Life on the American frontier was full of danger. For criminals, the Wild West was a land of opportunity, a virtual anarchy where the strong and well-armed could prey on the weak with little fear of consequence or reprisal. In these difficult and perilous times, the small-town sheriffs, federal marshals, and other Wild West authority figures became central pillars of stable communities, even society at large. They were the staunch protectors and righters of wrongs, defenders of the helpless and heroic counterpart to the West’s vicious outlaw element.

The lawman was the symbol of order, and the western badge was the symbol of the lawman. Every officer wore a badge displaying his rank, from the revered Rangers and Federal Marshals to the Brothel Inspector (no joke!). These western replicas were often made by a local metalsmith and emblazoned with an official’s community as well as his rank. As a result, badges often varied greatly in different communities. Lawmen wore them with pride, a constant and visible reminder of the faith and trust the citizens had placed in them (particularly sheriffs, who were elected by the people), and their sworn duty to uphold the laws of a developing nation.

Our site has something for every type of Wild West enthusiast; replica sheriffs’ and marshals’ badges from famously violent communities like Tombstone and Deadwood to the esoteric Brothel Inspector badge and the badge of the Union Pacific Railroad Police, the famous adversaries of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Search through our pages and enjoy hundreds of western replicas, wild west costumes and western accessories.