Fake "Liberation of" Campaign Medals

[CtahhR]

Originally Posted by desantnik

I unfortunately would pass.

I think we can take that to the bank. I also concur with "pass".

[charlet]

Originally Posted by desantnik

The biggest feature I don't like is the "soft" ring around the obverse, most notable running along the top edge. A die-struck medal would not have this, but a crisp edge. Such wear is possible, usually on the lower edge of the medal where it rubbed against clothing or with a softer medal, but not bronze. I unfortunately would pass.

you're totally right on this very point, and it could be sufficient to eliminate the medal. What frightens me is the quality of engraving they can obtain...

[rocketscientist]

Thank you all for your observations.

cheers
sergio

[charlet]

guys, this medal doesn't keep me awake, but I'm convinced to have seen this kind of default on the top edge, on many others campaign medals... Sorry but have shifted my mind since the beginning of all this, but the more I examine it...

[rocketscientist]

This medal gave mixed impressions like here, maybe with a prevalence of positive statements. There is an hypothesis of "bad" struck on the obverse which created two or three creases that were then masked by the gold wash. It is also suggested that the die was not perfectly centered (but shifted downwards) such that some metal came out from the top side and had to be filed afterwards. Others added that such a defective medal should have been rejected by quality control and never awarded...

I personally accept the theory of the creases (see photo), but I cannot justify the off-centered struck.
BTW, what should be the thickness of this medal (average)? I measured 2.5mm, a bit thinner than other commemorative medals I have. The diameter is 32.6mm.

cheers

[charlet]

some pieces are ambiguous, like this one:
positive facts: correct engraving, gold wash, correct letters engraving on the reverse, correct loop ( a bit large comparing to what I've been learnt by A. Merezhko)
negative facts: the "lime" on the upper border of the medal, and the crease on the "Ya" letter...

I carrefully looked at my Belgrade medal (coming from a known NJ dealer, guess who between the 3 known), but it has a really sharp textebook example border edge... the defect shown on this one is relatively common on widespread medals such as Leningrad defense...

[Alfred]

Hello Charlet,

I had a closer look at your Belgrad medal and I tend to like it.

but I'm convinced to have seen this kind of default on the top edge, on many others campaign medals...

I have ssen this kind of default on the top edge too on medals, but not very often. Mostly you see this used rim on casted medals.

best regards
Andreas

[charlet]

hello Andreas, thanks for your inputs. I see we use the same pictures about letters coining on the reverse...

[marsino]

Another example of the coinage imperfect.

[rocketscientist]

There were some discussions, like here on SMAP, but finally it was approved. The creases across the "IA" and the "2" on the reverse were explained as simply due to defects of the brass billet, while the metal surplus on the top edge might be a mint error, but it is commonly stated that the excess of metal at the rim is seen rather often, as well as the correction by filing, as marsino points out in his post.