Coastal Artillery KM Badge Unmarked

[Brian S]

Any help in identifying this one would be great. It's unmarked and I'll post several views. Thanks guys.

[Brian S]

backside

[Brian S]

clasp

[Brian S]

LAST PIC pin setup

[Brian S]

I'm not sure if silence is good or bad... But if this is the only one like this you've seen that might be good. I don't think the fakers can afford to make just one of a kind

[Mark S.]

I'm not sure if silence is good or bad... But if this is the only one like this you've seen that might be good. I don't think the fakers can afford to make just one of a kind

yea, you would think so, but I have had several fakes pass through my hands that I have yet to see another one of the same type.

Anyway, regarding the badge...

Personally, there is a few things that I dont like about it. Keep in mind, these are only observations.

Right off the bat, the gold finish doesnt seem right. It seems to glittery or something, or cheap looking. I find my self grasping for the adjective I am looking for.

And the pin sticking out the hinge I really dont like either


The detail seems to be good though...It sure is a hell of alot better than the other one you posted.

Do you have it in hand? What are your thoughts?

[Mark S.]

double post, sorry.

[Philippe DB]

Hi Brian,

Saw your post yesterday but since I realy couldn't link it to any known maker I hessitated to jump in first.

Personaly I like the badge but still find it odd that it doesn't seem to match anything I have seen before. So without being able the handle it I'm afraid I can't be of much assistance here.

KR
Philippe

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Brian,

Since I responded in a PM to you yesterday that I also cannot link this badge to a known maker I spent some more time thinking about the badge. It somehow reminded me of another Kriegsmarine badge that was doubtful.

The things that reminded me were the strange gold finish, the hinge, the catch (even if it opens to the other side) and most of all, the way the rims of the badge are "cut out". When looking at your eagle area from the reverse, it seems that not a die shaped the very rim of the badge, but a tool that literally cut the badge to shape. I have only ever seen this on the fake Destroyer shown below.

In addition to that, I find it strange that the "shear marks" that are not really shear marks, run diagonally.

Cheers, Frank

[Frank Heukemes]

.

[Philippe DB]

Dear Frank,

I think your right in assuming that there is a link between both your badge and Brians.

Would it be possible to show us an obverse pic of the Destroyer, just to see if we can link the design to a known maker.

If that isn't the case wouldn't it be strange for a faker to start inventing his own design?

KR
Philippe

PS: Brian can you provide us with a nice pic of just the eagles on your badge showing al the details

[Frank Heukemes]

Here´s the obverse of the Destroyer fake, IMO it cannot be linked to any of the known makers:

[Brian S]

Here´s the obverse of the Destroyer fake, IMO it cannot be linked to any of the known makers:

And that's the $63,999.50 question. I wonder just how cheap and nasty those final badges of the Reich got to... Unmarked in LDO packets with limited materials and people. I'd guess quite a few badge workers got consumed in the Volksturm final battles.

[Frank Heukemes]

Sorry, but that theory is unacceptable, Brian, and I just cannot hear that "they already heard the Shermans coming around the corner, why should they still care about quality in their badges?" anymore.

Take a good hard look at both badges, yours and mine. When you die forge a badge, you will need no tool to grind your badge to shape. Maybe some filing to the edges was neccessary, but that was it. Our badges are crudely cut to shape, noticable from the reverse.

I do not want to speak in absolutes for your badge, that would not be fair, since I do not know that fake, but my badge is 100% fake, not a "last minute" badge.

Cheers, Frank

[Brian S]

In evaluating the piece, I wouldn't want it, it comes from a reputable dealer so I was trying to make sense of it. But as we've seen, items slip through that don't cut it to our standards and this one is 'below standard grade badge'. So if it comes from a dealer who stands by his items, I was searching for a plausible reason. That's why only the highest acceptable standard badges even sell on the e-stand to the knowledgeable people here. But, when you flip that button and buy in an instant, the pictures are not high quality, you get what you get... Giving it the benefit of the doubt, I was wondering if the gilt was brushed. Or as is possible in this case, the 'paint' was brushed on and left brush marks.