1st Class Luftschutz Buttonhole Medal

[Norm F]

Here's another interesting example of the same type of 16 mm mini, again from Giel's site. Again it has all the same characteristic surface flaws as Ron's and the others. This one nicely shows the Tombak base metal.

From this one, we can infer that only the exterior margins and the suspension loop are delineated by the trimming stamp whereas the internal cutouts are a separate hand-cut step. In this case, they took a short cut and simply stamped out circular cutouts rather than take the time to match the internal contours of the design.

Giel's sales description suggested this could be made by Deumer since it came in a lot with Deumer marked or attributed items. Not a firm attribution but certainly a good possibility.

Best regards,
---Norm

[swjXE]

[QUOTE=Norm F;8055946]Here's another interesting example of the same type of 16 mm mini, again from Giel's site. Again it has all the same characteristic surface flaws as Ron's and the others. This one nicely shows the Tombak base metal.

From this one, we can infer that only the exterior margins and the suspension loop are delineated by the trimming stamp whereas the internal cutouts are a separate hand-cut step. In this case, they took a short cut and simply stamped out circular cutouts rather than take the time to match the internal contours of the design.

Giel's sales description suggested this could be made by Deumer since it came in a lot with Deumer marked or attributed items. Not a firm attribution but certainly a good possibility.

Best regards,
---Norm[/QUOTE

These circular cut outs appear to have been done with a drill bit. Quite interesting.

[swjXE]

Can anyone comment on the possibility that these circular cutouts could have been done postwar.

[swjXE]

Has any one seen anything similar to this?

[swjXE]

From what little I know about it, it seems to be unlike anything that was done during the war and even immediate postwar.

[Norm F]

Circular drill holes were the way to start the cutouts in larger awards so it was an "invisible step". For minis there wasn't much room to maneuver so you sometimes see signs of the drill holes.

Approximating an entire cutout with a single drill hole in minis was a later wartime shortcut, in my opinion. Here are a couple more.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

Here's an example of an unfinished planchet of the S&L-attributed 9 mm U-boat mini that was previously discussed in the KM forum. Here you see drilled pilot holes for the internal cutouts which would then be followed by hand cutting the rest.

Best regards,
---Norm

[swjXE]

Wow Norm. Thanks for going to so much trouble to clear this up for me.
Awesome information.