Order of Eagle Merit Medal

[MIKE12550]

Hello, opinions needed on this medal

[MIKE12550]

obverse

[MIKE12550]

reverse

[MIKE12550]

eagle

[MIKE12550]

rim has marks, looks like munzami wien 935 couldnt get good pic. letters very small.

[MIKE12550]

Anybody on this one? these must be tough to tell. thanks,bb

[MIKE12550]

Anybody have an opinion on this one?Need help,can return to seller if no good I dont want to get stuck with it if ng.Please, dont be shy! thanks, bb

[DennyB]

Billybob, Sorry but I can't help you. I have never examined one up close. If it isn't good, it sure is a top of the line repro then. My guess is that it is good though.

[CurtD]

Anybody have an opinion on this one?Need help,can return to seller if no good I dont want to get stuck with it if ng.Please, dont be shy! thanks, bb

IMO it is good.

[Peter J.]

Hi Mike,

I 'll not pass a judgement on the originality (lack of experience), but there are some contadicting info in Angolia's "Führer and ...". According to him, the 1937 pattern came with gothic script and was marked "835 PR. Münze BERLIN". With the introduction of the swords in 1939 in remained the same. Additional rim marks could be found i.g. "Münzamt Wien 835". Non of these two patterns had any ring markings.
The 1943 issue though differed significantly. The title came in Latin script and a bronze version was issued as well. The rim had no markings and the ring was marked "30". This pattern is often found in zinc.

If this is correct information from Angolia's part, your medal doesn't make any sense. Hopefully other more skilled members can verify this, or kick my butt .

KR
Peter

[CurtD]

I think Angolia was not quite clear in his description. I believe what he meant to say was that the bronze version had no rim markings. This makes sense because the rim markings are the silver content and, of course, the bronze medal had no silver.

I have a medal exactly like the one above. I also have the earlier version in Gothic script. They both have rim stampings. Neither has a ring stamping (maker's mark). The front of the 2 medals are virtually identical. They are both die stamped and have details like coins.

The fakes I have seen of this medal were obvious fakes. I don't think the fakers have gotten anywhere near being undetectable with this medal. It is not that popular and must be made of silver.

They have much more profitable ventures like the $15 fake AH SS cufftitle that keeps selling for $500 on manions.

[Peter J.]

Curt, thanks for your input . You're absolutely correct, Jack's groundbreaking book has to be read with some degree of flexible mind .
Your opinion makes sense in regards of silver v. bronze. The "30" mark on the ring is also logical (Münzamt Wien). I assume the zinc medals are ring- marked the same, hence the reference from Angolia. I have one question though, were the zinc medals (bronze or silver) manufactured by Münzamt in Berlin as well. If they were, would the marking on the ring be "29"?

KR
Peter