ss skull button question

[Banzi64]

Are the skulls on the early overseas caps always rzm marked?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi, the short answer is "no".

Cheers, Ade.

[SScollector]

Yes, the early SS skull cap buttons are "ALWAYS" marked RZM.
The proper markings found on the originals are: "RZM 57", "RZM 63 SS",
"RZM M5/69", and "RZM 1194/year SS", (this one is actually mid-period and is made of aluminum, not nickel like the others).
Most of these are marked either "RZM 1194/40 SS", or "RZM 1194/39 SS"
The late-war zinc ones are unmarked.

Best, Chris

[Banzi64]

I was curious mine is the green painted one and it has no markings, but looks exactly ike the originals in kit wilson's book

[Fritz]

Hi,
I am not a insignia expert and I don't know what you mean when you say "green"....But the "gray" SS VT ones were unmarked as far as I know...

Cheers

Fritz

[Banzi64]

I mean the skull buttons that are field grey on the field gray caps

[SScollector]

The early nickel skull buttons were often painted silver/gray or green
if not used by the Allgemeine-SS.
The late-war, unmarked zinc buttons were factory finished,
(I don't know what type of finish was used on these,
but it was more durable), with a different type of finish.
We often call it green or gray, but this factory finish is really a combination of both colors.

Best, Chris

[Adrian Stevenson]

I think we can all agree here, it is just the initial question was a little vague, as to which pattern of cap we were talking about. There was a black version or a grey one

I was thinking in terms of the SS-VT grey cap. These grey painted zinc buttons did come devoid of RZM marks. (I have one) The use of the terms "early" and "late" can be confusing. Chris mentioned "late war" but I would not class "late war" as 1940, when this pattern cap was replaced. Perhaps he meant "later war" But I agree with Chris about the markings found on the silver buttons

Cheers, Ade.

[Banzi64]

were thelater type vt graygreen skull buttons one piece or was it two pieces like a cover that was painted placed over a base piece with the ring for attachment?

[Fritz]

Hi,
the graygreen ones were made of three pieces I think...This includes the ring on the back which is supposed to hold the "S" ring (The "S" ring would be the 4th piece, but this is comonly missing with most of the cap buttons that are on the market).

Cheers

Fritz

[SScollector]

You are correct Adrian, I meant later VT period, not really late-war.
I am so used to using the late-war term for the final zinc pieces.
Anyway, the zinc buttons were the final style for the VT and are unmarked.

I have often wondered if the VT ever used the 1194 aluminum buttons
and just painted them gray/green like they did with the early nickel
buttons that were used on both, the Allgemeine SS caps,
and the VT caps. Has anyone ever seen any painted 1194 buttons?
This might not have happened though, because the unmarked zinc
buttons and the aluminum Allgemeine 1194 marked buttons
were probably introduced close to the same time,
but I guess anything is possible.
Actually, the original 1194 skull buttons are part aluminum, (front cover),
and part zinc, (back plate and loop ring).

Also, all original skull buttons are three pieces as Fritz said, regardless of markings or vintage.

Best, Chris

[Kale Michael]

SS vt skull button "63"

Hello, I am new to this forum and I would like to share a photo of a recent aquisition. I believe it is 100% original , even what is left of the original green finish. Please correct me if I am wrong as I am still learning the hobby . Thanks for checking this post.

[SScollector]

[Kale Michael]

Here is the reverse

Nice & Salty