Medal "For Victory Over Germany In The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945".

[Art]

Alexei,

Is there a reliable, non-destructive way to tell? I read on McDaniels site that he has seen these gold-plated campaign medals and he writes they were most likely awarded to "General officers and Marshalls". I would assume this would make them at least R3. I would trust the authenticity better if I found one in my collection than seeing a "Genuine gold-plated WWII award" up for sale on EBay.

I've looked into buying a non-destructive gold-testing device before, but the price was outrageous. This was a few years ago and prices may have fallen. I know there is a destructive test, but it involves rubbing a small bit of the gold onto an abrasive block, just enough to leave a mark, then adding chemicals to the mark and what I would guess is that a certain reaction is supposed to take place.

Art