South African Basutoland Territories Cap Badge

Gilt brass king's crown cap badge with two original lugs to the reverse, worn by the Basutoland High Commission Territory Corps ( HCT ). The centre bears the monogram HCT, above the scroll Basutoland. Some light verdigris to front and around the lugs on the reverse. Circa 4.1cm tall. Scarce.

Britain took control of this small native kingdom as a British Crown Colony in 1884 after it suffered a series of defeats against the Boers of Cape Colony. Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the United Kingdom on 4 October 1966.

Renfrew et al No 512 refers.

Code: 53729