Good Reference

[Geislingen]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and to collecting 3rd Reich medals/awards and want to start adding items to my collection but also very concerned about authenticity of these awards and I am not sure what is the best way to do that. Are items offered on this site E-stand has a good chance of being authentic?

Are there any good reference books that one can read to be able to make an informed decision? I recently purchase 3 volumes of Tom Johnson reference books on German WWII daggers, which has great pictures of different daggers but also does not contain information about what to look for to ensure authenticity.

[Don Prince]

Mr. Dietrich Maerz publishes top line reference books for German medals. The books are expensive, but you get what you pay for. I have found all of his books to be worth while and the leather edition to be a good investment. I have attached a link to his web site...

http://www.ironcross1939.com/

Regards,
Don_

[chen]

Reference books are important . A good dealer is even more important.

[collecter]

Good reference books are essential,knowledge is power.When I started collecting there was not much information out there or to be able meet other collectors except at flea markets/fairs.The dealers did not have a clue really what they had or care as long as it sold.I have always advised others to get the best books available,never mind the cost because they will save you money in the end.As an example in the 1980's I recommended a new collector to get 'For Fuhrer and Fatherland',which then cost about £35,his reply was "I could get a badge for that price","yes I replied and you could get a wrong one",well he relied on dealers by asking "is it original" and ending up with a load of fakes,got fed up and sold the stuff at a loss and gave up the hobby.
Now there are better books available and of cause this forum(I recommend association membership)you can arm yourself with information before you buy.
And we have all bought wrong stuff when we first start out,in a way as the old saying you learn from your mistakes.
I hope you enjoy this fascinating hobby and good luckJohn

[Geislingen]

Good Reference

Thanks guys for your input and valuable opinion. I guess I need to bite the bullet and buy a good reference. The problem is there are so many references available and each id above $100 so I need to find just one or two books that will provide the basic information to allow me to ask the right questions.

I guess I will have to take my time to read before I start picking items for my collection, however do you recommend buying medals/badges from the E-stand on this forum? I have the impression that most of the items are authentic and reasonably priced as compared to dealers. One of you suggested buying from a good (honest) dealer, which is logical if you know which dealers can be classified as such.

Thanks again.

[streptile]

It depends on what you are interested in collecting. If you are lucky, the item you are interested in will be the subject of a book from B&D Publishing. In that case, look no further. These books will not be surpassed for accuracy and quality for a very, very long time -- and they will equip you to separate out the fakes from the real thing.

The very best advice I can give you is to post any potential purchase, even if it's from the eStand or a reliable dealer, in the relevant section of this forum until you get the hang of it yourself.

[luftkrieg]

Reference books are important but I can also suggest this forum as an excellent reference! There are experts here who know wthin seconds if what you have/intending on buying is good or bad.

[Snni]

Reference books are important but I can also suggest this forum as an excellent reference! There are experts here who know wthin seconds if what you have/intending on buying is good or bad.

Agreed! Study this forum and you will learn a lot..

[bytown]

Reference books are important but I can also suggest this forum as an excellent reference! There are experts here who know wthin seconds if what you have/intending on buying is good or bad.

Agreed. The forum is an outstanding point of reference.

Wayne

[rbminis]

I guess I will have to take my time to read before I start picking items for my collection, however do you recommend buying medals/badges from the E-stand on this forum? I have the impression that most of the items are authentic and reasonably priced as compared to dealers. Thanks again.

Most of my medals/badges have been purchased on e-stand. Most members here will "out" the fakes that show up on there.
Ralph.