Kriegsverdienstmedaille: real or fake?

[ExaltedFrog]

Hello all, hope you are doing well.

I was wondering if anyone can tell me whether this unmarked War Merit Medal is the real deal?







p.s. i'm not sure if it's just my eyesight but sorry in advance for the low quality photos

[Sensei]

Hello, yes it's an original medal.

[ExaltedFrog]

Thank you for your time

[Rakkasan187]

I'm not a huge fan of the ribbon. It has been known to place rayon replacement ribbon with authentic medals. If you have a black light test the ribbon to see if it glows.. The white if rayon will glow brightly..

Smitty

[rbminis]

I would not be willing to express my opinion from such small photos.
Ralph.

[ExaltedFrog]

Rakkasan, I will see if the seller is willing to put it under a black light and provide photos of it

[Rakkasan187]

That may be a good thing to ask the seller..

These are fairly plentiful and inexpensive if this one doesn't work out..

The ribbon may be fine, but is just another thing to be looking at in regards to medals with cloth ribbon.

I have a few original medals (OST FRONT, WEST WALL and KVDs) that have rayon replacement ribbon (not intended as I thought they were original when I bought them many years ago) and it was only after I purchased a blacklight and started to research cotton vs rayon and nylon material threads did I realize that some of my items were a mix...

Also since I joined the forum here a while back I have been able to learn more from the members here as well as pass along some information I gained along the way to newer members..

I have since been more cautious about ribbon material..

Smitty

[Rakkasan187]

ExaltedFrog,

I attempted to take some pictures of the ribbon side by side with an original.

Since it is daytime where I am now (Texas) it is rather challenging to capture the glow of the rayon material. Even in a dark room with no flash on the camera it is a little challenging, but
in the photos I have taken are two KVDs which are both original medals but the ribbon the right is replacement/rayon and the one on the left is a period (pre 1945) original.

You can see some subtleties in the ribbons themselves, the rayon on the right has a sheen to it especially in the black areas and the red stripe in the center is wider than the original red stripe.

I took 2 pictures of the medals with the blacklight on the right. In normal daylight it is hard to see but in the second photo I tried to darken it in order to see the differences in the white. Notice on the rayon fake on the right how much brighter it glows under the black light versus no glow (cotton thread) on the original on the left.

Apologies for poor quality photos, this was taken on my phone as I left my digital camera at the museum. When I have a chance to take some better photos I will..

Hope this helps a little..

Smitty

[ExaltedFrog]

yeah I can see the blueish glow on the white