Along my way covering the Municipal Collection I managed "another find" that warrants a picture and description.
This recently acquired badge is from the "Trenton City Police." It is numbered 33 with add on numerals that may have changed a few times before this item went its' merry way to the collectors world.
This item is worn to the point you can hardly see the department name over the seal. It is the seal that tells you this is from Trenton. Instead of a N.J. State Seal they use their distinct City Seal.
On the back of this item you can see that the pin at some point in time was replaced. It is held together in a "mound" of solder. It certainly does not look like the manufacturers work, so probably a do it yourself repair job. The "C" catch also looks to have been replaced as it opens in the wrong direction. It too has excess solder holding in place.
This is the second badge of this design that I now have. My first, number 60, is in better condition. It is probably a little newer. I pictured it here as it helps to "see" the letters on number 33 as well as the City Seal.
This new badge will likely find a home in my (NJ) City Collections Display. I only wanted (a long, long time ago) the top ten cities. In the quest for the "big ten" I have obtained a representative from 24 cities. I like them. I have them under glass in a nice display case that hangs on my wall.
All the badges hanging in my den give me a nice feeling every day when I look at them. Most of them tell a story or tweak a memory. Guess that is why I collect them.
"F" is for Fort Lee. These badges represent the thirteenth different community in my Municipal Collection.
Fort Lee is a little community on the Hudson River. It uses the "Borough" form of government. That is why it is in with the "muni's."
When the lights go out there will be around 14,000 saying their nightly prayers and, going to sleep in this metropolis across from New York City.
When the Sun comes up the daily commuters that travel through Fort Lee will bring the population figure up well over 100,000. The reason is the bridge pictured above.
This is not just a bridge but the very well know George Washington Bridge (GWB). It stretches across the Hudson River into Manhatten. The bridge makes Fort Lee an important spot on the New Jersey map.
Besides the bridge, Ft. Lee was also know as the capital of the motion picture industry. I learned that when I visited Thomas Edison's Museum, a few miles away, in Edison's Museum in West Orange, N.J.
In the late 1800's Mr. Edison brought his movie making equipment to Fort Lee and started the whole movie thing. A lot has changed since then. Even in N.J. people think of Edison's work being at other locations. Things change.
I "Got Lucky" with this Borough. I managed to obtain three nice shields over my forty years of collecting. Of course they did not all come to me at once.
I have had the Sergeant's badge since the late 1980's. I always loved the light blue background in the ring where the gold State Seal is located. In the outside ring the blue is darker with the words Borough of Ft Lee Police Dept. This is the only badge I have where there are two background colors. Not even the Chief's badge has this unique finish.
The Officer's shield #319, and the Chief's Badge came to my collection over the last ten years or so. They were found in the custody of others in the hobby who were in the process of down sizing their collection. It was my good luck to respond to their calls and obtain them.
Like all the badges in my collection these three items reside under glass and in a locked case. They are treasures. I am very happy to have them.
