Ss totenkopf button marked 1194/40 opinions please!

[David Riley]

Hello all,
I cannot find much out there on these buttons. I am led to believe that there are both originals and fakes out there marked the same? This button IS magnetic (obviously not aluminium) and I thought the real ones had to be of aluminium construction? My apologies for the poor quality images, but I am hoping someone will immediately recognise this button from the middle photo (the only half decent one). Opinions please!

Cheers,

David

[SScollector]

Hi,

This one is a reproduction. The pebbling on the button and the incorrect "9" on the back easily gives this one away. If you see black junk all over these buttons, beware, as this is usually another giveaway on fake aluminum stuff.

For your reference, the front part of all known original buttons by this maker are aluminum. However, the back plate on originals will usually be either steel, (magnetic), or zinc, (non magnetic). Some of these buttons were factory painted green as well.
The loop rings are usually, if not always, either aluminum or zinc.

Hope this helps!

Chris

[Felix]

I agree with Chris. Alien skull!

[octavian]

Fake

[MM1985]

@Chris

Thank you for the detailed Explanation. Posts like this help everybody to learn new things and educate yourself.

Regards Martin

[David Riley]

Many thanks!

Thanks to all who replied, especially Chris. This forum is a fantastic place to get information on all areas of Third Reich militaria, but especially valuable when it covers areas NOT provided for with the myriad of excellent reference books that are constantly being published. Well done to the WAF members!

Regards,

David

[SScollector]

Thank you for the kinds words, guys. I must say that it is also posts like yours that make me glad to be here and to be able to share what bits of knowledge and tips that I have picked up over the years of study. In fact, if someone would like to volunteer to post a couple of pictures here for me, I will share a "1194" die flaw that has never been mentioned on this forum before.
(Sorry, I let my membership run out, but will pay up soon). This little flaw has never been present on any of the fakes that I have ever seen, so it has thus far, proven to be a handy little tool to use when trying to tell good buttons from the bad, (at least for now). Anyway, if anyone is interested, please e-mail me at: FleetMac11@aol.com
and I will send the pics.

Thanks again!

Chris

[SScollector]

OK, the pictures should be posted soon, (thanks for the help). I will start by saying that this flaw is very small and while it is possible that a fake could have this flaw to some extent, I have not seen it as of yet. It does however, appear on all of the originals that I have seen. For those of you who have these buttons, feel free to help me further this research and to post more pictures of other buttons if possible, both real and fake.

Thanks!

Chris

[MM1985]

Posting this Pictures for SSCollector!

[SScollector]

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...t+skull+button

Here, you can still see this flaw on the green variation, even though the paint has made it harder to spot.

Chris