Any info or opinions on this id tag...

[rob214]

I've had this ss-totenkopfstandarte id tag tucked away in my collection for the last 20 years, and just re-discovered it a couple days ago. I've attached a couple pics. It's made out of a gray base metal, and seems to have honest age and wear. I'd like to hear any opinions anyone may have, or, unit info. I belive that the O is a blood type, and, the 280 is a roster number. What might the G stand for? Is it ever possible to do more research and attach a name to german id tags? I hope to get some feedback. Thanks, Rob.

[Wagriff]

I've never seen huge thick font letters such as this piece has. I quite doubt it's authenticity.

[Matt L]

Hi Rob,

Welcome to the forum. That big stamp with the thick letters is typical for an SS-TOTENKOPFSTANDARTE disc- I have images of a lot of them, including a pile that were just dug up. Unfortunately, I can't match them 100% since there aren't many unique features and those images are smaller so super-fine detail isn't so visible. But I don't see any reason for concern.

They always have 'extra' markings on the obverse, like this one has a 'G'; the ones I know have numbers: 7/6, 9/6, 10/7(?), etc., which would be a Kompanie and Standarte number. Many had names like SS-Totenkopfstandarte Thüringen, SS-Totenkopfstandarte Brandenburg, or SS-Totenkopfstandarte Dietrich Eckhart- this one would seem to be SS-Totenkopfstandarte Germania, which later became the Panzergrenadier-Regiment.

Even though I can't match the main text exactly, the rest of the disc and its markings do look perfectly fine and since the G is a somewhat obscure marking compared to the simple numbers, it's even more doubtful this disc is bad- I'd expect a faker would choose the obvious, recognizable markings.

And no, you can't find out whose disc it was- privacy laws protect service records so only close relations have access.

[rob214]

Matt,
Thanks for your help! I have seen a couple other pics of ss-totenkopfstandarte tags with the same type lettering, but, I know that it's not typical of german id tags. Thanks again, Rob.

[Matt L]

You bet Rob. The text is definitely not a typical form for Erkennungsmarken; in fact this is the only unit I can think of with fat block letters like that. Fortunately, that makes them fairly easy to recognize. A faker would have to have the full-text stamp made, which might be not so difficult today, but I doubt 20 years ago it'd have been done; they were stuck on the Rokas and other crude fakes back then. Plus you'd certainly see more of them- and this is the very first one in good condition I've seen. Relic ones aren't so uncommon, but nice ones surely are.

[Eike41]

I agree with Matt that looks original. I have never seen one in that good of condition or with a "G" stamped on it Mine are "8/6" and "11/6" stamped with the roll number on the reverse like this one.

[Matt L]

Glenn just posted one with the same text but marked 7/6 at the top in the thread: 12 SS T Standarte relic tag - it's post #4