PIN BADGES / LAPEL PINS

During World War I thousands of miles of parallel trenches were dug along the western front. Trench warfare was necessary because the power, speed and accuracy of the weapons on both sides would have made it impossible to fight a battle in the open...

In 1485 a new family of rulers seized the throne of England called the Tudors. From 1154 - 1399 a family called the Plantagenets had ruled England. The crown was then taken by the Lancaster family but, in 1455, a rival family, the Yorks, threatened the...

In 1485 a new family of rulers seized the throne of England called the Tudors. From 1154 - 1399 a family called the Plantagenets had ruled England. The crown was then taken by the Lancaster family but, in 1455, a rival family, the Yorks, threatened the...

Tyrannosaurus Rex was a huge meat-eating dinosaur that lived during the late Cretaceous period, about 85 million to 65 million years ago. They could grow up to 13 meters long, about 5 meters tall and weighed between 5 to 7 tons. The skull of a...

The Spitfire is the most famous British fighter aircraft of all time, designed by R.J. Mitchell, and based on his very fast, pre-war seaplane, the S6. The Spitfire MK1 was powered by a 1,030-hp Rolls Royce Merlin engine and had a top speed of 365 mph. It...

A pirate is someone who travels by water and commits robbery at sea or sometimes on the shore. Thousands of pirates were active between 1650-1720, a time known as the 'Golden Age' of piracy. The black flag with the skull and crossbones has been the...

The Roman goddess Minerva is often depicted with an owl, her sacred creature. She was associated with the Greek goddess Athena, the patron goddess of Athens whose symbol was also the owl. This Minerva Owl pin badge is made from lead-free pewter and...

The floors of Roman houses were often richly decorated with mosaics made from stone or glass of different colours, known as tesserae. These mosaics usually captured scenes of history and everyday life. Some of these buildings were held up by huge columns...

The Vikings were seafaring people from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In texts such as the Icelandic sagas, the phrase 'to go Viking' implies participation in a raiding activity or piracy. The Viking Age in European history was from the late 8th to the...

On 15th June 1215, the English barons forced King John to seal under oath the Magna Carta (Great Charter) at Runnymede, near Windsor. This document itemized the barons' complaints and intended reforms. Neither side complied with the Magna Carta's...

The Vikings were seafaring people from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. In texts such as the Icelandic sagas, the phrase 'to go Viking' implies participation in a raiding activity or piracy. The Viking Age in European history was from the late 8th to the...

The first invaders of England were the Celts, who began crossing the English Channel around 500 BC. The Celts, a warlike people, were divided into various tribes. Celtic artists used combinations of curved lines, spirals and interlaced patterns, which...