Verdienter Mitarbeiter der Staatssicherheit...

[Ralph P]

Hello all - I for one do not visit Ebay that often, but I was asked by a fellow collector to check on a medal. In case you plan on bidding on this medal please beware that this medal is a reproduction. The link to the medal is listed...


http://cgi.ebay.de/Verdienter-Mitarb...QQcmdZViewItem

[Ralph P]

Another reproduction on Ebay right now fuzzy picture and all...

http://cgi.ebay.de/Stasi-MfS-Verdien...QQcmdZViewItem

Here is a link to an original medal...

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...606#post575606

[Soviet]

Can somebody post an original for comparison?

[Stefas]

Hello all - I for one do not visit Ebay that often, but I was asked by a fellow collector to check on a medal. In case you plan on bidding on this medal please beware that this medal is a reproduction. The link to the medal is listed...


http://cgi.ebay.de/Verdienter-Mitarb...QQcmdZViewItem

.

Yes,be very carefull with that.I had once a copy.This copy was made out off one piece.The backside was " flat"?.The flag wasn't on the round part (like the ehrenzeichen vopo).
I can't explain it better in English.
Always ask for ruckgabe recht.The pictures off those medals are never sharp ore close ups.They look good on those pictures,but if you look better you 'll see the difference.

[Ralph P]

Hey Bryan - Click on the WAF link in post 2...

Can somebody post an original for comparison?

[uscob]

He's writing in the text that he's not sure about autenticity but I wrote to him and he wrote back, that he want to change the Text.
Nico

[Ralph P]

Thanks Nico and much appreciated...

He's writing in the text that he's not sure about autenticity but I wrote to him and he wrote back, that he want to change the Text.
Nico

[Ralph P]

Update:

I guess I should not be as surprised with this post. But to see the prices of the two reproductions go for...

[Ralph P]

Hello all - I wanted to update this thread and let anyone who maybe involved with this Ebay auction that the medal is a reproduction. The person selling the medal is saying that he is not sure about the medal, but I want to make sure you all know this medal is not real.

Here is the link to the ebay auction...

http://cgi.ebay.de/schoener-Orden-Ve...QQcmdZViewItem

[Knuckles930]

Just found this thread, but its very usefull. Thanks

[Ralph P]

Knuckles930 - You are welcome.

[seeker007]

I posted a thread awhile back on a shop that sells repro DDR medals so you can compare. Looks like he emptied his shop and they are being sold at auctions instead.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=283239

[Mike G.]

Probably originated out of Truckdieler's shop. I've long lamented that there should be some sort of law requiring him to mark the medals he sells as reproductions. It does no good that he says this on his ebay store. After they are sold, anyone purchasing them can turn around and offer them as the genuine article. They need to be marked.

[Greg Collins]

Thanks or the "heads-up" Ralph. During the time I was collecting Soviet ODM's exclusively, I was taught a lesson the hard way- once. The lesson was; "If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't". That lesson cost me around 70 USD, and has more than paid for itself over time. Yes, there are deals to be made on our favorite auction site, and I go there frequently. But, nowadays, my purchases there are from a position being more informed, as are the chances I chose to take. Buy the books and study; know your avocation.

I have only been able to find one Verdienter Mitarbeiter on the net at this time (not on e*ay); it's a "c" version and the seller wants 750 euros, which is about right for this award. I'm holding out for a "b".

[Kartofelpreußer]

I have seen some copies of high-end medals in person, I presume that all of them originate from the same source if you go back far enough. The ones I saw were being "honestly" sold as repros and priced accordingly, but I could tell why they are such dangerous creatures: From a distance, or in a carefully planned "bad" photo, they would be very convincing, but when you get up close and handle them they are obviously-- VERY obviously-- fake. One or two, I believe, might have had a small "R" on the back, which I thought was for "reproduction"... maybe one of these was a Verdienter Eisenbahner? Otherwise, the majority had no markings to distinguish them as fakes, and the only way to tell was the poor finish and detail.

A good protection against getting cheated on these is to request good, close up photos. The detail and finish, I think, are not good enough that the deficiencies would not be noted on a quality photo. If the seller cannot provide clear, focussed, and well-lit closeups, simply pass on the item. If it is real, providing such photos should pose no problem and the seller should be glad to do it.