Detecting the real Wound badges.

[Chrvip68]

Hello guys,

With the pretext from a previous thread "Silver Wound Badge Question" one idea come up in my mind,how the collector can spot the real Wound badge.
After several years of studying the Wound badge subject i have found a tip detecting the real WB when vs the fake.
With this in mind and the known combinations of pin/catch/hinge assemblies the collector is armed with some knowledge.

Hauptmünzamt from Wien is one of the major makers for these awards.Similar design of badges are followed by other makers or sub-contracted.
The result from this is,same design,dies and even same pin back assemblies.
Please note: THIS IS NOT A RULE.

This characteristic point as i said above can be found for most wound badge makers
but not for ALL of them, the reason is because having different design and dies.
One other exception is the maker "26" (B.H.Mayer,Pforzheim),this maker uses the same design like Hauptmünzamt Wien but does not has this detail and i strongly believe that this maker evolved much later in WB production(mid war and late war).

This tip is valid for all the grades and types of construction.

Please let me hear your comments,or if someone uses another "guide" detecting originals,
and of course if someone believing that has a fake or questionable item in his collection
who having this specific detail,i would like to post it here.

PS:The photo taken from the thread"Silver Wound Badge Question" posted by Frank Munich and i worked -out the photo for this thread.

[Chrvip68]

I dont know why the photo is not shown.
I'll try another way with different server.

[Luftm40]

Chris, the heavy quality wound badges are one of my favorites. Here are some from my collection. The die characteristics are identical, but the pins are different. Two are marked 30, the one w/ the tiny block hinge is unmarked. All are heavy early quality. Also a gold 30, identical to the silvers. All of these are "out of the woodwork" finds from garage sales, antique stores etc.

[Luftm40]

front

[Luftm40]

gold1

[Luftm40]

2

[Chrvip68]

Andy,nice job.

Black WB's with indentical design and same die characteristics
I have include and the "93" maker,he has only one small different
point in his right sword who touch the wreath.
From left to right form the first row:
L/21 - L/53 - 32 - 107 - L/16 - E.S.P - 4 - L/14 - L/11 - 93 - 126

[Chrvip68]

The back side

[Bill M]

--Here's a pair from my collection for review, first a Black from the firm of Rudolf Leukert (Mkd '71'). I circled the same area where I believe that you noted the contour within the inner leaf.
Now I have noted that stamped WB's have sharper contours within the inner leaves than solid badges, but it never occurred to me to use this as a factor in determining whether a badge was good or bad. I just figured that a certain level of detail is more easily attained by this method. The pin and catch are typical and similar to those pictured above.
--The second is a silver Hymmen & Co. (Mkd 'L/53') in which the aforementioned details are there, but not as pronounced. It is a nice heavy zinc piece at 26 grams.
--Anyway, here they are...

[Bill M]

[Bill M]

[Bill M]

:o

[Chrvip68]

Bill, very often can be encountered this detail on both types of construction on real badges.

About the L/53, you have right on the solid badge-lack this detail and the oposite on hollow.
Pic's will follow for comparison

[Chrvip68]

[Chrvip68]

Ooops! i forgot to add the photo,sorry