paratrooper badge

[hawksy]

Hello,

Just a short question.

If i wanted to own a genuine 800 silver Army Paratrooper badge, what would i be expected to pay for one, do they come up for sale very often.

lee.

[Eric Queen]

Seriously though......the last ( and only ) original that I have ever seen for sale on the open market ( advertised ) was the one from Lemkau ( #66 ) that Detlev had in his catalogue in 1991. I believe it was 6400 then. I called about it but of course was too late. He told me he could have sold it 20 times.

EQ

[hawksy]

Ok Eric,

Iv'e got no chance then,

But the standard one's that come up for sale seems to always have a ? over their authenticity and they are so hard to judge if right or wrong, the ones i have seen for sale always look a bit battered which can make them look like poor fakes.

Eric do you own a 800 silver one

lee.

[Eric Queen]

Lee,

I wasn't trying to discourage you, just wanted you to be aware that they are extremely rare and highly faked. 99% of the ones I have seen are fakes.

I hope you are fortunate enough to find a real one but just be carefull.

Take care,

Eric

[Peter_Suciu]

Eric--
What is the "average" price of an army paratrooper badge?

BTW--finally was able to pick up your book and read it this past weekend. It was worth venturing out into the chill just to pick it up.

PS

[Eric Queen]

Thanks Peter, I appreciate that. I would think an "average" price for a second pattern badge in aluminum would be in the $2000/$2200 range.( of course attributed examples and first patterns would be more ) For the 1943 pattern in feinzink I would think in the $1500/$1700 range.

I wonder what ( if anything ) will happen to the price of these badges once most people realize that over 90% of the ones out there are fake.

Hope this helps and once again I am glad you enjoyed the book. Let me know if any questions. I'll do my best to answer them.

Eric

[Prosper Keating]

Originally posted by hawksy
Ok Eric,

Iv'e got no chance then,

But the standard one's that come up for sale seems to always have a ? over their authenticity and they are so hard to judge if right or wrong, the ones i have seen for sale always look a bit battered which can make them look like poor fakes.

Eric do you own a 800 silver one

lee.

It is fair to say that you have very little chance of finding an original silver Army Para Badge. But original aluminium and zinc examples do crop up from time to time. Perhaps I am just perverse but I do derive considerable amusement from the glaring fact that the only original examples I have seen offered by dealers in the past two years were through Kai Winkler and Helmut Weitze, who are both frequently attacked as being dishonest and untrustworthy, while dealers who enjoy or have enjoyed very good reputations have sold or continue to sell questionable and blatantly fake Army Para Badges. There is actually a minty 2nd pattern APB in Herr Weitze's website at the moment. It has a manufacturing flaw in that the army eagle's head is disfigured and featureless as a result of, by the looks of it, an insufficiency of material in that area when the wreath blank was placed in the dies and struck. I doubt that this badge ever made it out of the factory, unless in the pocket of one of the workers as a keepsake or a present for his kid or something. But whatever the case, it's a 100% genuine APB at a reasonable price.

PK

[hawksy]

para badge

Hello Prosper,
Hello Eric,


What it is, i have some money coming my way soon and i want to spend it on something that i have wanted for ages, which is a german Army para badge or nights cross, i would love both but i have no chance of both at the moment, but because i have such an interest in all paratroopers, what ever country, i have chosen to get hold of, spend my money on a realy nice german paratrooper badge with hopfuly No ? hanging over it like so many i have seen on here.
I recently bought a luftwaffe para badge by junker from bill shae and in my opinion is now deemed to be without doubt genuine, i paid over the top but you only get what you pay for,and that's true i recon.

I do want a perfect sound one with no flaws hopfuly, if i pay the price.

lee