Hollow Assmann PAB- Buntmetall? Original? Need help please

[CWP]

Hello,

Here is a PAB I bought today. I bought it from a local person, it was a walk-in to a flea market with some other original medals. The tragedy is that the person who had them originally polished them to make them look shiny to get more money for them!!!! This is a hollow silver Assmann version. Wear and the idiot polishing has revealed lots of base metal on the front which looks to me like Buntmetall, but I suppose it could be Kupal, maybe? It really looks yellow to me. My scanner really did a bad job at photographing the color of the finish. The back retains almost all of the original silver finish. My main question is, is this an original badge or a fake? I did a search on these hollow Assmann PABs and ended up confused, especially because it seems to be the consensus that there were no hollow Buntmetall Assmann examples. Mine does not have the flaw on the track that some of the fakes have. I am hoping for some expert help on this badge. I haven't decided if I will keep it but I need some feedback before I would feel comfortable even thinking about selling it. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or opinions, I am hoping this is a good one.

[CWP]

Grass and treads detail:

[CWP]

Eagle detail:

[CWP]

4

[CWP]

The raised Assmann logo:

[robert60446]

Hi,
It looks like a nice Cupal example to me.

[CWP]

6

[CWP]

Robert, thanks for the fast reply! I was under the impression that Cupal had a reddish tint? I am no badge expert. The catch is attached with more solder than I would expect, the solder is under the silver finish so it is not a repail. I can't tell if there is a catch plate or not. Is this normal? Here is the last photo.

[robert60446]

I was under the impression that Cupal had a reddish tint?

Hi Chris, here is my Assmann in Cupal. As you can see it looks more like a dark brown which may lead some people to think that it is a buntmetall. What is the weight of your PAB?

[Greg]

Hi Chris,

Normally the copper part of the Cupal construction would show as reddish, but if someone has been polishing it, it would probably make it pretty shiny. To me, your underlying color does have a reddish tint.

As Robert said, the weight will tell - Cupal Assmann should be around 12-13g.

The catches on all four of my Assmanns are set in pretty heavy solder - yours looks fine to me.

Best,
Greg

[CWP]

Perhaps it is Cupal after all. I am glad to hear the badge looks like a good one, it is always a big risk to buy first and research later. I will weigh the badge and take one last better photo with a camera tomorrow, thanks for your help!

Sincerely, Chris

[skip]

For what its worth, it looks pretty good to me from these pics. I would also tend towards a CupAl version.

Skip

[Philippe DB]

As far as I'm concerned for sure Cupal. The black discoloration on the back gives it away as such. As can be seen on the badge below, on the silver once the cupal can really look like yellow gold BM.

KR
Philippe

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Chris,

I have adressed this occurance in my book and I am also convinced that some of these Assmanns have a yellow Tombak coating/layer, instead of a reddish copper layer. On a good number of "Cupal" Assmann PABs, there is definitely yellow Tombak peeping through, yet the weight speaks for Cupal, very light weight. Just a bogus term I just made up, but these badges are rather "Tombal" badges than Cupal badges. It probably all depends on the metal mixture of the colored metal layer on top of the aluminium. Sometimes it has more of a copper appearance, sometimes more of a Tombak appearance. Nothing wrong with your example.

[CWP]

You guys really know your stuff. The badge weighs 13 grams, as predicted. Thanks again for all the help.