Fake Medals "For Combat Merits"

[Lauri]

Hi, medal is OK, but suspension looks somehow strange. I have never seen so thick suspension, also end of the screw is strange...

[ade stevenson]

Thanks. I have just realised that this medal has actually been shown already in this thread. :o See post number 80 on page 9.

The medal came from St Petersburg and an English friend, Rob, who lives out there for part of the year. I can have a refund if not happy.

I now have the dilemma, what to do? Everyone seems happy with the medal itself, as am I. The suspension is clearly in question. However, I do need one of these for my Obr35 pattern uniform for my re-enactment events.

So I could do with some advise, via PM please, on what would be a fair price to pay for the medal and suspension.

Thanks!

Cheers, Ade.

[Lapa]

Hallo.
Here is my suspicious Combat Service medal. I have noticed that it is significantly thinner then others I have (~0.3mm).
I hope these scans will help to draw some conclusion about this item.
Thank you

sergio

Sergio,

In that SN range, your medal should be approximately 2.7mm thick (earlier ones were 3mm thick), so everything is fine here.
I concur with Lauri regarding the suspension and the screwplate; I believe that they are fakes.

Marc

[Lapa]

Ade,

I am fairly certain that the suspension is a fake.

Marc

[Nota Bene]

Yes, it is a fake as clearly evidenced by the edge.

Alexei

[ade stevenson]

Thanks once again guys!

Cheers, Ade.

[RT88]

Hi,
Recently got this medal for combat service. Does the numbering look correct? The medal is badly scratched on the front and has some strange marks on the reverse, any ideas what they were caused by? With a serial number of 302265 what would be a rough date of issue?
Thanks for your help, David.

[desantnik]

Hi,
Recently got this medal for combat service. Does the numbering look correct? The medal is badly scratched on the front and has some strange marks on the reverse, any ideas what they were caused by? With a serial number of 302265 what would be a rough date of issue?
Thanks for your help, David.

Numbering fine. Summer '43, very likely Northern Caucasus Front.

[Alfred]

How were this little four sided suspensions produced ?

Are they stamped with a machine out of a sheet of silver and than the lower hole for the mounting ring was drilled in with a electric drill. And finally the edges and border of the suspension were polished / deburring with a kind of rasp?

best regards and thanks
Andreas

[Lapa]

Andreas,

I believe that they were punched with a specific die, and that there was no polishing/deburring of the edges. The small striated marks on the edges are traces left when the metal was punched out, squeezed between the upper and lower dies. As such, it is a tale-tell mark of genuineness and is extremely difficult to copy.

Marc