Description
BUY WITH CONFIDENCE. GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC AND AS DESCRIBED OR YOUR MONEY BACK! This is one of a group of rare, best-in-class, badge dies that usually never hit the market – all fresh from the collection of a descendant of the founder of the 165-year old V.H. Blackinton & Co. (largest and oldest manufacturer of police, fire, security, military, and government badges and uniform insignia in the USA). Anyone can own a badge, but only one person can own the actual original die that they were all made from. NOW, it can be YOU! So hope for a steal but bid to win. No doubt, this will be your once-in-a-lifetime chance to own this exciting piece of badge history. Keep watching our auctions. We’ll list another die from this fabulous collection weekly! Today we are happy to offer for sale a rare Thomas Heath Frisco Line conductor hat badge stamping die! The St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (reporting mark SLSF), also known as the “Frisco Line”, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to April 17, 1980. At the end of 1970 it operated 4,547 miles (7,318 km) of road on 6,574 miles (10,580 km) of track, not including subsidiaries Quanah, Acme and Pacific Railway or the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern Railroad; that year it reported 12,795 million ton-miles of revenue freight and no passengers. It was purchased and absorbed into the Burlington Northern Railroad in 1980. Despite its name, it never came close to San Francisco. This rare Conductor’s hat badge stamping die was manufactured by Thomas Heath of Attleboro, MA for the Frisco Line. The heavy (over 8lbs) stamping die is solidly built and features Frisco Line logo in a piecrust frame, with the word “Conductor” in bold serif font below; all in a fanciful frame with curved top. The badge was used on the hats on conductors on the train; please see last photo of badge on hat (hat not included). The die has fine and crisp detailing. The piece is marked on top upper right corner “Thos Heath Attleboro Ma”. Die presents well and is in very good antique condition, with minor wear, oxidation, and patina commensurate with age. This rare and historic artifact will make an outstanding addition to any antique and vintage badge and die, and historic railroadiana collection…Fresh to the market! Dimensions: 5″ in length, 2-5/8″ in width, 2-5/8″ in height NOTE: The last photo shows a hat with a badge struck off this die on it. It is for illustration purposes only. The hat is NOT offered as part of the lot. NOTE: Shipping cost is comprised of virtually all insurance. We do not mark up shipping. 20GW//K/F