Help with a Military (?) dog tag

[nebstater]

Found this item the other day, and the only thing on it is the lone star. It is the same size as an actual military dog tag. The back of the item is blank with no writing of any type. The star raises above the level of the tag.

In the pictures, you can see on the one end, what appears to have been some writing or embossed tape of some type having been attached at sometime or other.

Is/was this an actual military dog tag that belonged to a Brigadier General (one star), or is this something that was issued with a toy, such as G.I. Joe?

I've never seen one of these before, so I'm asking you for your help.

 

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[trikikiwi]

Take your pick
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Mike

 

[Tony in SC]

Yours is an old style tag with a notch. I think they were bought or given away as prizes at carnivals around WWII. Tony

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Nice ID tony!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

teeth notch.

 

[One mans trash...]

The tooth notch thing is a myth. It's just an alignment notch for the stamping tool that impressed the soldier's information.

"One of the more common myths involves the reason for the notch on the tag issued between 1941 and the early 1970's. Battlefield rumor held that the notched end of the tag was placed between the front teeth of battlefield casualties to hold the jaws in place. No official record of American soldiers being issued these instructions exists; the only purpose of "the notch" was to hold the blank tag in place on the embossing machine. The machine used at this time doesn't require a notch to hold he blank in place, hence, today's tags are smooth on all sides." Captain Richard W. Wooley - Quartermaster Professional Bulletin-December 1988

http://www.qmfound.com/short_history_of_identification_tags.htm

 

[nebstater]

The tooth notch thing is a myth. It's just an alignment notch for the stamping tool that impressed the soldier's information.

"One of the more common myths involves the reason for the notch on the tag issued between 1941 and the early 1970's. Battlefield rumor held that the notched end of the tag was placed between the front teeth of battlefield casualties to hold the jaws in place. No official record of American soldiers being issued these instructions exists; the only purpose of "the notch" was to hold the blank tag in place on the embossing machine. The machine used at this time doesn't require a notch to hold he blank in place, hence, today's tags are smooth on all sides." Captain Richard W. Wooley - Quartermaster Professional Bulletin-December 1988

http://www.qmfound.com/short_history_of_identification_tags.htm

Thanks for the info. I know that the tags I was issued back in the mid 60's didn't have the notch either.

 

[La Beep]

I think it is a novelty item... however the star is like the one they used in Italy around 1940ish