1960s King Idris of Libya Army cap badge

A rare Libyan Army officer’s chromed metal cap badge dating to the reign of King Idris I (1951–1969)

Idris was Libya’s first and only king, presiding over the country after independence from Italy. His rule was closely associated with the Senussi Order, reflected in the crescent-and-star emblem seen on this badge.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Libya’s armed forces were relatively small but highly ceremonial, and officer insignia from this period is now increasingly scarce, particularly following the 1969 coup by Muammar Gaddafi, after which all royal symbols were abolished.