'Dupe' or 'fake' - what is the different ?
Yes, it is true, some officers worn 'dupe' (duplicates/respectively 'second') shields in the past. But the mentality has changed as Michael J. Palladino, the president of the city detectives union has reported to the New York Times in 2009.
Within the past 20 years I had some opportunities to get original shields and also a few of those 'dupes' by other collectors, decedent's property or auction platforms like formerly Badgeswap.com (unfortunately offline since 2018). Also a highly recommended website for police badges: CopCollector by (former police officer) Gerald Kern. You should join his newsletter to get the best offers.
A 'Dupe' is not a fake badge! Made by a real existing manufacturer of high quality badges for police, fire and other municipal agencies, it often contains the real existing officer's ID number, because the original does. Also many agencies allow their officers to buy a reproduction of their own shield, if it follows the department requirements.
But, what is a 'fake badge' ?
This is a typical fake badge (gold varnish / zinc alloy), the shape is not correct, the seal is a mess, take a look at this -.20 ct. fake badge from China:
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Original seal |
Many fake badges comes with a hallmark from mocking companies whose names sound like "Willington & Billington"; "Danny & Hush" or "Abandale & Prescot" (sorry, I don't want to write their correct 'company' names here). Those 'companies' never have produced a badge for any US agency. I would call them 'fake companies', created as a masquerade for representing a 'real hallmark' to get a better price, e.g. on EBay.
examples in pictures:
Miami Fake (left) vs. Original (right)
(They use also my '842' number, for their fakes now !)
Nassau Lieutenant Fake (left) vs. Original (right)
NCIS Fake (left) vs. Original (right)
CHP, Highway Patrol Fake (left) vs. Original (right)
Dade County, FLA Fake (left) vs. Original (right)
NYPD faked Chief Badges (left) vs. Original (right)
L.A.P.D. Hat badge
L.A.P.D. Badge
Beverly Hills Police Fake (left) vs. Original (right)
e.g. as you can see, fake seal is missing "CALIFORNIA" below
Following list contains well known fake badge numbers - so if you get a badge offered, including one of these badge numbers, take cake ! Maybe it is a 2cent cheap asia fake badge ... e.g. from China.
Attention: regarding Williams & Anderson CHP Badges, please read this important advise !
| Department: | Rank: |
Badgenumber: |
Where (often) to buy: |
| Texas Ranger | all | - | Read more information's here |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Explorer | E | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | K-9 | 1 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 211 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Lieutenant | 416 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 504 | hood.de |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 507 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain | 569 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Sergeant | 623 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Chief; Sergeant | 714 | ← Link to buy the Sergeant, or get it cheaper on: hood.de |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Traffic Agent | 715 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Policeman | 744 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain | 806 | DHgate.com |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 822 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Homicide | 1009 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | SWAT | 1015 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Metropolitan | 1190 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 1200 | hood.de |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Metropolitan | 1439 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Sergeant | 1490 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 1966 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Lieutenant; Detective | 2157 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 2183 | ← Link to buy |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 2356 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 2430 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 2465 | ← Link to buy |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 2471 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 2516 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain | 2712 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 2784 | ← Link to buy |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Sergeant | 3221 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 3422 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 3740 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Sergeant | 3902 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 4230 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Policeman | 4793 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Policeman, Policewoman | 4848 | hood.de |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 5549 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 7056 | (made by Goede, GER) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 7124 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain; Lieutenant; Sergeant; Detective; Police Officer | 7167 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 7341 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain; Lieutenant; Sergeant; Detective; Police Officer | 7665 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain; Lieutenant; Sergeant; Detective; Police Officer | 10106 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Captain; Lieutenant; Sergeant; Detective; Police Officer | 12116 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 13247 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 13520 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 13958 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 14285 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 14286 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 15859 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 16520 | AliExpress |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 17125 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 21464 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | all ranks | 26354 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 34865 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 46885 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Detective | 51715 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Police Officer | 53467 | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Homicide | not exist | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Rampart | not exist | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | Blade Runner | Fun badge | *1) |
| LAPD (Los Angeles) CA | SWAT |
← Link to buy | |
| BHP (Beverly Hills) CA | Detective | 1 | *1) |
| BHP (Beverly Hills) CA | Detective | 216 | *1) |
| BHP (Beverly Hills) CA | Police Officer; Detective | 911 | *1) |
| BHP (Beverly Hills) CA | Police Officer; Detective | 1492 | *1) |
| SFPD (San Francisco) CA | Police | 378 | *1) |
| SFPD (San Francisco) CA | Police | 411 | *1) |
| SFPD (San Francisco) CA | Inspector | 766 | *1) |
| SFPD (San Francisco) CA | Corporal | 820 | (made by Goede, GER) |
| SFPD (San Francisco) CA | Inspector | 2211 | (Dirty Harry Movie) |
| CHP (Highway Patrol) CA | Traffic Officer | 7845 | (made by Goede, GER) |
| CHP (Highway Patrol) CA | Officer | 9856 | *1) |
| CHP (Highway Patrol) CA | Traffic Officer | 8618 | *1) |
| CHP (Highway Patrol) CA | Officer | 10752 | *1) |
| CHP (Highway Patrol) CA | Officer | 16496 | *1) |
| New York | Dep.Insp. / Captain / Lt. / ... | - | Made in China dot com |
| New York | Marshal | 4 | hood.de |
| New York | Destrict Attorney | 251 | *1) |
| New York | DEA | 419 | *1) |
| New York State | New York State Police, Trooper Badge | 800 | (made by Goede, GER) |
| New York State | EMT | 2967 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | CSI | hood.de |
| NYPD (NY City) | Sergeant | 106 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Sergeant | 121 | hood.de |
| NYPD (NY City) | Sergeant | 159 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Sergeant | 238 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 272 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 390 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 796 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 800 | hood.de |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 816 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 851 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 881 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 960 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective ANDY SIPOWICZ (NYPD BLUE) | 990 | copcollector.com real HQ replicas & originals |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 1200 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 1314 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 1514 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 1690 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 1902 | (made by Goede, GER) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Sergeant | 1911 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 1918 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 2501 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 2588 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 3080 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 3379 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 3693 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 4115 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 4131 | hood.de |
| NYPD (NY City) | Sergeant | 4921 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 5566 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Detective | 5779 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 9191 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 9730 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 12467 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer + Hatbadge | 13491 | Alibaba or *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer + Hatbadge | 15478 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 19115 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 19225 | *1) |
| NYPD (NY City) | Police Officer | 35799 | *1) |
| New York / New Jersey | Port Authority Detective | 125 | (faked "US Badge Co" hallm.) |
| New Jersey | State Police | 507 | *1) |
| New Jersey | State Police | 5075 | copcollector.com real HQ replicas & originals |
*1) mostly on EBAY Germany
or directly on Alibaba.com