Hi guys, If you will go to www.specialistauctions.com auction number 205809 You will be able to get a balloon observers badge for only $598.00 USD or if you check his other auctions $2450.00 USD for ground assault badge. I am not a medals/badge guy, but I dont think this guy is on the up and up.
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Last edited by Peter A Larson; 11-17-2006, 04:40 PM. -
"Ballonbeobachter Abzeichen (Balloon Observer) of the German Wehrmacht (German Army) in Silver. The item shows some minor aging signs but is otherwise in good condition. This badge is among the rarest within the world of German WW2 memorabilia. Most of the catalogues described hollow version. This item is not a hollow version and did not describe in the catalogues. Condition is XF. Detlev Niemann in "Price Guide. Orders and decorations Germany" 2004, page 626 put 3000 EURO for that nice badge. Also you can see: Lothar Hartung catalogue "Auszeichnungen des 3. Reiches", spezialkatalog 2005/2006, item #99, page 34, catalogue price is LP. Last time that badge was appeared in auction few years ago and was sold for $5500!! This badge is the one of the best what I have for today."
Is that true??? -
</QUOTE>Is that true???
No
If somebody has $5500 to waste on this junk, then send it to me and I will put it to good use!
Don't ya love that Souval catch
the same as the 100 ground assault.
The badges there are beyond pathetic. You better have a good shovel for the amount of sh1t you will have to dig through to find anything real.
AlanLast edited by spectre; 11-15-2006, 05:58 PM.Comment
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My question was not about the existence of the badge but whether it's really listed in DN priceguide for Euro 3000.-
And I could verify that! DN lists all 3 grades in his priceguide for 3000.- but he also remarks that he doesn't know whether the pictures he shows are from pre-45 examples!
That helps! At least we know the value!
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Well......
......all we really know is a arbitrary potential value, as listed, of a badge that has never been demonstrated to have been manufactured for distribution. If I'm not mistaken, the balloon observer's badge is only thought to have been made in a protoype form.
In my opinion, balloon observer's badges on the market today are nothing more than fantasy pieces. But I'm sure that there are those that will disagree. Most certainly the FAKERS that will keep trying to fob these off as the real thing.....for quite a profit of course.
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Bruce,
At a recent show a guy offered me a BOB and I told him they are all fakes. He seemed honestly shocked, noing it looked so good and seemed very well manufactured and came from Germany. I told him to join the WAF. There are those that would rather hope...
MarcComment
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Originally posted by Bruce Simcox View Post......all we really know is a arbitrary potential value, as listed, of a badge that has never been demonstrated to have been manufactured for distribution. If I'm not mistaken, the balloon observer's badge is only thought to have been made in a protoype form.
In my opinion, balloon observer's badges on the market today are nothing more than fantasy pieces. But I'm sure that there are those that will disagree. Most certainly the FAKERS that will keep trying to fob these off as the real thing.....for quite a profit of course.
Exactly my point! So why put a value of Euro 3,000.- on something:
- that was MAYBE only made as a prototype?
- and no authentic pictures exist?
and even show a picture and immidiately say "I don't know whether the pictures are good"?
Why not either leave it out completely or show no price at all. Now his price guide is used as a vehicle to authenticate fakes and even as a reference to the price!Comment
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Why? P.T. Barnum said it best: "There's a sucker born every minute."
ScottComment
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The best link on the net on this
The Army Balloon Observer's Badge A Comprehensive Study by William C Stump
I bet many of of here know and respect Willian Stump I think we should take his word for it.Comment
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Sorry Dietrich, I missed the point of your question, thought you meant that wonderful auction description.
I don't have Detlev's book.
Bill pretty much sums it up in that article, at one time I think most of that was posted around here.
AlanComment
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The existance of the badge as Bill put it before 1960 is rather flawed. David Littlejohn bought an example from Dr K IN THE EARLY 50'S. This is the piece shown in Dr K's book, published 1957. He also wrote that some 100 pieces were made before the wars end. Many fakes yes, but trial stamping also.Comment
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Chris,
my point really isn't whether there have been real ones or not. Might very well be the case.
My point is to show a picture in a priceguide, then say this might not be the right picture and also say there might not be any made AND THEN put a price to it!!! Thats the point!!!
Why not just leave it out? Or no price mentioned! And why not Euro 5,000.-, or 500.-??Comment
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You are quite correct. I THINK IT IS BETTER TO STAND BY THE ORIGINAL THOUGHT, THAT A FEW WERE PRODUCED, BUT IN TRIAL FORM,these pieces are extreemly rare and any piece should be considered with great sceptisisum.Comment
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Another point to look at is the badge does not appear in any catalog or price guide until the late 50s.
I will have a look at the old english reff books I have and see which one has it or not.
Did this badge show up in those old cats that Dietrich Maerz dug up?Comment
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