2 SS Erkennungsmarke variants; I believe to be OK.

**Wiegand** · 03-26-2016, 10:59 PM

Hi guys, please give me your opinion on the legitimacy of these two I picked up. Looks good to me, however I do not collect "SS" type tags until just recently. Most ID discs I've collected over the years are not -SS tags.

Regards,
David

2 SS Erkennungsmarke variants; I believe to be OK.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-26-2016 10:59 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Eike41** · 03-26-2016, 11:05 PM

They are both over stamped corroded blanks. In my opinion fakes.

**Wiegand** · 03-26-2016, 11:14 PM

Hi Eike,
Thanks for response. With all the SS type variants out there I am a little inexperienced - however hard that is to say in these forums. I have more experience as I say with regular wehrmacht tags and don't want to get 'burned' on more.

Can you give more input on mine...the fonts and naming conventions - all different than what I am used to seeing.

Regards,
David

**Eike41** · 03-26-2016, 11:40 PM

David,
The problem with these that I can see in the photos is the stamping and the corrosion look wrong. The line in the number "4" in 954 on the first disk is clear and sharp as it crosses a flaked off piece of corrosion on the top disk. On the bottom disk the "2" in 20 on the bottom has the same problem. The other issue is that the type set for the numbers on both disks looks to be the same stamp in both photos. This should not be the case, the number 4 in 954 and 14 on each disk looks to be exactly the same. This would indicate fakes, from the same forger.

**Wiegand** · 03-27-2016, 12:05 AM

Eike,
Upon a closer look, I can't disagree with your statement about the "4". I'm not too big in to metallurgy or how aluminum corrodes/oxidizes under 'ground' conditions - assuming this disc originated from the ground. It is strange how the remaining part of the number is intact through the worn area...hmmm.
In fact I think the last disc is the better of the examples you say are suspicious.

Thanks for your take. It's underlined some things that should not be consistent for two unique erkennungsmarks. Q. Do they get issued by general office or registration or by individual unit HQs?

**Eike41** · 03-27-2016, 03:00 AM

David,

The disks were issued at the level the unit kept the roll. Some units kept it at the battalion level some at the regiment or division level. There are also cases of companies keeping the unit roll, but it was usually at the battalion or regiment level. The training and replacement disk you have there is usually machine stamped for that unit. Look at the firs post the "show your ss erkennungsmarken"

Show your SS Erkennungsmarken

It has an authentic disk for the same unit. The one you have is stamped correctly but the font and style are not the same. There should never be the same fonts on 2 rare unit disks.

It is harder to tell about corrosion from photos than in hand, but these 2 look kind of obvious. I don't know much about metallurgy either but the disks I have that are corroded seem to have a thin top layer that the number was smashed into and if it flakes at all the marking comes off with it.

I can always be wrong but these 2 have a lot of red flags when taken together.

**Glenn66** · 03-27-2016, 04:22 AM

I have to say that I'm not a fan of either disc. Too many suspect areas indicating stamping over corrosion. The '0' in the '20' on the lower of the second disc jumps out right away to me.

**Paul D** · 03-27-2016, 11:51 AM

The Estonian tag is a fake , there are many original examples shown on the forum !!

**Wiegand** · 03-27-2016, 02:17 PM

Hi Paul, I've taken a look at one example of this in the forum, and many very beneficial samples of actual erkennungsmarke here. Very solid reviews of tags.
Thanks for your feedback - I've bought a fake! Live and learn they say. Learn before you live is like the chicken before the egg...hey wait...there is an argument to be made there.

We've been posting messages about the fonts on the other tag and Eike and I agree about the 'wear' below and around the stamping. With this in mind, what do you think of the other tag?

I've looked at the use of the "T" and "R" comparing both and think there is a difference in the letter. This may not mean much at this point, but worth a mention.

Regards,
David

**Wiegand** · 03-27-2016, 02:21 PM

Hey Glenn,
Do you look at the "0" expecting it to be the same as the "0" on the stamping on the opposite part. It's also in appearance to be a slightly different font, if we are both on the same page.

Getting into the details here...
Regards,
David