If your helmet plate and has a quite ornate coat of arms which includes a Stafford knot as apposed to a Maltese cross centre, this the pre 1898 badge. If it is brass it is more than likely a repro. All the ones I have seen or have in my collection are ehither white metal or silver.
Several years ago there was sale of a large collection of police memorabilia at Birmingham which included the manufactures female die for this particular badge. Shortly afterward a number of these went on sale all in brass painted black.
The latter version of this badge but with Maltese cross coat of arms was worn up until 1947 still with the Victorian crown. A smaller version with the same crown was worn up until their amalgamation in 1966.
Hi Jeff - many thanks for that I had my suspicions that these were perhaps repros, a few have turned up on e bay and it seems rather odd that the brass type does not feature in the helemt plate badge of office book. Victorian HP's are very difficult to find I have been looking for a Met one for years.
