Thoughts on this award group

[JimboCymru]

Hi Gang :-)
I've just been offered this lot of awards, from a regular supplier; they're supposedly from Russia, some ground dug. The supplier is usually pretty good - and very reasonable, too. That being said, I'm a little dubious on some of them. The silver Panzer KampfAbzeichen in particular looks a bit dodgy to me, it has the conical upper turret that Stewie pointed out in one of my former posts.

The Fallschirmjagers look okay from the front (to me), but a bit dubious about the pins? Any thoughts?

I'd also expect if some of these were ground dug, that they might be a bit worse for wear, rather than just having a little rust and a few missing pins.

Any thoughts on the clamshell screwback Infantry Assault badge? And 2x Spanish Condor Legion wound badges in one batch? Maybe some Paras who served in the Spanish Civil war??

I've asked for more close-ups and will post as soon as they arrive.

Cheers,
Jimbo

[pzb14]

Hi Jimbo,

to be honest, I almost don'T see any dug item. I have found many badges and medals, and they show other wear...

Please request better pics.

Br Pzb14

[Stewy S]

IAB looks like it could be a "deformed leaf" variant & the GAB could be an R.Karneth. But as already said better individual pics are needed really. Stewy S

[Adrian Stevenson]

I have concerns over several of these. The "Viking" ring is a fantasy design made in the UK in the 1970's. So the ground dug story is not true.....

I would pass on all of these.

Cheers, Ade.

[Paul D]

Certainly none of these items show any sign of being ground dug and as Ade says the ring is a fantasy piece , unfortunately a lot of copy rings that have been made in Russia asa copies are now appearing as ground dug ones

You have to know who you are dealing with i'm afraid !!

[JimboCymru]

Thanks guys :-)

My contact (who's in the US) has offered to let me examine them all on the proviso that I pay to return them if not satisfied. Like I said, I think that he's the real deal - have bought a couple of decent pieces in the past - he also trades on German Militaria Collectables Local. He's a nice chap who always offers a refund; my only concern is that he's being duped, by his contacts at a diggers club in Russia (not sure which one, though).

Cheers,
Jimbo

[Valter]

About spanish VVA - these were not awarded only in Spain, but also in early years of war (39-40), till the stocks lasted. That explains why these badges are scarce, but far more common as they should be if they were awarded [B]only[B]to Spanish veterans (there were less than hundred VVA's awarded in Spanish civil war).

About the group - this is NO NO NO for me. First of all, a fantasy ring - that means, it was not ground dug at the battlefield - and the whole story collapses. Actually, I thing that could be ground dug, but dug after items were digged for a year or so in horse's manure, to give them false "patina".

The items also don't show regular corrosion, that SHOULD form on them if ground dug - there's no zinc pest on CCC, although ground dug clasps normaly have lots of corrosion, since they were made later in the war from poor materials (exception are rare tombak pieces, but this is not one of them). And missing pins - I have seen many ground dug badges, which were badly corroded, and pins rusted, but opins remained. These two VVAs look almost untouched, but pins seem to be rusted out completely - these two things can't go together. Also screw-back Infanterie Sturmabzeichen: if it would be ground dug, the srew disk would normally rust/corrode so it would be unremovable - here it looks like it was unscrewed normally, then broken.

In short, too many things are wrong. Stay away from this purcase.
regards, valter

[JimboCymru]

Thanks Valter et al, well thought out responses that echoed my concerns. I was a bit dubious about the broken pins in particular, but also the Fallschirms (both look like Junckers with identical marking) and the wound badges...

That's why I joined - sick of making expensive mistakes!

Cheers,
Jimbo

[Stewy S]

None look G/Dug for sure. The screw back Infanterie Sturmabzeichen's a wrong'un for sure, the Nahkampfspange too. Anytime i see an award partially covered as the Allgemeine Sturmabzeichen/GAB is, i have my concerns. So i summise the Allgemeine Sturmabzeichen/GAB's an R.Karneth fake. There's been a few about lately & on further looking at the other Infanterie Sturmabzeichen (Deformed leaf type thing). The hinge's wrong. Stewy S

[Stewy S]

Just to add,PKA's bad too. I've just had a better look. Stewy S