evidence of machine stamping of the letters visible from the reverse side and the cartouche with the letters 'C&M RR'. Note the letters are also cast in the cartouche. Starting to get the idea? The machine technology required to make a stamped sheet of metal didn't exist during the Civil War...and wouldn't for decades to come.
Now, let's take a look at an example of a C&O hat badge up for sale on eBay as well.

Look familiar? The fake was manufactured, probably in Taiwan, using a C&O badge as a master. The fake is entirely stamped out of cheap, thin metal and then acid-aged to produce a rather shoddy patina. On the real badge, note how the letters 'conductor' and the cartouche are cast and polished, but the letters 'C&O RR' are machined into the cast cartouche and then enameled in black. In the fake, the letters in the cartouche are cast. This is just another example how fake items are presented on eBay either through ignorance or purposeful misrepresentation.id="Comic Sans MS">id="blue">


What is wrong with this picture? Keep in mind the seller's belief that it is from the Civil War era. Note the evidence of machine stamping of the letters visible from the reverse side and the cartouche with the letters 'C&M RR'. Note the letters are also cast in the cartouche. Starting to get the idea? The machine technology required to make a stamped sheet of metal didn't exist during the Civil War...and wouldn't for decades to come.
Now, let's take a look at an example of a C&O hat badge up for sale on eBay as well.

Look familiar? The fake was manufactured, probably in Taiwan, using a C&O badge as a master. The fake is entirely stamped out of cheap, thin metal and then acid-aged to produce a rather shoddy patina. On the real badge, note how the letters 'conductor' and the cartouche are cast and polished, but the letters 'C&O RR' are machined into the cast cartouche and then enameled in black. In the fake, the letters in the cartouche are cast. This is just another example how fake items are presented on eBay either through ignorance or purposeful misrepresentation.id="Comic Sans MS">id="blue">

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