U-boat combat clasp? Original or Fake ?

[norsk41elv]

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[norsk41elv]

[norsk41elv]

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[norsk41elv]

Gentlemen !
Can you please help me to identify this claps. I`m thinking about taking it in to my collection

[John R.]

Its a good one. A new series of first pattern fakes are out there, but this is not one of them.

John

[Fluffy]

I like it.

[norsk41elv]

Thank you

Regards
Jørn

[Mike Kenny]

I can only agree, a worn 100% original - looks to have been a Bronze grade?

Regards
Mike

[norsk41elv]

It is silver Mike (according to seller)
Or...is it only bronze ?

[John R.]

Highly unlikely to find a silver first pattern frontspange. Yes, they exist, but very very rare. The reason is that the second pattern silver frontspange was what was awarded due to the timeline of these badges.

In other words, by the time the silver version was awarded to the Kriegsmarine, the second pattern was what was being produced.

What you are looking at is 99% a bronze example with the bronze finish gone and just the zinc base metal remaining.

John

[Mike Kenny]

The bronze colour of the catch/catchplate/hinge, the bronze colour in the reverse central recess, the bronze on the pin and the very dark finish in the recesses between oakleaves and swas arms on the obverse all lead me to think it was bronze from the pics provided.

Regards
Mike

[norsk41elv]

Thank you for helping me with this one. Good to find that it is original, but of course....big difference in value. I will ask the owner about the colour in the photo (sometime the colour can seems different).

Regards
Jørn

[John R.]

These are silver examples--compare what Mike noted (catch, catchplate and hinge) and you can send that on to your seller. You are correct in that if you actually found a silver example it would be worth more than a bronze, but as I mentioned, the silver is very rare--the bronze award minus finish fools people with many badges.

John

[all1knew]

Hello there,

An original but heavily worn badge.

William Kramer

[Ludwig]

Original bronce clasp. IMO.