We don’t have a new sheriff in town at Dallas National Bank, but bank chairman and CEO Michaux Nash Jr. comes close. Over a period of 24 years, he has collected sheriff’s badges from all 254 Texas counties. NashÕs fascination with law and history led him to the pursue he badges. Obtaining them has required creativity, contacts and lots of legwork.
“My joke is when someone is sitting in awe of this collection and says how do you get all these badges, I say: Easy. I killed everyone of those sheriffs.”
Many of the badges have a special story behind them. The Archer County Sheriff’s badge was borrowed and worn by actor Ben Johnson for his role as the sheriff in “The Last Picture Show.”
The sheriff from Limestone County refused to give Nash a badge until his was the last one needed to complete the collection.
And a banker in Jefferson staged a pretend bank robber to see how fast the sheriff could get to the bank. Upon the sheriff’s arrival (under three minutes), the banker order the sheriff to give Nash the badge.
Nash purchased 90 percent of the badges, with prices ranging from $45 to $100. The most expensive badge in the collection is stamped out of a Mexican gold coin.
Writer Donna Smithson is a neighborhood Realtor. If you have an unusual or unique collection (or know someone in our neighborhood who does), tell her about it by calling 972-733-5653.
