This the Type-V G.A.R. membership badge, introduced in 1886 and bearing that patent date on the reverse of the eagle top bar pin, along with an army mess kettle hanging over a camp fire in raised relief. This badge used the final version of the medal with the die recut (again) to include on the reverse the badges of Sheridan’s and Wilson’s Cavalry Corps and Hancock’s First Veteran Corps.

In this case the flag ribbon has a red border, indicating a department level badge (intermediate between post and national offices) and has rank bar positioned in the middle rather than top position, indicating a past office. The silver oak leaves could indicate several offices, but the department level ribbon suggests the wearer had served as an aide-de-camp to a department commander.

The top bar, rank bar, and medal have excellent color and the rank bar shows a nice raised border imitating the embroidered bullion of a wartime officer’s shoulder strap. The flag ribbon shows some fading and wear, but is solid and original to the badge. Collectors are sometimes prone to replacing ribbons but we would not touch it. The reverse of the top bar shows an inventory or collection number in black ink on a white ground. This was not identified by the seller, but to us looks very much like the MOLLUS collection numbers we have seen on pieces deaccessioned from the MOLLUS War Library and Museum when its collections were dispersed a few years ago after attempts to preserve it or merge with another institution failed.

The G.A.R. reached its peak membership in 1890 with 409,489 members and was a powerful voice in politics, society, and veterans’ affairs and memorabilia from the organization offers a lot of variety, color, and history.  [sr] [ph:L]

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