How to spot WW1 cap badge restrikes/fakes

[BarneyDave]

Can anyone give me any pointers on how to spot a restrike or fake cap badge?

Any help much appreciated.

[Watchdog]

Can anyone give me any pointers on how to spot a restrike or fake cap badge?.

Well, to be honest it comes down mostly to having an "eye" for it which does tend to come with practice but then you do need to be shown comparisons in order to learn. I say this because there are some "restrikes" or badges manufactured outside the official remit that are really quite plausible and now so old as to have developed the right patina and wear.

However, there are some major red flags that you can simply be aware of which will help spot the obvious ones;

The strike itself, on re-strikes or "museum copies" the obverse tends to be quite good and what you are looking for is the wrong level of detail which is usually lower than originals. This shouldn't be confused with lack of detail due to wear and which originates from the high or "rub" points, ie if you are looking at a badge that appears unworn yet the detail is weak, beware. This issue is because restrikes or copies are produced using a much inferior (weaker) striking process not using the same heavy gauge industrial machinery. It is most obvious on the reverse where the surface looks almost "melted" rather than the crisp negative image of the obverse. Some are made from original dies albeit more lightly struck but others are made from newly produced copy dies which might have errors in the detail. The reverse of a restrike can often be very bright as opposed to the dull patinated obverse. This can be a huge give away but exercise caution because you can have similar effect in a mint condition original that was only ever mounted for display. Side by side the two will look different but you have to study known originals. Because of the inferior striking process a restrike will often have an inappropriate degree of "flash" around the edges. Not a deal breaker in itself but again, compare what you are seeing to what you have learned from study of originals.

The material. Often restrikes are made of completely the wrong material. Modern brass for instance tends to be much brighter than in period pieces because of the differing copper levels (brass is an alloy) and in restrikes tends to be somewhat softer than in originals (remember the lighter non-industrial striking!). Also, it is common for a restrike of a badge that should be made of white metal (usually nickle) or part white metal and part brass to be found in all brass and sold as a "1915 all brass economy strike", such badges do exist in the original but not all were produced in the economy version so check which ones were.

The fixings; Some badges had sliders others loops. Check to see that you don't buy a badge with a slider that only ever had loops in the original. This is another area where really bright modern metal will give the game away.

Exotica. Some badges were struck in special (usually silver) productions for issue under particular circumstance such as a couple of the "Pals" battalions and the S. Irish Horse issued to personnel joining before a particular date. These were limited in number so if you encounter these check thoroughly.

These are just a few points and by no means do all apply to all badges. Just do some reseach, look around before charging in to buy and if you can post anything you are not sure of here.

I just rattled this off the top of my head so others may have more to add but I hope it helps.

Regards

Mark

[BarneyDave]

Thanks Mark

Well have brought a book called British Army Cap Badges of the First World War. Now I looked up cap badges for the Royal Sussex regiment. One I saw had a pin, but understand the slider is the original design. I have seen two that seem ok to below, just wanting a second opinion.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I wouldn't bother with the East Lancashire Regt badge, it's been bu**ered about with - and there are better examples to be had. Have a look at the photo of the back of mine. The first 'Royal Sussex' badge looks OK, but again the second one has also been bu**ered about with. I'm not keen on the slider... it has a 'new' look about it. A casual glance doesn't always reveal if a cap badge is legitimate. A bucket-load of re-strikes that have been buried for several months can look pretty convincing at times. You would expect originals to have the sharper detailing, but this is not always necessarily so. Badges often soon got wore down... god help the squaddie that was caught with a dirty cap badge!

[BarneyDave]

Apologies had wrong picture for the back of the first badge, does that make any difference to your observations?

[Watchdog]

Well, of the two Sussex badges the top one looks OK but would need to see the reverse. You can see that the wear on the central cross of the Garter Star is deliberately done probably to make it shine by removing the lined pattern. Thie has always been common in the British Army and many badges have been polished flat, good if that is a unit practice but terrible for a collector! I doubt that was done by a soldier using the badge though as the job is only partly done. The bottom one I would certainly leave where it is. I am not at all sure about the obverse from this picture but the reverse puts me off completely. I would need to see a much better picture to say if it is original but it seems to me that the slider has been repaired and most likely replaced altogether (note the mass of shiny solder behind the feather at the top) and I am not convinced the slider itself is original. The reverse of the badge itself looks really abused during the process. If you are really interested in this one have someone impartial look at it in hand if you can but I would just leave it. There are plenty of really good completely original examples around.

The back of the East Lancs Regt one looks good too but sadly I think it has had the same treatment. Again good ones are not hard to find so I would leave it too. BTW the East Lancs badge is one that did exist with loops as well.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Mark

[HARRY THE MOLE]

If anyone is wondering about my reply, in post #3 the top photograph was of an East Lancashire Regt cap badge. BarneyDave has edited and replaced it with another image of the Royal Sussex badge.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Apologies had wrong picture for the back of the first badge, does that make any difference to your observations?

No, it just makes things rather confusing to anyone who didn't see the original post. I didn't even see your latest post until after I had done post #7... Cap badges are not really that expensive, so concentrate on examples that have not been messed with. It will be worth it in the long run.

Cheers,
Steve.

[Jerry B]

Bear in mind that mostbooks on british badges are only really for I'ding badges and not for determining authenticity. For that you need to find some way of studying original badges, try this and other forums and also try online dealers websites or ebay and try to ascerain the features consistently seen, such as sweat holes, solder colour, type of fixing etc. I know one badge collector who for wwi badges looks for examples wirh an extruded sluder....mostly it takes time studying and if you buy badges without the study in advance of any badges you see, then expect some you buy to be wrong

[BarneyDave]

Sorry for the confusion over the pics. Below is another badge, 3 times the price of the two above. Looks good to me, front seems strongly stamped, but not sure about back. What do you think?