Eickhorn factory issue tags

[Wim Vangossum]

Hi everyone,


I'm working on an article about metal factory issue tags. At the moment I have 4 Eickhorn tags for inspection. While making some extreme clos-ups and even microscope pictures I detect many slight differences in the printing design on the paper insert.

As an example I post this compilation of four squirrels of the paper insert. Spot the little differences in the details...

I ask especially the help of people who own or handle these tags. Have you similar squirrels? Note that the first one has a dot in the eye and the other ones only a black spot. Some have paper that keeps black against the edges that going into the metal part while others show the beginning of cream colored paper at that point.


It seems also that there are no fake Eickhorn tags at the moment but I heard rumors of computer printed paper insert to replace lost pieces?


Many thanks in advance,

[monty]

Here is the only one I have left.

[Wim Vangossum]

Thanks for posting, monty .


Regards , Wim

[Mac 66]

Any fakes of these tags being produced ?

[schönbeck]

No matter if you have a tag in hand or not you have to consider how these were produced.


For example, printed one by one, or on a big sheet etc etc.
If you learn different printing techniques you will understand better why there is a difference. I have been working in the printing industry before i became a engineer, and the most common mistake people do is to compare the font on an award bag for example, then saying that the font is not the same, in many cases it is but a different amount of paint was used causing it too look different.


In the above case each color is printed at it's own(black and red). If they are offset the result will differ, if you use more paint the result will differ, if you use a different paper the result will differ.

[Wim Vangossum]

@ Mac 66: As far as I have heard now they are probably not copied yet. If they try to do so they have to make a carbon copy of the real stuff. I guess it's more profit and much easier to cast fake combat awards then try to make exact copies of hollow constructed tags.

@Schönbeck: thanks for the explanation. I didn't knew that.