L/53 Wound Badge - Hymmen & Company

[Thomas Durante]

Hi guys,

Just picked up this black wound badge, marked L/53. I don't really collect wound badges, but have a few and picked this one up because it had character and I like the maker, one of the rarest makers of the CCC. Are Hymmen Wound Badges as rare as their CCCs?

The black finish is very glossy, much more so than any of the other wound badges I have. The black has been polished off of the swastika very neatly, and due to the condition of the paint on the rest of the helmet, I have to think this was done deliberately. The maker mark is tiny, typical of H&CL. Badge, pin and sheetmetal hinge all are magnetic, but the catch is not, being made of tombak. Appears to match the Type III badge in the GCA Database. I know there have been some decent fake wound badges going around, but don't think this is one of them . Here are the dimensions:

Height = 44.22 mm
Width = 36.80 mm
Wt. = 11.9 gr.

Thanks guys.

Tom

[Thomas Durante]

Reverse

R

[Thomas Durante]

Maker Mark

Mm

[Hans N]

Hi Tom,

nice catch! I´ve been on the hunt for one of those a while now and haven´t been lucky to score yet. But some day i will.

I wouldn´t call them as rare as the CCC´s but they are hard to find.

[fugpaw]

Tom,

I've got a bunt/brass metal L/53, the mm on mine is slightly to the left of the Swaz.

IMHO they're not easy to find but they are not in the true sense of the word "rare". Below is a pic of the rear of my L/53.

Mike

[MauserKar98k]

Looks like a good well used example to me.

[Chrvip68]

Nice WB Tom!

Don't worry nice original WB and the centered marked L/53 are quite scarce.

If ever don't want it in your collection, you know where you will find me!

[Thomas Durante]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies! I am quite happy with it. Mike, I guess yours would pre-date mine since yours is in tombak and with a nice block hinge. Mine is steel and has a sheet metal hinge, which I have always associated these types of hinges to late-war.

Chris, thanks for the comments, I am certainly going to keep this one for now. I will keep you in mind for a future sale of it, but you understand you will be in line behind the guys that have already PM'd me and emailed me about it .

Happy New Year guys!

Tom