Army Para Badge: too good to be true?

[Brian C.]

I was at a local shop today and spotted an L/12 marked Army Paratrooper badge for $375. It sounds too good to be true, but I wanted to get opinions and things to look for to tell if its authentic.

The badge had excellent detail, with the wreath and diving eagle made from what looked like the same kind of metal.

The wreath was slightly warped, but would not bend under steady pressure.

Does anyone have good pics of a badge by this maker that I can use for reference?

[Gene]

Do just one thing: RUN LIKE HELL

[Eric Queen]

There were no L/12 marked army paratrooper badges. Please refer to the aritcle on this site, and multiple threads on this forum for all information relating to this badge ( use the search function)

EQ

[Ken Jasper]

I admire your courage for posting your question here.You have gotten off easy.

[Prosper Keating]

Re: Army Para Badge: too good to be true?

Originally posted by badcard
I was at a local shop today and spotted an L/12 marked Army Paratrooper badge for $375. It sounds too good to be true, but I wanted to get opinions and things to look for to tell if its authentic.

The badge had excellent detail, with the wreath and diving eagle made from what looked like the same kind of metal.

The wreath was slightly warped, but would not bend under steady pressure.

Does anyone have good pics of a badge by this maker that I can use for reference?

Only one manufacturer ever made Army Para Badges. This was C E Juncker of Berlin. The only APBs with a manufacturers's mark are the ultra-rare 1st pattern aluminium ones and a single 2nd pattern aluminium one, as you will see when you read the article to which Eric directed you. Click on the following links:

Army Para Badge article

Thread relating to the Army Para Badge

Another thread relating to the Army Para Badge

PK

[Brian C.]

Thanks for the info

I kind of knew it was too good to be true, but never having seen a real APB I thought I'd run it by the forum members. I was thinking "wow this may be the find of a lifetime!" Just what the fakers shoot for I guess.

I am glad the forum is here to refer to, becasue without it I may have not had some prior knowledge as to what to look for in a fake and would have bought it.

Is the L/12 marked APB a known fake or is this something new to hit the market recently? If it is not known, perhaps I can take some pics of the badge for future reference for the forum members. That is if someone else hasn't already bought it.

Once again thanks for all the information, and apologies for getting excited and not doing a thorough search.

[Prosper Keating]

No apologies necessary, mate! That's what this forum is here for. Glad you saved $375. You can spend it on a LW Para Badge to be going on with. Some pictures would be interesting. We have quite a good gallery of pictures of fake APBs of various kinds but, no, I don't recall an LDO-marked one.

Regards,

Prosper Keating

[Philippe]

Army Para Badge gallery

Hello badcard,

I have linked here a photo gallery of Army Para Badges and Luftwaffe para badges..

Hope it helps..

Happy collecting!


Philippe
www.majorplm.com

[Brian C.]

Pics of L/12 APB

Here are the pics I took today.

[Eric Queen]

Wow. That thing doesn't even deserve to be called a reproduction. More like a piece of costume jewlery.

[Brian C.]

Yeah...

Comparing these pics to the real pics makes it look pretty sad.

The eagle isn't even close and the rivets, wreath, and overall detail are way off.

I'm wondering why they even went to the trouble of putting the L/12 on there at all.

From now on I'm sticking to Detlev and avoiding the local stuff.

Thanks for all the info.

[Steve T]

From now on I'm sticking to Detlev

Don't take this as a critiscm as you can of course collect how you choose but, with respect, I think you will be narrowing your field of opportunity to a point where the hobby will become mundane.

Also don't be put off by a close shave on a hokey badge and don't let it make you put all your confidence in a dealer instead of yourself. (I personally don't see the fun in 'buying off the shelf' from one shop.)

I have bought lots of good material locally, from abroad, the web, and other collectors. Part of the fun for me is finding these things, wherever they may be.

One day that beauty of a para badge may be sitting in the local antique mall instead of the 'costume' piece.