The F&B Minesweeper Family

[Norm F]

Hi Guys,

Another Sunday, and another posting of a Minesweeper "family", this time the Foerster & Barth. I managed to get a nice variation 2.9.4 so thought I'd show the complete group.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

2.9.1

All Foerster & Barth Minesweepers are in zinc but Type 2.9.1 can be found with a premium finish that stands the test of time. It can also be found with a lesser quality gilding more like all the other variants that fades to olive grey over time. The L/21 stamped into the pin varies in location and orientation, and even the font can vary somewhat so F&B had more than one L/21 punch.

[Norm F]

2.9.2

Type 2.9.2 is the unmarked version of 2.9.1. It again has the long tombak pin and generally has a silvered reverse.

[Norm F]

2.9.3

Type 2.9.3 transitions to the short Tombak pin and the use of a large catch plate. This again is a marked version.

[Norm F]

2.9.4

The elusive 2.9.4 is the unmarked version of 2.9.3. The variants with the short Tombak pin (vs. the ferrous pin of the same type) are very hard to find -- a subtlety that most collectors probably couldn't care less about.

[Norm F]

2.9.5

Here we see the transition to the cheaper ferrous main pin. The ferrous pin develops a pitted surface over time.

[Norm F]

2.9.6

And lastly, Type 2.9.6 (the most common) again uses the unmarked ferrous main pin but now utilizes a smaller round catch plate.

[Norm F]

The minis

And on to the miniature stickpins. Here are a couple of examples of the L/21 marked minis. The mark was incorporated into the reverse die and is in relief. A unique feature of the F&B 16 mm Minesweeper minis is the base metal which is ferrous and attracts to a magnet, although the pin on these is Tombak.

[Norm F]

And here's a rare unmarked variant of the F&B mini. Again the base metal is ferrous and the obverse carries the same small vertical linear die flaw that is seen in the marked version (circled in red). This one however has a ferrous pin instead of the Tombak pin on the marked version. (Thanks to my friend Peter J. for this one. )

[Norm F]

Now a couple of likely siblings to the F&B mini family. First, a 16 mm zincer which has the identical obverse with the same linear die flaw, and the same type of finish as the late war F&B full-size badge. This type of mini has simpler standardized stamped cutouts -- either a late war F&B variant or from someone using a sister die made from the same master punch as F&B's.

[Norm F]

And finally, the baby of the family, a 9 mm fine zinc mini. Unmarked, but uses a very similar obverse design as the 16 mm mini, and a similar high quality finish.

[Norm F]

This zinc F&B Blockade Breaker set was posted with a 9 mm mini very much like the 9 mm Minesweeper mini with the same horseshoe-bent pin attachment and the same knurling on the pin.

[Jelle M.]

Nice dedicated collection
Why do you think the first example has an overall better condition than the others? Is it copper coated?

[Norm F]

Why do you think the first example has an overall better condition than the others? Is it copper coated?

Hi Nightstalker,

That's a good question. It does seem to have an extremely thin undercoating of some kind but that coating doesn't have an obvious coppery tone in the way that is so apparent on "AS in triangle" badges, for example. That undercoating may have helped somewhat but I think it also interfered with the bonding of the solder. On that particular 2.9.1, the hinge separated from the badge is now just tacked on with Krazy Glue. One sees this same defect in other badges of this particular type.

But I think another reason for the better condition is a premium type of gilding and silvering. We see similar differences in finish on Deumer zinc Minesweepers so these were probably two different offerings at different prices, as is suggested by wartime LDO price lists for other combat badges.

Best regards,
---Norm

[Norm F]

Here are two more examples from the internet of the "premium" finish option. In both of these the hinges have separated and been re-soldered in the past. The undercoating on these images does seem to have a somewhat coppery tone to it, so it could be a copper-based coating of some kind. As discussed in another thread, certainly period trade magazines recommended a galvanic undercoating of brass in zinc award manufacture.

Best regards,
---Norm