Fake HJ?

[reif40]

Regarding the HJ buckle I posted a couple of days ago I have reason to beleive it could be a fake. I no longer have the capabilities to submit pictures, but is there a foolproof way to tell if it is authintic or not? It is well marked, bright silver etc. Any advice?

[Frentebro]

Pretty hard to say without pics, Reif.

Just as a general comment, fakers like to mark their counterfeits, because many inexperienced collectors think this makes a piece more likely to be genuine &/or worth more than an unmarked example. In reality, many if not most 3rd Reich buckles, badges, medals, etc., were unmarked. (Of course this greater demand for marked pieces does tend to increase prices on these, even tho this demand is not based on real considerations.) Only in some special cases does a particular marking make an item more valuable, from a scarcity standpoint, than one that's unmarked or having some other marking. Of course in the end, demand & not scarcity is what determines prices. Because of intense demand, many 3rd Reich pieces are priced all out of proportion to their actual scarcity (or lack of it).

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

As Dave said, no photo = no definitive answer. There is also some very nice HJ fakes made in East Europe and on those latest ones markings are duplicating originals.
For sure the A&S is duplicated and Ges.Gesch. as well (both are on fake SS Nickel Silver buckles). I don't know if the complete set of 3 like on originals is stamped or not on those latest fakes, but even if it is not known as such does not mean it is not. That is the reason why we need at least a photo.
For example, there is very, very few collectors who know there is fake aluminum SS EM buckles marked 155/39. If you ask question: "I have a SS EM aluminum buckle marked RZM 155/39 SS. Is it good or not?" The answer will be in 99% of the case:"Yes since they did not reproduce this buckle/marking". Wrong answer: I have this fake in my hands and did the full side by side comparison original/fake several months ago in the SS Buckle Forum. So, it would be very dangerous to believe any opinion given without close examination first.