SS Gebirgsjäger Ausbildungs und Ersatz Bataillon 6

[Matt L]

Jesus i never have thought of this scenario. Just imagine that. If they started doing things like that it will destroy the hobby. Who would buy relics anymore.

Here are some more photos. I can return the tag and get another one anytime.

Oh it's not a serious problem- as I say, the disc has to stand on its own and just because it was dug up doesn't automatically mean it's real. So we're in the same position regardless. Fakers have produced photo montages of a disc 'being dug up' to make them look real- all faked of course- but since it's not proof in and of itself, it's not a terrible thing. Knowing a disc was dug up by a trustworthy person can be helpful, and yes, if we don't have any reasons to doubt the disc, it could lead to believing fakes are real, but that's going to be a rare occasion.

That 'Falke' disc too looks extremely suspicious to me- it has the same dubious font and the worrisome 'split' of the number on either side of the single hole; that's extremely rare on real discs, but very common on fakes. I'd have advised against acquiring that one too.

Even though the font isn't exactly the same as the fake I cropped the 'G' from doesn't mean there's not another one out there that does match- I just found one as an example to show the type is a problem; as I say, the 'racetrack' form appears to be extremely rare on real discs, and when something like it is there, other elements of the disc compensate for it; but it's extremely common on fakes, so without anything to compensate, even if the exact font can't be matched, the disc to me would be highly doubtful. In both cases here there are further doubtful features, which make them even more likely to be bad and there's nothing that looks good.

Oh and just because two letters don't match exactly doesn't mean they aren't the same- again we're talking about fractions of a millimetre, and differences in the angles at which the photos were taken, corrosion, how the stamp was struck, etc. can all affect the appearance to tiny degrees like that. Only if photos are taken with a camera on a tripod, and the discs in exactly the same position, can one be sure any differences are real and not due to the way the photo was taken.

[Matt L]

Here's another definite fake's 'G' superimposed on both the Falke and Geb. Jäg discs:

The fake itself:



The questionable two:



The G from the new fake is a bit wider, and seems to be very close to the Falke; but to me it doesn't matter- it's the same style and that style is known to be bad so a disc that has it would have to have a lot of good features to make me believe there's a chance that it's real. But then that's the rule I recommend for SS discs in general: there not only has to be nothing dubious about a disc, there should be things that are good.

[Glenn66]

Hi Don, I just checked my disc with a magnet and...nothing. Must be a zincer like you thought.

[don_kihotis7]

Oh and just because two letters don't match exactly doesn't mean they aren't the same- again we're talking about fractions of a millimetre, and differences in the angles at which the photos were taken, corrosion, how the stamp was struck, etc. can all affect the appearance to tiny degrees like that. Only if photos are taken with a camera on a tripod, and the discs in exactly the same position, can one be sure any differences are real and not due to the way the photo was taken.

Good point mate. I didn't think of it this way. Thanks for all your effort.
Cheers

[Matt L]

Sure thing It's always better to be safe than sorry so if anything even sort of seems to be something that's bad, it's best to avoid it- or at least ask for a second opinion. The source is rarely sufficient 'proof' something is real- the person may really be telling the truth and not know, but you'd be stuck with a fake nonetheless.

I'm just glad you can at least trade back the new one- maybe the Falke too?

[don_kihotis7]

Sure thing It's always better to be safe than sorry so if anything even sort of seems to be something that's bad, it's best to avoid it- or at least ask for a second opinion. The source is rarely sufficient 'proof' something is real- the person may really be telling the truth and not know, but you'd be stuck with a fake nonetheless.

I'm just glad you can at least trade back the new one- maybe the Falke too?

Sure. Although he insists on their originality he has no problem to take them back and give me other tags. He has piles of them. I have been trying for ages to convince him to sell me one of these but no success till now