Stogieman

I think the ones with no seal simply have lost it. I have not seen one without the seal that did not have evidence that it was once there. "Double-boxed" as we say, brings very strong money for one of these, even with a shabby carton. They add a very nice touch. often, you will find a name/unit penciled on the box somewhere. other times, you'll find just a stone-mint set-up that came from his surviving family...

and a classic Bayern piece of gouvna

This week's gouvna

Hi Andy, The outer box in WW1 stayed essentially the same across the board. All were issued with the Orders Kanzlerie Seal and were probably only contracted with one maker. The box is consistent between multiple makers, unlike the WW2 cross which will have several variations.

And the reverse

And here's a GMVK

And the reverse

Here's the MEZ1

My apologies Haynau, I should have said hook & eye!

Thanks Rusty, glad to see my bells were correct. I will still play with the photo when I get home and post it so everybody can see the extent these people go to with their fakery. Rather impressive amount of effort being expended to rip people off in my opinion. Seems to me there should be an easier way for these guys to make a buck, but what do I know....

So it's real?? Was The OPW2 named to the same guy?

Greetings Haynau... now that is an astonishing and beautiful ribbon! Now all you have to do is find a loose medal ;>) to go with it! The back has the usual prong/eyelet mounting that we see on this style of ribbon?

The interior of the booklet is too big for me to post, will play with it tonight. Thanks for looking!.

Here's the document book cover.

Here's a reverse of the badge. Note the crappy blotch of solder. A legitimate repair, or hiding something that should not be there?

Surfing through eBay, I saw this badge and document set. The thing that makes me pause is the badge looks so very crude compared to others I have seen of a similar nature. Also, I was struck by the writing in the document folder as the clearest I've ever seen for a Russian document. Is this whole thing a put-together? An altered original document? The price is pretty outrageous as well, but no big surprise there. Curious as to the opinions of anyone who knows... Thanks!

Hi Paul, I would agree with Daniel. The width and slightly blue tinge of the stripes suggest a FAM, not lifesaving medal.

The rosette is very nice and looks quite right/like similar ones I have seen. The only thing that surprises me is how crude the device itself looks. I wonder how old this one is, it must pre-date 1900??

Well, the Tuna can medal is one thing... The Swords/Date bar on this one is drop-dead gorgeous!

Hi Ladies & Gentlemen! You could not find this information in an easier to use format, nor at this price anywhere!

hmmmm, not sure why it cut me off....... anyway, your bar is a post 1935 bar with the the HKwX on there, but still most interesting with the combination of awards. Now, because it wasn't instituted until 1927, or rather adapted in 1927 from its' original form of strictly a pin-back to a ribboned award I don't know if it shows up in any of the ranklists for WW2.

Yes, the Sax-Coburg Gothe Kriegserinnerungszeichen was strictly a military/war cross. 1916-18, 1922 then in its' most familiar form as both a pinback/ribbonned cross from 1927 forward, but details on the actual awarded numbers/details has always been a little sketchy.

That's a great little bar, with a nice DRP backing plate in field-gray. And still the only Thuringian war Cross I've seen on a ribbon bar!

Looks like the usual 'salted" artificial/chemical patina applied to cheesy base metal..... dull grey? I'm thinking like NOT 800 silver, NOT 938 silber.... more like 00000000000.0000000000001 silver!

Hi Paul, your 2-place bar could be as simple as a WW1 Civilian recipient of the Prussian War Aid Cross.... as a civilian, no Honor Cross.