TOP COP COLLECTION: PLAINFIELD #16

TOP COP COLLECTION: PLAINFIELD

This is a nice looking Badge that copies the N.Y.P.D.'s "Captain's Shield." Many towns in New Jersey used this design. Even I was issued one when working as a Probation Officer in the 1980's. The design was quite popular.

This particular Badge is from Plainfield, NJ and is in my TOP COP COLLECTION. It is here obviously because it is marked "CHIEF" on the lower panel. 

The area in the center jumps out to catch your eye. That is the New Jersey State Seal, and it is quite old. The blue paint around the actual Seal is rare and very dated - perhaps 1930's. There is also small blue painting inside the ribbon at the top of this badge which is also unique.

This beauty has been with me for over 25 years. Honestly I never thought to much about it until starting the Top Cop Collection.

At first I wasn't sure exactly which "Plainfield" this Badge came from. That's because there are three. Two carry the identifiers of "North" and "South" in their formal name. With that, I have concluded that this Badge is from Union County's "Queen City," for which the City of Plainfield is also known. 

Today this Badge has a home along with other fine Jersey Badges that I have spent 50 years collecting. It stays in a nice Oak Display case with a tempered glass front where I can see it almost every day. I'm proud to have it in my collection.

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RARE 1900 NEWARK P.D.

RARE 1900 NEWARK P.D.  

  

This is a "Believe It or Not" from Newark, NJ!

I am not going to say too much about it because I still am just not quite sure myself. The story goes something like this. In the early 1900's Newark was using the "Radiator Design Badge." That was to end in 1914, when the "new (and current) edition"  was introduced.

With new officer's being hired before the "new" badge was ready, this Badge was ordered as a temporary badge.

As a temporary solution, this badge, was the alleged short term answer. If this is true I have a nice looking antique badge.  It has two panels that are marked: NEWARK, POLICE.

There is a working pin with a "C" clasp on the back side (See picture). This gives one an idea of the badge's age. 

In the center of this badge is a Seal. It is about the size of a quarter. It is, however, the State Seal of N.J. This seal is, for a Newark Officer's Badge, quite unusual!

There is a trademark on the rear of this item. It reads "Whitehead Hoag Co, Newark, NJ."  This company was an Established Badge Maker back in the day, but are they are no longer in business. Did the Newark Police Department really authorize Hoag to make it? If you can add to or clarify the story let me know.