Four Vintage Unknown Enamel Pins w/ Korean(?) Writing On Them... What Are They?

[MilitariaCollector]

Can anyone identify what these pins are and how old they may be? They are enamel and each are about the size of a nickel. I believe the writing on them may be Korean, but I am not quite sure. The backs are unmarked, and they all have a threaded stud on the back with a roller nut. Does anyone know what these pins may be for? Any help is appreciated!

 

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[MilitariaCollector]

BTT

 

[oldbattleaxe]

Very interesting. Looks military. US WW1 WW2 used the same style screw back fasteners.

 

[Obsessive]

Agree on the Korean script, but that's all I got for now. Can ask a coworker tomorrow if he recognizes them.

 

[DCMatt]

The one on the lower right appears to have the Japanese character "kai" which can mean society or social organization.


Where did you get these? There were many such organiziations in California before WWII. Many still exist today.


My wife's grandfather was arrested by the FBI after the attack on Pearl Harbor because he was secretary for the Hiroshima Kenjinkai in Long Beach in 1941. The group name roughly translates to the Hiroshima Person Association.


I found the hand written FBI report in the national archives in DC. Pretty cool...

 

[Obsessive]

Theyre korean middle school pins, each with the name of the school. Bottom right pin is chinese middle school.

 

[MilitariaCollector]

Thanks for the info. I thought perhaps that they were some kind of membership or social organization pins. I would have never figured that they were middle school pins. BTW, the pins were purchased at a flea market in Central Florida. I had no idea what they were when I bought them, but they were very cheap, and I thought that they were interesting.

 

[Obsessive]

I think theyre pretty neat. I have an older korean co-worker who i plan to ask about them when he returns to work next week. Hes about 2x the age of the other guys so i figure he might have more specifics. However the younger guys new immediately what they were, so not expecting any surprises.

 

[sutphin]

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