Bavarian Pilot Badge for Review

[Scott C.]

Posting this for a friend who is considering a purchase. Any feedback on it's authenticity would be appreciated (the badge has no markings).

Thanks!

Scott

[Scott C.]

Reverse...

[Scott C.]

Reverse oblique.

[Scott C.]

Last one of the catch.

Thanks, and standing by...

[regular122]

Scott,

There are certainly people more expert than me on the forum but it looks like a Bavarian issue piece, which accounts for no marking. Crimped, round pin looks OK too. I defer to the others. Steve

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

I would buy it.........if that means anything......

[Ferg 1]

Bavarian pilot badge

Hi Scott, The badge looks good but I would be very cautious. These are coming up a little too often for my liking and from the same sellers too. Although the badge looks very good I would say steer clear of it. I feel it is an eletro-formed repro ,I have seen a great many just recently especially on Ebay. Usually on eletro-formed pieces the reverse detail is 'dulled' as the plating up process builds the badge but this one seems quite clear on the reverse, Look at lower rim around the base of the crown,it has a 'smear' or loss of detail which is a little weird on a supposedly stamped piece,although this could ,I suppose, be due to something called 'underpressing' which is sometimes seen on these cliche badges and has a sort of dulling effect on area's of the obverse detail of the badge. This is caused by lack of required pressure in the stamping process a common fault in coin stamping.
Just my opinions, Ferg1.

[regular122]

I posted the same discussion over on the GMIC. Dan Murphy was able to post another closer shot of the crown. It shows signs of being a cast piece with bubbles on the crown band which is definitely a problem for an issued stamped piece. This shows a high level of fakery given that the pin and stamping look pretty good compared to most fake pieces. Here's the link to the GMIC comments:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9224

Someone spent $433.00 US on the hopes that it was real. I think I had hoped that it was still possible that a good eBay piece could was still possible. Apparently not. Steve

[Ferg 1]

Bavarian pilot badge

Well, these things keep selling ,and not cheap either!! I am always suprised that none of the bidders smells a rat as these electro-formed pieces keep appearing. ( I feel that this one was not cast ,it would be too thin to cast). The cross looks as if it has been added afterwards as it is not a profiled cross as the Bavarian ones usually are. I guess it was added later ,maybe it didn't form up properly in the electro process. This one is definately better than the others I have seen,the process is improving !!!!!!!! Bad news I fear. Ferg1

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

Well, these things keep selling ,and not cheap either!! I am always suprised that none of the bidders smells a rat as these electro-formed pieces keep appearing. ( I feel that this one was not cast ,it would be too thin to cast). The cross looks as if it has been added afterwards as it is not a profiled cross as the Bavarian ones usually are. I guess it was added later ,maybe it didn't form up properly in the electro process. This one is definately better than the others I have seen,the process is improving !!!!!!!! Bad news I fear. Ferg1

Good call on this one. From the original posted photos, it looked like the lower portion of the crown had taken a hit, but.......I asked the seller for the close-ups that were added to the auction after I saw some of your comments..........I am glad I won't be adding it to my collection.