Thousands of different Mao badges were made during the Mao Period. Propaganda units across China produced them, and many more were made to commemorate campaigns, meetings, visits by Mao. Even Mangoes were commemorated with a badge.

 

Some were tiny, others huge. Some were made of plastic or ceramic, while most were coated metal. Some bore scenes of Mao's birthplace or Tiananmen or Daqing or the sea or masses of flags. All had Mao's head, sometimes with a hat, sometimes as a young man, but always in profile, showing his left side..

 

We interpret as many of the more interesting badges as we can, researching their imagery and the words stamped on the reverse. We are careful to source only authentic examples and, if we get one wrong it goes firmly into a drawer - where, hopefully, it will one day become part of our collection of badges worth faking.

 

Mao badges are an art unto themselves, well worth a closer look.