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SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges

SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic BadgesSA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges
SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic BadgesSA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges
SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic BadgesSA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges
SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic BadgesSA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges
SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic BadgesSA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges
SA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic BadgesSA Union: Second World War: Navy Fundraising 'Sailor SAM' Patriotic Badges
Form: Pin-back badge
By: South African Mint or Royal Mint Pretoria
Date: 1940-1942
Ref:  Laidlaw: 1012;
Variations:
SizeMetalMassValue
33 mm (height)Vatious2 gm$8 - $20

Edge: Plain.

Obverse: (1) Comic naval figure, front, made of pressed metal: Able Seaman, Petty Officer. On ground: "S.A.M".
(2) Comic naval figure, front, made of enamelled silver: Commander, Admiral. On ground: "S.A.M".
(3) SA Navy crown made of enamelled silver: Sea Lord.
(4) Comic figure of middle aged fat man with cigar, front, made of pressed silver. Stamped on ground: "RMP" and "925".

Reverse: All have pin-back.
Admiral and commanderbadges stamped: ".925 S.A.M" at bottom.
SA Navy Crown Sea Lord badged stamped: .925 S.A.M" at top. "SOCIETY OF ANCIENT (in an arc) /.MARINERS. / (line) / (sometimes FIRST) SEA LORD".

Notes: These are colloquially knowns as 'Sailor Sam' badges and the last one as 'Sam's Father'.

The Able Seaman Sam badges are found with a variety of finishes: brassed, silvered, and privately painted.

The badges were made during WW2 to raise funds for the expansion of the South African Navy. It is believed that the Able Seaman Sam badge was sold to the general public. The other four were awarded to those who sold the badges with the 'rank' increasing according to the number of sales up to Sea Lord for 500 sales.

'S.A.M" is either the acronym used by the South African Mint or for the Society of Ancient Mariners or possibly both.

The Sam's Father badge was the earliest of these badges made at the Royal Mint, Pretoria, before it became the South African Mint in 1941.