In the wild west of mid-19th-century America, peace officers often made their own badges out of whatever scrap of metal they could find. These tin stars, as they were known, were precursors to more substantial badges made by local blacksmiths, which were followed by stock badges finished in nickel or rhodium and sold by badge manufacturers. Shapes include pierced stars set within a shield or circle, and five- or six-pointed stars, with or...Continue Reading