Just found this cool old item. How rare is it??

[keiser31]

I just went down to the local bazaar and found a cool old item and wanted to share. Never saw one of these chauffeur's licenses made of pressed cardboard with a tin backpin. Of course, it's due to the war effort taking up most of the scrap metal. Most I have seen are plated brass.....

[JACK M]

That is cool.

[drwatson]

Very cool, I like "blackout stuff". A similar badge sold recently on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1943-Oregon-chauffeur-badge-Nice-/290980450353?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43bfc95031&nma=true&si=61TZBtKDrAymkMocEsQM7aXP654%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[keiser31]

Thanks guys!

[MarrsCars]

I can't guess on true rarity but we personally do a ton of antiquing in Portland area, literally 4 or 5-mornings a week or so out in the shops and estate sales, and I have not noticed one of these in the fiber body before, tho I'm not sure I would have noticed it's construction without picking one up since it has a metallic appearance.

[KenHupp20]

Not just scrap metal,new stock as well .My father was plant manager during the war.As I remember he said they had to inventory and turn in most of their stock of brass and copper.

His eyesight kept him out of the service,though he tried to get in.

The company went on to produce for the war.

Ken

[Kimo]

These are more common that you might think and most of them are fairly low cost to acquire. The fun part is to make a collection of one from every year from your home city or state. They were issued by most states (I think all but I am not positive) and by many larger cities over many years. The rare ones are the early years with the pre-1915 or so ones being the rare high priced ones, for the most part, especially from states or cities where cars and buses were not around in large numbers and where paved roads were still in their infancy.

[keiser31]

Found this one at the bottom of a bucket full of rusty stuff. I thought it was a kid's Sheriff badge or some other toy. Scraped it with my pocket knife and found this....wish I had taken a "before" shot as it was unidentifiable.

[JACK M]

I am thinking that it is still some kids toy.

[keiser31]

Yep....I am still a kid.....in my mind.

[Kimo]

There is a great website that is dedicated to chauffeur badges with lots of photos. They have a page for each state and some for the cities that also issued these. Here is a link to the page for the Oregon ones:

http://www.chauffeurbadges.com/44.html

Depending on the age and the attractiveness, these kinds of badges can sell for hundreds of dollars for the very old and great looking ones from interesting places, to the $10 to $20 range for average ones (which are the majority) to less for the more recent and not very attractive ones.

Edited December 20, 2013 by Kimo (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Kimo....thanks very much for the link!

[Dandy Dave]

Looks like that proves it is not a Toy. Were these badges just for the transport of people? Or did truckers also need them? Back in the day here in NY a truck/trailer drivers licence was considered a Class A Chauffeurs licence. Dandy Dave!

[Kimo]

In most states these were for any motor vehicle operator who accepted payment for his services to transport people except for cab drivers who had their own 'hack' badges, though in some states they were for all or they started out for all then split between cabbie and everyone else. Until the 1950s when most states ended issuing these, private ownership of motor vehicles was not as widespread as it is today and so there was much greater demand for someone to drive you places. I'm not an expert on them and would welcome anyone adding to or improving on this description.

For most states and cities you can make a collection of one from every year they were issued for a most amount of money until you get to the very rare earliest ones where you have to pay hundreds of dollars when you can find them. The break point in what is early and rare seems to be a bit different for each state. Also interest in a given state or city also affects prices. And the population of drivers in that state or city in the early years affects rarity. Going by the serial numbers on them, depending on the state or city and the year that state or city issued anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of them each year.

Except for those very earliest ones, these are not at all rare - though they are not found in every corner antique shop either. Go to Ebay and you will see. I just did a quick search and almost 600 auctions with these came up just for this week. These auctions usually start at about $5 to $10 though you will see some that start in the hundreds which are usually auctions by people who simply are ignorant of their value or who are trying to catch unknowledgeable bidders.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Kimo (see edit history)

[AdW13]

Cool find. Thanks for sharing.

[Guest lordairgtar]

Before the CDL licenses, Wisconsin truck drivers had what was called a Chauffeur's License. There were different levels depending on the vehicle. Over the road truckers had one kind , yet school bus drivers had another.

[Kimo]

In a 1911 book on the law of motor vehicles, a chauffer is defined as:

"Chauffer shall mean and include every person operating a motor as a driver, mechanic, paid employee, lessee, renter, or employed in any capacity on a motor carrying passengers or freight for hire"

It goes on to describe the requirements for states and cities to issue chauffer licenses in the form of metal pins, with serial numbers, and each year being significantly different, and that they be worn on ones clothing when operating a motor (what they were calling motor vehicles.