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SA gold
hello
with this little number and first model !for me a good chance , look ORIGINAL!
best regards
patrick -
I agree with Patrick that the combination of this being a 1st Issue SA Sport Badge with such a low award number (1902) would seem to indicate that this was a Gold Grade badge, but IMO the condition of the badge's finish does not support that status...sorry to say. In such a case, the only way of knowing for sure whether this was a Gold or a Bronze Grade award would be to locate the Award Certificate bearing the matching number...which is akin to the proverbial Needle in the Haystack!
Br. JamesComment
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IMO it's a gold. Even with only remnants of the finish, with the low number I'm convinced.
ErichFestina lente!Comment
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Hello Caidos IMO it's an original gold badge. I you research the forum it's believed that original gold badges were only numbered up to 3000 an made by L.CHR.LAUER except of course the private purchases which were made by REDO. I've reposted your pictures so they're not lost and I've posted my gold for comparison.
JefComment
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My goldComment
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Not ALL members here believe "that original gold badges were only numbered up to 3000 an made by L.CHR.LAUER" and I'm one that's never seen period documentation that establishes either thought as a fact. Having said that, I don't deny the possibility that the badge shown by Caidos COULD be a Gold Grade but, given my statement above, the lack of conclusive finish on his badge does not support that diagnosis, IMO. The badge shown by Horwathj, IMO, is indeed a 1st Issue Gold Grade badge.
Br. JamesComment
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1902 is a good gold one IMO. I am convinced that L. Ch. Lauer is the only maker of the correct gold NUMBERED issue badges.Comment
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I certainly respect your opinion on ALL matters, Ron, but what convinces you that "...L. Ch. Lauer is the only maker of the correct gold NUMBERED issue badges." I have collected and studied SA Sport Badges for at least 50 years and have never seen any period NSDAP documentation that stated either that certain numbers were relegated to Gold, Silver or Bronze Grade badges or that only Lauer was authorized to produce 1st Issue Gold badges. (Un-numbered badges in all three grades of all three issues were produced for private sale.)
Versions of this conversation have been circulating for decades and I would LOVE to change my mind, based on solid facts, but I have yet to see anything other than individual opinion on these questions. I realize that my own opinion is just that: my opinion, but it is much broader than what appears to be an exclusive restriction on these wonderful badges. Please help me if you can!
Cheers,
Br. JamesComment
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Br. James you make a logical point and like you I've not seen any documentation or have heard a stronger argumentation on this fact. The badge on the right was sold to me as gold from a reputable dealer IMO. They both look gold to me from he obverse but looking at the reverse they finish looks different. The one on the right is considered a bronze and it most likely was polished on the obverse to look gold. The fact is that it's only opinions so as time goes who knows what we may discover.Comment
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Thank you for your comment, Horwathj. Indeed, as I look at the two badges you show us, whatever difference between them that exists could be explained by the fact that they were made by different manufacturers, yet I would say that both examples are of the Gold Grade SA Sport Badge.
We all know that there are probably countless varieties of color associated with what we accept to be "Bronze Grade SA Sport Badges" -- anywhere from an almost golden tone to dark brown, with numerous shades in between, and produced by quite a few different manufacturers -- yet we call them all "Bronze Grade." Silver Grade SA Sport Badges also come in a variety of silver contrasts, yet we accept them all as "Silver Grade." Is there no room on the spectrum for any variety of shades of color in the "Gold Grade" SA Sport Badge?
What about any differences between "1st Issue" and "2nd Issue" badges?
Perhaps storage circumstances have affected the color of the Bronze Grade badge? Is it not possible that Silver and Gold grades were similarly affected?
Just some thoughts! Cheers,
Br. JamesComment
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My comment is only concerning 1st issue Gold Badges ( these are numbered on the slant). There are other manufacturers of the later gold badges and unnumbered ones.
I have come by this determination based on only seeing these numbered first issue always made by Lauer. If anyone has another, I would love to see it.Comment
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Thanks, Ron -- much appreciated. My collection includes what I believe to be a Gold Grade 1st Issue badge made by "Bonner Kunstabz., Bedarf Bonn a/R H," bearing #102100. I also have two 2nd Issue badges that I believe to be Gold Grade: both are by "E. Schneider, Lüdenscheid;" one bears #253996 and the other is un-numbered and presumably made to be a private purchase piece. I am sorry that I have no ability to provide photos as I have neither the technology or the expertise to do so.
Again, if anyone has any period copies of regulations or any official statements made by the SA High Leadership which establish which manufacturer(s) were authorized to produce certain Issues or particular grades of the SA Sport Badge to the exclusion of all others, I hope you will share that information with us!
Many thanks again,
Br. JamesComment
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For me it looks like an original Lauer feuergilded gold grade with replaced or at best resoldered catch.
Cheers ThomasComment
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I have what I believe to be a gold sports badge that is numbered on the slant and made by Bonner Kunstabz. It is a five digit number. I will have to dig it out and take photo tomorrow and post for opinions. I was convinced by the color and the slanted numbering that it was gold but then read that only Lauer badges were considered gold so I put it away with my other bronze ones. Now I am not so sure. I will post photos tomorrow. Good conversation here.Comment
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