Aluminium Skull good or bad?

[SScollector]

Ok, this can get a bit confusing. I was only referring to the aluminum front sides. Nothing was left bare aluminum on the front side, whether it is made of CupAl or aluminum. The aluminum would be finished with a thin paint when new. As for the back side, this can be more confusing. Sometimes CupAl pieces were two layer and sometimes three layer. If it is two layer, then the back side will usually be bare copper. However, if it is three layer, then it could be painted on the back side, or silver plated, even any combination of finishes can be found on the front and back sides. I have even seen some pieces that are silver plated on the back side and painted on the front. I do not know why, but this is true. Hope this helps.

Chris

[Disco Partisan]

I still wonder why it is only CupAl skulls have bare metal (copper) on the reverse?
All skulls made of all other metals (zinc, alloys like tombac, etc) never exhibit bare metal on the reverse. Am I right? They are all coated on both sides. Maybe it is because CupAl was never coated (since it was already silver/aluminum at front) ? Same applies to aluminum skulls.

You said "Nothing was left bare aluminum on the front side, whether it is made of CupAl or aluminum." OK since we see CupAl skulls with bare copper - never coated reverse - that would mean that only front side of the scull has been coated. Right? Right. Then why are there no zink and alloy skulls with only one side silver-coated? Why is it only CupA coated on one-sidel? Maybe it is because there was no need to silver the already silver surface (aluminum front) of CupAl skulls?

[SScollector]

I cannot tell you why this is, but I can tell you that it is a fact. I have several two-layer CupAl pieces in my collection that have a bare copper reverse and a silver/gray painted aluminum front.
Most of the time, both sides were finished together, but not always. I too, wish that knew everything, but we will never know it all, especially the question of "why".

Chris

[Disco Partisan]

I cannot tell you why this is, but I can tell you that it is a fact. I have several two-layer CupAl pieces in my collection that have a bare copper reverse and a silver/gray painted aluminum front.
Most of the time, both sides were finished together, but not always. I too, wish that knew everything, but we will never know it all, especially the question of "why".

Chris

Chris,
I would really love to see those examples Could you please post CupAl pieces from your collection that have a silver/gray painted aluminum front and bare copper reverse? Thank you in advance

[SScollector]

Sure! This eagle is the best example because it is unissued, mint.
Like I said, this silver paint wore away quickly, leaving bare aluminum in most cases.

Chris

[SScollector]

Here are some matching skulls. Notice the one on the left still has most of the finish, whereas the one on the right has none.

Hope this helps!

Chris

[SScollector]

Both of these skulls have the copper reverse.

Chris

[Disco Partisan]

Sure! This eagle is the best example because it is unissued, mint.
Like I said, this silver paint wore away quickly, leaving bare aluminum in most cases.

Chris

thank you Chris ! Nice mint eagle but how do you know that this eagle is coated and in fact it is not just bare aluminum that we see here? Same question about skulls -- yes i see that they have slightly different shade of silver color but it might be due to different grades of aluminum used in their cupal metal, as aluminum can have different colors, brightness/whiteness etc

[SScollector]

It's easy to tell that it is a finish when looking at them hands on. Maybe not so much by pictures alone, but I can assure you that it is finished. In fact, it is the exact same finish that can be found on aluminum SS belt buckles. Most, if not all aluminum SS buckles were finished this way, as per Himmler's orders. I have a couple of mint aluminum SS buckles that I have compared with these insignia. Furthermore, all aluminum SS insignia, (tunic buttons, SS tuxedo badge, skull cap buttons, etc.), were all finished this way. I'm sure that others can reassure that this is absolutely correct. I even have some aluminum tinnies and heer cap eagles that are all finished this way.

Chris

[SScollector]

Here is one of my aluminum buckles that is mint with all of the paint.
For some reason, it looks a different color in this picture but when looking at it in person, it looks exactly like the eagle that I posted.

Chris

[Disco Partisan]

Interesting is there any example of a worn cupal skull on which partial remnants of silver coat can be visibly distinguished on aluminum base metal?

[SScollector]

Take a look at my tuxedo badge. Here, you can see a few spots where the finish is gone, thus revealing the bare aluminum. As you can see, the finish is a bit brighter than the bare aluminum color.

Chris

[Disco Partisan]

thank you, Chris, it is a good example and I can see it clearly on it. The reason why I asked these questions is because I am trying to learn how to tell whether an insignia made of copper or CupAl. Let's take the eagle that you posted as an example. Just by looking at it, how can you identify what it is made of (copper or CupAl) if the observe is entirely covered with paint and all of the base metal that you can see is the copper on the reverse? How would you find out that it is made of CupAl and not copper (assuming you have never seen one like this before)

[SScollector]

Well, I guess there would be no way to tell unless you can see some aluminum around the edges. Sometimes you can, but not always.
There really is no clear way to tell sometimes without seeing both sides.

Chris

[SScollector]

Also, if you look at the prongs on the eagle, you will notice that they were finished with the same paint as the front aluminum side. There are some spots though, where you can see that they are copper prongs.

Chris