Fake KGB and "Egg" Badges

[Nota Bene]

I am not really an expert in them, but those I have seen had a slightly different sword handle and a different shaped "50". The serial number and rivets are indeed weird.

Alexei

[deValcourt]

I found a picture of one in the Rogov History of the Awards ... of the MVD book and the '50' is very different. It takes up most of the space at the base of the ribbon. The sword doesn't come to a "toothpick" point like this one either. It is wider near the tip before coming to a point. There are no pictures of the reverse in the book (Alexei, now I know why you love pictures with reverses shown:thumbsup), but with the strange brushed on looking enamel and all of these other things, I'm sure this is a well-made, but not very accurate copy.:thumbsdown

Ah well. Nothing really good comes cheap anymore.:( At least I got some more practice with these types of badges.;)

Phillip

[Alfred]

Hello,

any oppinions about this one? Where their late awards without serial number?

regards
Andreas

[deValcourt]

Nice conversion into a pinback.:rolleyes: It either means that the badge is real because no one would do that to a real badge on purpose because it would decrease the value (unless it is just a very old repair), or it is a very cleverly masked fake because the maker thinks you and I would not think of anyone doing that to an original piece.:confused: (Paranoia can really be a drag.)

I don't think later pieces were unnumbered either. The "eggs" are not my specialty, but I would certainly ask for photos without the pin contraption on the back to get a better look at the reverse, especially the mint mark.

All the details on the obverse seem to be there though.

Phillip

[Nota Bene]

Looks legit to me. It's a later variation with the crossguard tips below the rim of the oval and without the serial number.

Alexei

[deValcourt]

Here's another MVD badge that has to be from the 1970s-80s (if it is real). What I find interesting is the MMD circular mint mark and the very high serial number. I've never seen one of these before with either of the two major mints. The only thing that makes even the least bit suspicious is the nearly mint quality and the sword blade that looks like it was made last week.

The seller does say that the enamel was repaired/replaced.

Phillip

[Nota Bene]

Possibly real with the exception of some enamel replacement.

Alexei

[deValcourt]

I don't know how I forgot that these used to have a raised "MMD" on the reverse.:o So why not change to the circular design mint mark when the changed it for everything else? Now I'm thinking this was probably made in the 1980s because I just saw an example with a serial number about 4000 lower than this one and it was issued in the late 1970s.

Phillip

[deValcourt]

Technically, this is a KGB badge so I'm putting it here. This is the second time I've seen a 60th anniversary KGB Border Guard badge that has every other detail but the MMD mint mark on the reverse near the bottom just under the bent wire is not present. Someone sent me one like this (though the silver and gold plating over the brass was in much better shape than this one) and despite all my efforts to find some other problem with it, I could not.

And here is another one with a two-piece construction using wires just as the ones from MMD did. It seems to me a bit odd that a non-state mint would produce these, but it isn't completely impossible to imagine. What is more unlikely is for someone to go through all the trouble to get the details right - even the fine ones and enamels - just for less than $100?

So that leaves thoughts from anyone else about this one...

Phillip

[deValcourt]

I am not calling this badge a fake per se, but it has its oddities.

Facts: 1)The badge has been for sale on ePay for at least a couple of years; 2) it is a later edition (1980s) because of the "rivets" rather than just bent wire holding the gold star and H&S as well as the 5000s serial number; all traces of the silver/gold plating are almost completely gone; the color of the remaining metal looks real (but these photos are at least two or more years old).

What makes me wonder is that the 5000 groups had a smoother reverse and the "D" in the "MMD" mint mark didn't look so odd.:confused:

Phillip