Is this original?

[pilotshadow26]

I bought is at an antique store for $45 dollars, and I want to know if it is original or not.




Josh

[Steve Mezey]

Looks to me like an original brass manufactured 'black would badge' that has had the daylights buffed out of it to make it look like a gold one.
Steve


Josh
[/QUOTE]

[Jody]

Wound Badge

Hello,
The pictures are pretty hazy, but I agree it looks like a black wound badge that has had the paint removed and buffed and polished. It lloks like there are traces of black paint in the hinge area. Keep in mind while gold hollow back wound badges were made, they are very rare. I don't think I have ever seen a real gold hollow back.

Let me ask, did you buy this wound badge as a black with no paint, or has a hollow back gold?

As a black wound badge it really wouldn't be in too much demand as a collectible. If you paid $45 for it, you paid way too much in my opinion.
Regards,
Jody

[pilotshadow26]

All the tag said was "WW2 German wound badge." They had two, but this one was in better condition. If you want better pictures of it, just let me know.

[Jody]

Wound Badge

All the tag said was "WW2 German wound badge." They had two, but this one was in better condition. If you want better pictures of it, just let me know.

Hello,
I really don't need better images of it, it is a black wound with no paint and is trying to pass itself off as gold one-sorry.
Regards,
Jody

[PaulR]

All the tag said was "WW2 German wound badge." They had two, but this one was in better condition. If you want better pictures of it, just let me know.

We are always up to seeing more pics

This does bring up a question... As far as I know, there were never any hollowback Gold Wound badges. Is there anything to contradict this chain of thought?

Best regards
Paul Reck

BTW- a black wound badge in that condition... about 25 dollars should be the limit. Is it maker marked at all?

[pilotshadow26]

Is it maker marked at all?

I don't see a maker mark, but I will look again. At least it is an original.

[Jody]

We are always up to seeing more pics

This does bring up a question... As far as I know, there were never any hollowback Gold Wound badges. Is there anything to contradict this chain of thought?

Best regards
Paul Reck

BTW- a black wound badge in that condition... about 25 dollars should be the limit. Is it maker marked at all?

Hi Paul,
I had read somewhere that hollow backs in gold and silver were produced, but they are very rare. I have never seen one. However, I have seen this before where someone takes a black wound badge and removes the paint and plays around with it. I once had a black wound badge in high school with no paint so I removed the remaining paint and dropped it in the nickle tank at high school. It looked pretty good, but it was still a black wound badge.

They do this a lot with WWI wound badges (which are all hollows). So if you see a really minty gold Imperial take a closer look to make sure it was not a converted black one.
Regards,
Jody

[pilotshadow26]

From the main site.

By 1945, as quality became less important and materials scarce, some black badges were being painted the appropriate color and issued as both silver and gold grades. In these cases the reverse is almost always hollow.

[Darrell]

Hi Paul,
I had read somewhere that hollow backs in gold and silver were produced, but they are very rare. I have never seen one.
Regards,
Jody

[Jody]

Hello Darrell,
That looks like a good gold hollow back to me-nice and rare. Thank you for the picture. What I meant to say is that I have never seen one in person. Is it the same type of gilt found on late-war KM badges? Is it hallmarked L/11?

I still don't feel the one posted by Pilotshadow is a true gold example.
Regards,
Jody

[Darrell]

Hello Darrell,
That looks like a good gold hollow back to me-nice and rare. Thank you for the picture. What I meant to say is that I have never seen one in person. Is it the same type of gilt found on late-war KM badges?
Regards,
Jody

Yes it appears to be. My late war Zincer "4" WB on e-stand .. has almost identical finish. Also (I think .. away from my medals) my Aux Cruiser has this same type finish

[Jody]

Wound Badge

Yes it appears to be. My late war Zincer "4" WB on e-stand .. has almost identical finish. Also (I think .. away from my medals) my Aux Cruiser has this same type finish

Hello Darrell,
That is what I thought, and I would expect such a finish on such a piece. That is a keeper.
Regards,
Jody

[Darrell]

Hello Darrell,
Is it hallmarked L/11?
Regards,
Jody

Yep L/11 it is

[Chrvip68]

I have to agree for the WB in question that is modern painted and converted for the gold grade postwar, the award itself is original though.

Hollow issues for silver/gold grade exist and vice versa, i mean solid WBs painted black, but in many times the finish has been applied postwar and therefore you must be very careful when you want to get such example.