REPRODUCTION CIVIL WAR BUCKLES & PLATES
By Gary Williams
US MARINES           

This is the beginning of your education in US MARINES plates. To accommodate slow Internet connections and to speed up the loading of these pages, only 10 buckles will be displayed per page. Please click on the "Page" link to change pages. The plates listed with "Plate Numbers" are the actual Plate Numbers listed in "American Military Belt Plates" by Michael J. O'Donnell & J. Duncan Campbell. Use the photos of the original plates listed in these books to compare the differences in the repros listed here.

Photo # USMC1

Plate 987 (1840 Marine Corps Officers Sword Belt Plate) 43 x 79mm. Marked GW. This reproduction belt plate is solid cast and has an applied silver wreath. The original had a different wreath and the letters were applied. There should be no problem with this belt plate.

Photo # USMC2

Plate 1026 (1900 Post War Marine Belt Plate) 44 x 79mm. Marked GW. The original of this plate was cast without an emblem. What ever branch of the military you wanted, it could be applied. The hook was also applied on the original. My reproduction is solid cast and sometimes faked but not even close to the original.

Photo # USMC3

Modern (Marine Corps Belt Plate) This is a modern Marine Corps buckle that is a very good seller. This plate could be faked but it is not Civil War period.

Photo # USMC4

Modern (1975 Marine Corps Two Piece Belt Plate) I made the Marine center disc for this two piece from a toy helmet emblem. I used the 1850 Navy two piece for the pattern plate. Fellow Marines wanted a two piece and I cast one from this pattern that I created.