1942 Cholm Shield - ok?

**Collecting** · 03-27-2014, 07:29 PM

Hello.

I've been offered this Cholm shield for 50€. I wonder if it is original? I would also like to know about it's value if it's authentic, though the value really isnt much of importance to me.

Thank you!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-27-2014 07:29 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**big ned** · 03-27-2014, 10:07 PM

Welcome to the forum mate,

First off, the pic's aren't much good for a really good examination of this badge, we're talking really high quality macro shots to determine if it's good or bad IN CASE the shield is a really good copy, that's the drill when it comes to these particular shields.

However, on these poor pic's I would say that the first red flag is that it has 4 securing prongs on the back. Only the zinc type had these, the steel, cupal and brass ones had 3, and this shield doesn't much look like zinc, more like artificially aged copper.

Both types of awarded shield (one had a long 'M' the other, like this one, a short 'M', where the middle part doesn't reach the bottom of the letter.) are considered very scarce or even rare, as only around 5500 where awarded. The retail price is therefore high, going for between $4000-$4800 for one in good to excellent condition, and hence are faked in both variants on a huge scale.

TBH, the mix of 4 prongs alongside the coppery appearance and the peanuts price makes me think it's likely a dog. But if you want to go down the road of getting high quality shots of it for a better appraisal, that's up to you.

Regards, Ned.

**Collecting** · 03-27-2014, 10:14 PM

Thank you very much, Ned!

Your opinion is greatly appreciated. I'll ask the seller if he could send very high quality close ups of it. If he can't, then no biggie, time to look for another ''relic''.

**Adrian** · 03-28-2014, 01:50 AM

These are probably the rarest of the 'official' shields too and are therefore correspondingly expensive. As Ned says, highly detailed images will be needed to make sure it is a good one and worth the money.

**Collecting** · 03-29-2014, 08:33 AM

I got only these pics. The quality is quite depressing. If they arent enough, I'll pass on this one.

Thanks Adrian and Ned for your contribution!

**big ned** · 03-29-2014, 10:49 AM

Let it go is my advice. The material finish is totally wrong, and the 4 prongs on the reverse kill this. I've looked around everywhere I can think of to find one like this that's genuine, and I can't. At best it may be a post war copy. If real it's worth a lot of money, and you'd think the seller would have at least checked on this piece if he has internet access, rather than throwing it away for 50 bucks. Plus the fact he can't be arsed to take decent pics because he's only got a Box Brownie shows little hope for this shield, he may as well drawn it on a cave wall with a piece of charcoal or a link of dinosaur poo as send completely useless pics like this. When you weigh it all up, it's not worth it.

Regards, Ned.