Help me with these two discs please!

[Wagriff]

I suppose it depends on if you're talking officially or un-officially. Tags generally came in zinc, aluminum and stainless steel-the normal materials, but if replaced in the field, you can sometimes see bronze or brass, tin, or you name it.

[Emmett]

thanks for ur reply wagriff, it's always good know a bit more about the war history.

[Matt L]

thanks matt. I really learn a lot in here. and do you know how many kinds of disk textures are there in german armies? I only see disks made of zinc and alumi, are there any value diferences? (sorry for asking so many question marks)

That's what we're here for Emmett- ask all the questions you like

Right- aluminum and zinc are the most common metals for sure, and no, there's not really any value difference because millions of discs in both were made. Stainless steel- Nirostahl- was used, but they're rather less-common; originally, the story goes, it was introduced for Panzer and Luftwaffe aircrews who might be involved in fires that would melt aluminum or zinc tags, however it seems it wasn't a strict usage if it's true because there are lots of aluminum and zinc discs from these services and Nirostahl blanks were used by all kinds of different units- my first one was a Panzergrenadier actually. So it seems wartime supply simply had blanks going wherever they were needed sometimes.

There's a fourth 'standard issue' type that's steel but not, it seems, stainless as we know it; they're not thin like typical Nirostahl discs are, and they are subject to some rust- but are still definitely ferrous as they're magnetic. They're quite uncommon though and may be a very late-war type when there were supply and material shortage problems of all kinds.

There are subtypes of the 'standard issue' discs as well- again the story goes that the Nirostahl discs were intende to be worn on chains, because of the fire issue again, so their top holes are extra large. But there are also zinc discs that also have large holes. And there are Nirostahl discs with usual sized holes.

Values are usually due to unit type, but as I say the steel discs are rather more uncommon that zinc or aluminum, so this does sometimes add a little. A Panzergrenadier that's Nirostahl might go for a slightly higher price than one that's zinc; the other steel type usually isn't obvious unless one checks it with a magnet, so doesn't really go for any more.

I don't really consider the field-made tags as anything more than a curiosity myself because they're so crude usually that they're even easier to fake than regular ones. They're also a complete oddity- not official, so as much 'trench art' as anything, which is a whole different area.

[Emmett]

wow, that's a super detailed explaination matt, thanks for take time answering my questions, really appreciate it.

[Matt L]

You bet Emmett- I'm glad you found it useful.