Heres a skull for opinions: SS runes in diamond marked

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Very true,most items are pushed out of normal collectors reach because of the fakery

as well as speculative manipulation of the market by a few, which operates in this case.
However, the cap badges are like cat nip, and we live with the consequences.
All too droll and boring.
Further, certain of the self styled "experts" are anything but, and perpetuate old wives tales and nonsense to throw the majority off the track.
The latter is what really galls me in a profound way.

[BenVK]

Little pieces of alloy traded around like nuggets of gold and placed on tiny perspex stands to look at. If there was any one aspect of this hobby that misses the point entirely, it would be this one.

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Little pieces of alloy traded around like nuggets of gold and placed on tiny perspex stands to look at. If there was any one aspect of this hobby that misses the point entirely, it would be this one.

Well said, dear friend, and I could not agree more. The fetish thing is made far worse by the misinformation and unhistorical or ahistorical generalizations that go along with the little plastic stands. But people also like variations in regimental buttons, and expend a huge energy on same to the astonishment of the layman. I like the different kinds of black SS caps, even in one that was to be somehow standardized; thus one man's meat is another man's poison, in turn, the CupAl is a source of joy for many and ennui for me. However, I would never deface an object of uniform to secure a cap badge and then discard the rest like a rotting corpse. I am also quite sure that I own many variations of the early Deschler & Soehne badge or not, and frankly could care less.
What slumbers on the reverse of these badges I know not, but perish the vandal's hand that disturbs said item....

[Friedrich-Berthold]

Little pieces of alloy traded around like nuggets of gold and placed on tiny perspex stands to look at. If there was any one aspect of this hobby that misses the point entirely, it would be this one.

The "missing the point " piece is what compels me to stop doing this stuff altogether, actually.