Stogieman

Nope, looks like classic 1935-45 tab-back construction to me. Just in really good condition!!

?????? He's wearing the Star on his breast pocket???

BTW, here we have the rare case of someone who wore the Turkish star in the correct way, without the ribbon on bar!

Yeeessssss........ and I have some prime ocean-front real estate in Utah for you as well!! Such a deal I could make for you! ;>)

Did anybody ever actually see the MOH, or can anyone add photos to the thread?

As a follow-up to this i was surfing around and was pretty surprised at the number of elaborate, probably fake, early, low-number oddball badges out there. I know didly about this... but when I see a dozen "NKVD/SmeRSH/MVD ID Booklets to Jewish Recipients" I really have to chuckle.... it's like, could you clowns try any harder?

Hi Paul, nothing really leaps out at me from these photographs. it is entirely possible to have the NC EK2 and a Combattant HK. What exactly did you spot that concerned you? Thanks!

I really chuckle at this... you could make a real stretch and say the wings of the eagles are approaching reality of a Wagner or a Friedlander piece.... but not with those legs/tail feathers! The opaque-whitish sheen on the enamel is pretty gross as well. Looks like he simply rolled it in flour!!

Hi Paul, yours is pretty faded! There is always a possibility that the first ribbon is being used to signify an Oldenburg Friedrich August Cross, 2. Klasse, on the Non-Combattant ribbon..... but that would be really stretching the envelope of reality for me. Since this is a definate 1920's era bar one can never say "never"....

Hi Eric, I agree with Joe... the entire series of these enameled crosses is amongst the best of the vet pieces. Very interesting with the "Treue dem Regiment bar attached!! Have you ever checked to see if that regiment actually participated at the Champagne battles? Try a new thread in "history"... I'd be curious to know!

OK, those are real puzzlers. Two with Arabic?? Several variations on Artillery, but what country?? Interesting post & welcome to the Forum!!

Hi Chuck, good idea and I will kick it upstairs. I don't recall any other forum with such a dedicated sub-forum!

Hi Eric, I'm not sure and that is entirely possible. I have been wracking my brain since I noticed the labor medal trying to figure out when/where I last saw one!!

Your final clue............... good luck!!

Figure it out yet??

You get only one clue! They're all from the same state!

OK, who can tell me what Imperial German State these cases are from??

The W?rttemburg bar I listed has:

Long Service in first (out of order, but made that way!)

Wilhelm's Cross with Swords

Austrian War Ribbon with Swords

Flanders Cross with Swords (Veteran's piece)

Nice guys..... here's the same Hannover piece, mint in the packet

Hi Steve, thanks! I'm hoping we can catalogue the different known types. I'm very curious as to how many people have different examples than these. I have another plain one that came in today with a parade-mounted EK2. Nothing else, just the packet & cross and an ausweiss!

Now, my Mama may have raised a fool....... but I sure wouldn't drop this kind of bread, for this type of piece, even if I believed the perpetual wearer's copy stories........ based on these crappy photographs!

Reverse of the "wearer's copy"

6K and climbing....... The description states:

"This is one of the most sought-after medals in the world: the famous Blue Max. This is a version that is the deep blue. It has a .800 silver content and a Silver Gilt piece. This is not a WWI-issue piece because the original issued were made of gold and would run up to $18000-$20000, but rather it a private purchase badge made to replace a lost or damaged issue example. This example is in very good condition. The gold letters on the obverse are very highly chased, which is one mark of a well-made piece. The PLM was definitely worn. The enamel presents slight wear, showing where it has brushed up against other objects. The quality is definitely good and the tail feathers are cut out and very detailed. The gold letters on the obverse are very highly chased, which is a mark of a well-made piece. The original silk ribbon is in very good condition and modified for wear."

So, we acknowledge that it is not anything other than a "wearer's copy" (which by the way does not conform to any of the known makers) yet it's at 6K and climbing.

As a comparison, here's an accepted/known case of issue ca. 1917 for the same piece!! Photo courtesy of WildCard

All right, maybe one more. This one stamped for "S&W"

Last one from me for now....... this example was a plain/unmarked blue wax bag with cross and ribbon inside!