wanted to post this as guide but failed so i put it here

[elitemilitaryitems]

HOW TO RECOGNIZE FAKE/REPRODUCTIONS

1. Study/read and research the military item you are looking for, the more you study the more you will know about the item you are searching for. Experience is so important, the more you learn the more experience you will become. Also if you are unsure ask people you know questions if they are experts or Experience in this field.


2. Always pay close attention to detail especially to German militaria and the 1957 West Germany, WW2 Badges and Medals these are reproduced by the millions.

a.)    Use a magnifying glass, pay very close attention to the lines in badges and medals, original ones have sharp well defined lines, unlike smooth edges and lines the reproductions that have.

b.)    patches/leather medal ribbons that have not spent time in the sun and air tend to have sharper colours, Remember soldiers wear these items so pay good attention to the fact that most reproductions spend little time in the air and sun

1. late to end of war (ww2)

One has to remember that near the end of World War 2 Germany & Japan had a very server shortage of raw material, all most every ounce of raw materials were used to make weapons and ammunition. They did keep making medals and Badges however the result of these hard times affected the quality of these late war medals and badges, and one can easily tell the difference between the medals making period. By the feel and close up look of the end of war produced awards. This goes for all their militaria items, including helmets, badges and medals but limited to just these few items.

1. The good old Burning test.

Don’t go light up your medal ribbons or uniforms after reading this post, but this is the most extreme test you can do to military items made of any form of Cloth.

Testing the authenticity of all militaria cloth items, can be easily done by taking a thread of the item and using a lighter or match, light the thread, one of two things will happen !

a.)     the tread will burn out in seconds, (meaning that the item is not a new type of cloth)

b.)    The tread will burn slowly “ as most cloth materials are in a way fire proof” if this happens to tour WW1 or WW2  then it would seem to be a later made item. Therefor a reproduction of an early pre 1957 militaria cloth item.

1. The good old Black light test.

All WW2 cloth items and before that time period during war times like the Great War “WW1” the Boer War and so on. Factory’s never treated the cloth materials like they do after the Cold war right up until today. Modern cloth materials are treated in the factory’s that produce the cloth materials. The black light will separate the period and times that materials were made. Now war time materials under the black light  dating back to WW2 the real deal original item will not shine, were as the newer cloth will shine. East enough fool proof test.

1. Strength testing.

This procedure works with all German  badges, we have to agree that German soldiers military badges are and were worn by the Soldiers, which shows that the badges were made tuff and of strong materials. Grab the badge lightly with both hands and apply some force that will make a weaker material badge bend, ( don’t go silly and give  it all the strength you can muster) The original WW1 and WW2 German medals could withstand knocks & bumps in the field of war.

Just on a note regarding the 1957 West Germany de-Nazified WW2 Medals

These medals and badges were made as replacement  medals to those who was awarded the medals or badges during WW2,to  comply with the 1956 (not 1957) passed laws/regulations regarding Nazi Germany’s insignia.

They made enough medals to supply there soldiers who needed the replacements so as they could wear them in public.

I find on ebay and other sites, and endless supply of so called 1957 West Germany Medals and badges.

Now the facts are that copy’s are made in INDIA/CHINA/UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND STILL IN GERMANY.

What you as a buyer needs to know (that some dealers don’t want you to know) is that the quality of reproduction items of this error are extremely high, very difficult to see with the naked eye. One German company is producing these 1957 Badges and medals and selling them to dealers all over the Globe; These are not original 100% rare/scares 1957 West Germany medals and badges. In fact even though one company is using the same moulds and equipment (updated to the latest tech for production on a massive scale) these medals and badges are made and sold to dealers all over the world for less than $20. And are better quality then the cheap nasty Chinese copy’s that we see every day. In saying that the German company does not make 100% original badges and medals, like the Iron Cross etc. The ribbons are not original “Use the burn test above on the last one you got”.

The medals and badges them self “even though made by a German company” are not 100% original WW1/WW2 items. They are professional German made very high quality reproductions, which I see sold for hundreds of Dollars on eBay, yet the wholesaler/retailer pays under $20 for. And the real value of these modern made 1957 German made items are between $30 and $40 dollars. These dealers are not breaking any laws for selling the German made medals, however some of them are very dishonest and manipulating the market knowing exactly what they have for sale and who manufactures the items, Some even go as far as supplying a COA signed dated, etc that they copy and send out with their modern made medals that were sold as WW2 originals.

My advice on a COA is simple ( I can make them) any one can produce them, check with who ever signed the COA the Company that this person is from, to see it’s the real deal or not.  Every item of memorabilia that has a coa with it should be a hand signed date COA with correct contact information attached. It does not take long to check it out , as some dealers actually keep one original COA and just keep on handing the same one out time & time again. Even If it’s is an original hand signed in pen COA don’t let that fool you very few honest dealers use COA’s as the medals or militaria will speak for its self in regards to its authenticity

Hope that’s helpful Good luck all