Fake Academy Badges

[deValcourt]

Circular MMD mintmark is legitimate. I don't know when it started, but yes it is comparatively late.

Thank you as well. I've also seen them elsewhere with the MMD mint mark. As I said, the seller wants so little for them and I'm always afraid that the ones I have are fakes I'll probably buy one just to know for sure I have at least one real one.:)

Phillip

[Nota Bene]

I'll just have to find my Soviet yearly mint sets and check exactly when this mint mark was used. Give me a day or two...

Alexei

[deValcourt]

To be honest, with the hairline crack all over this one, I doubt it is a fake, but I just wanted some input to confirm and perhaps a good guess as to when this one could have been made because I was under the impression that these "early" versions had either rivets or wires on the reverse holding the pieces to the badge. I did notice there are 16 scrolls in the seal, unless my eyes are too tired and I'm not counting right. (Sorry, not my pictures so I don't know which of the two MD mint marks is on the screw nut.)

Thanks in advance.

Phillip

[Alfred]

Phillip,

it is an interesting topic with these Military Academy graduation badges.

In my oppinion yours is a fake, but I am not totally sure.
The red enamal looks strange, it is glass enamel or made out of epoxy?

All real academy badges with shields I saw, had rivets or wire and they were made out of silver.

All real academy badges without shields I saw, had one rivet below the screw and were made out of silver and the last ones out of german silver. See picture 1 (silver) and 2 (german silver).

Picture 3 is an example for a fake made out of white metal.

Has anybody more knowledge about these academy badges?

best regards
Andreas

[deValcourt]

Andreas,

I agree that it is likely a copy (and a rather bad one). The only thing that made me even hesitate were the hairline cracks I noticed only when I copied and enlarged the photo. I didn't buy it and I was simply curious because it seems like the metal used must be soft considering all the dings and uneven lines.:confused:

Phillip

[Nota Bene]

I don't think it's a copy (sorry, guys!), but I'd need to see much better pictures.

Alexei

[deValcourt]

I don't think it's a copy (sorry, guys!), but I'd need to see much better pictures.

Alexei

Don't apologize - I'm straddling the fence and sway with whomever will talk about this.:D I'm afraid that's the best the pictures get. It was for sale on the auction site and now it's gone. I don't know enough about these to take a strong position either way. I'm surprised no one's ever called me out for waffling to keep from offending anyone (anymore).:rolleyes: As I said, it seems strange to me that anyone would go to the trouble of making tiny cracks in the enamel as a selling point, but then I've seen stranger things.

Phillip

[deValcourt]

This is allegedly a grad badge for an agricultural university in Latvia, so it technically belongs here. The inlays in the enamel look real enough, but the markings and pin suspension look not so hot on the reverse. I understand it could be a replacement, but I've never seen anything like this before.

I also know that by 1960 there were more than 10 republics - regardless of what Latvia wanted to think.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Phillip

[ph3s]

I also know that by 1960 there were more than 10 republics - regardless of what Latvia wanted to think.

But less than 16 :).

11(you forgot to count the bottom one Philip) republics coat of arms were only in silver afaik, before the WWII, that's why it's 11 republics and no Baltic republics yet

[deValcourt]

Yes, I agree I made a couple of mistakes in the previous post about the numbers of republics and when, but the real question I am trying to answer in the next 15 minutes is whether this badge is a fake or not?:)

Phillip