Nuremberg Badge in Silver

[Stan]

This is a badge which you don't often see and which I like very much. My thanks to Craig Gottlieb who found it for me.

Stan

[Stan]

Nuremberg badge in silver

Reverse. Note 1000 silver mark below catch.

Stan

[Craig Gottlieb]

I find these badges to be extremely rare. I have only seen 3 of them in my life, and have owned two of them. As was the case with other NSDAP events where Tinnies and rally-badges were produced, there were a small number of solid-silver awards produced as well. My guess is that they were presented to high-level attendees. I have several solid-silver examples of otherwise common "tinnies" in my collection, but this badge is by far the top of the pile as far as I am concerned, given the importance of the event commemorated by the piece. I understand that one solid gold version is also known, presented to Hilter.

[Richard]

The badge does look like an original in strike and detail. However I have a concern on the silver purity mark. I have never seen a silver hallmark of 1000 used on any silver badge or any silver object for that matter, before 1945. Craig, do any of the other pure silver tinnies or awards you have exhibit a 1000 purity mark? If so, would you be so kind as to picture one or two in this thread? I wonder it the 1000 is not a silver purity mark but some type of numbering instead?

As far as I am aware, purity hallmarks used prior to 1945 consisted of 800, 830, 835, 900, 925 and 935 with a law passed in 1884 making the minimum national purity standard 800. 1000 would mean absolutely pure silver (100%)and even today the most common fine silver in pure silver bars and ingots is 999 fine (99.9% pure). Even 999 pure silver is generally too soft for any functional item and this would probably include medals and badges. I have never even seen any precious metal ingots of pure silver marked beyond 999. Even if this badge is genuine, I don't believe the hallmark of silver purity is or is meant to represent something other than silver content.
Richard V

[Stan]

Nuremberg badge in silver

Richard,

Good points well presented, but there are many anomalies in this hobby. I have seen another silver version with the usual groove also marked "1000" and no dealer I know disputes their originality.

Stan

[Richard]

Stan, it isn't the dealers with which I would be concerned but the collecting community as a whole. I certainly am not implying the badge is not original but I know of no other silver content badge or object (ingots, bars, coins) that have a pure silver mark of 1000. I just find it unusual that this mark would be used at all in an era that, as far as I am aware, never produced any award in even 999 fine silver, the benchmark for pure silver bars. This is why I am wondering if the number may have some other significance beyond the silver purity.
Richard V

[Robin Lumsden]

Here's an interesting site.................

http://www.925-1000.com/

[Carlton Gooch]

Silver Badge

I have one of these Badges. It's really nice. I didn't really think much about it when I bought it. Since then I have found out that these are quite rare. All of this has come as quite a Pleasant surprise to me. Thanks for the Info. Carlton

[Richard]

Carlton, does yours also have 1000 below the catch or is it a different number?
Richard V

[derfluffyfuhrer]

I buy and sell lots of silver, and theirs NO way that 1000 means it's made of pure silver.
I'd be curious to test it and see what it is, and if it's silver at all

[Gaspare]

There were a few German pieces made wartime that were marked 990.

1000?, strange because as another member mentions available bullion has never been available at more than 999.9

[Stan]

1933 Nuremburg Badge

Well as already mentioned I purchased this particular badge from Craig Gottlieb but did show images to DN first who told me it was 100% original. I never asked him about the "1000" mark but he never mentioned it either.

I sent scans this morning to HW and asked his opinion about the mark. He says that whilst it is true that no other badges are marked with 1000, the 1933 Nuremberg badge in silver is one of the "famous exceptions". He also said that the badge was original.

To be fair there is not much difference between 999.9 and 1000 and the manufacturer may have just rounded up.

Interesting debate!

Stan

[Craig Gottlieb]

I had also always wondered about the silver content mark - highly unusual. However, the only reason I can guess why they marked then 1000 was because of the importance of the 1933 Nurnberg party rally. Maybe it's one of those "romantic collector visions" but perhaps the manufacturer was trying to send a political message. Whatever the reason, we may never know it.

[PODO01]

Hello,

as far as the "1000" marking, here is a piece that my friend john has on his site. Maybe its possible some high end honor awards were issued with this silver content marking. Its hard to see in the pics but is marked on the bottom of the reverse with silber 1000.

Best tom

[PODO01]

2