Hi Chuck, it is very difficult to tell from the pictures,without having it in my hand it is IMO one of those ' it may be good , it may not ' . The eagle looks very similar to the eagle seen on Juncker crown marked Gunner badges, which alot of collectors do not like,having said that I have seen cliche versions of that badge which seem 100% right . But I won't go down that route !! The end stub of the pin protrudes through the cut out area below the crown which seems weird ,almost as though it started life as a non cut-out example.The idea of that stub is to press against the back of the badge to produce ' spring' and keep the pin located in the catch. But now it protrudes through, strange. I do not feel that the badge is quite right somehow,sorry.Ferg1.
Is it an issue, in itself that it may be a cut out job done after it left the factory?
I have seen wound badges where soliders have cut out the spaces,
Charles and Ferg 1,
Thank you both for your input and a point which is quite valid however this badge has not been cut out in the field as I have examined it closely and is definately die cut and not done by hand.
Ferg1 has a valid point about the pin not having anything to rest against to provide for tension for the pin, but there is no other place to attach the hinge that would provide the tensioner a normal resting place. Instead, the way the tensioner rests is upon the bottom lip of the crown which provides proper spring tension without the need of a flat surface. The pin has plenty of "spring" to it and holds itself nicely in the catch.
What I find most interesting about this badge is the silver wash which is found in all the deeper recesses which show what seems to be true and actual wear with the base metal being exactly what one would like to see in a period badge.
Armed with this information are there any more opinions.
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