Latest purchase SWB '30'

**Glenn66** · 12-15-2010, 08:32 AM

This little baby landed yesterday and I have to say I am really pleased with her, she is much better looking in the hand than in the photos but she will compliment nicely the Stalingrad ground dug '30' that is in the post to me now. It will be good to compare and contrast the two when I have them side by side.

Seems to me the stamped 30 badges have the metal hinges and the embossed 30's have the cast hinges. Is this the case and does it indicate late or early war production? I believe this badge to be Tombak which should indicate early war but the Stalingrad example I have coming has the embossed 30 and cast hinge and would certainly have been produced pre 1943.

Is there a general consensus on the Vienna mint badges as to when they changed the hinge and MM stamp styles?

Glenn

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-15-2010 08:32 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Woolgar** · 12-15-2010, 09:12 AM

Thats a fine badge Glenn

Good to see the two styles. I dont know enough about WBs to answer your Qs but I will be interested to hear any answers on this too.

Here is mine to compare

**Glenn66** · 12-15-2010, 09:28 AM

Hi Nick, thanks for the compliment!

Nice badge you have there too which goes along with what i'm saying...the embossed 30's have the cast hinge and catch.
Now to make it all a bit more murky I note that there was a mix of flat and needle pins used on both the stamped and embossed badges throughout the war so like you I am keen to hear some voices of experience in this matter.

Cheers
Glenn

**Glenn66** · 12-21-2010, 08:11 AM

The Stalingrad found SWB has now arrived and is here in all her salty beauty for your enjoyment!

I'm quite amazed at the state of preservation after 67 odd years in the soil, she must have been buried somewhere deep and/or dry but this certainly shows the quality of the early tombak material, can you imagine a zincer looking like this after the same period?

The pin is severly corroded but still moves on the hinge. Unfortunatly the catch is missing so I can't compare with the 'stamped 30' above but certainly the different hinge types are evident between the 'stamped' and 'embossed' 30's.