I was recently able to buy these three 1957er BKAs for my collection.
I'm not an 'expert' in 1957 awards, so I'm looking for these to be dated.
I'm guessing they are all S&L from around 1968-70 ??
Here are some of the finer comparative details ......................
All have open hinge blocks, although the silver one is almost closed.
The bronze and silver have domed hinged pins. The gold doesn't.
The silver is very fine, has hydra cut-outs and is frosted with polished highlights. It also has the flaw/dent to the sword tip. The others don't have the sword flaw.
So the silver seems to be from a different die striking to the others ................. note also the sword pommels and the lower right hydra where it overlaps the wreath.
But ................ they all have the same distinctive S&L semi-hollow reverse.
So ................... variant obverses but similar reverses !
The bronze has a really beautiful lacquered finish.
The gold is plainer in finish, but still a very nice badge.
What do you think ?
Silver c. 1968 ??
Bronze c. 1970 ??
Gold c. 1970 ?? Or later ??
I know that the Bundeswehr officially offered and supplied 57er awards to their older members until 1989, and that at least one BKA holder (Dorsch) wore his 57er BKA at vet meets as late as 2008 !!
To clarify ................. I'm VERY happy with the originality of all of these 57er badges, but I'm unsure as to their exact production dates.
1968 - 1970 ??
What do the 57er experts think ?
All comments welcome !
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