Battle hardened PAB

[Philippe DB]

Hi Guys,

Here is the latest out of the ordinary PAB that found its way in to my little collection today.

Most of you will think I'm crazy but hé either you love the little buggers or you don't.

This rare hollow AS for sure saw it's fair share of action, wreath broken 3 times, repaired hinge and replaced catch and I'm quite confident that the finish didn't disappaer over the last few years.

You all know my theory in relation to the cut-out grass area, well this little PAB for me is the ultimate personification of what a Panzer soldier had to live through to earn the priviledge of cutting out the grass area on his PAB. No LDO shop visit for a replacement PAB here, this guy loved his badge more than anything and would have kept on repairing it even if it broke 5 more times.

Well like I wrote above a bit out of the ordinary and for sure nothing that could appeal to "the mint of the shelf collector". I always knew that my hundredth PAB would be someting special but I never expected this specimen.

KR
Philippe

[Philippe DB]

reverse

[Philippe DB]

And accompanied by its two brothers

[Adrian Stevenson]

It certainly has some character! I kind of like it too.


Cheers, Ade.

[Jeff V]

If that badge could only tell us where it has been.

jeff

[Philippe DB]

If that badge could only tell us where it has been.

jeff

Hi Jeff,

All the way to Russia and back, but hé it survived. Believe me you just can smell the gunpowder en diesel fuel on it.

KR
Philippe

[VonLuger]

the stories it could tell-ever wonder if a psychic could give a reading? not the run of the mill palm reader, but the ones police use that touch a personal object and can tell you what happened!...
Another character piece Philippe--wondering aloud, it also having the spikey cut out pattern of the other PAB, did it belonged to same division or unit-of course no way of telling but a very similiar pattern?

[Marc Garlasco]

100th PAB!?!?!


And almost 5000 posts!!!

[Waffen-Mike]

Congrats! I love the "been there" look!!!

Best Regards

Mike

[Michael Root]

You all know my theory in relation to the cut-out grass area,

\

Philippe, could you post your theory? Great badge

[Don D.]

Nice PAB Philippe. Are you sure you aren't making these things in your garage at night?
Don

[Thomas Durante]

I love the "been there" look badges, Philippe. Very nice badge.

Congrats on your 100th PAB. When are you going to come out with your own book on these, like Frank is?? I bet you would have at least 50 collectors here that would sign up with you this very minute if you said you were getting a book together.......

Tom D.

[Joseph D'Errico]

Hello Philippe,

I have always liked the field repair pieces as well, the price points are typically good to boot as many collectors go for the minty pieces ( I like those too).

I also encourage you to take on the idea of putting your painstaking research into a reference book. I would be one of the first in line to purchase a copy

Also congrats on your 100th PAB , quite a mile stone.

Your Friend,
Joe

[Bob Hunter*]

Reeking of cordite and diesel, is it? Gotta love those salty dogs! Congratulations.

[Levesque]

Nice addition to your .A.S PAB collection Philippe..I for one would be happy to have your new badge in my little collection Now that you have two cut-out grass .A.S badges would it be safe to assume that these PAB's were produced early on in the war before the numbered PAB's were made?

Congratulations also on number 100
Sincerely..Dan