Martin Burr

Great example - i love the sash Martin

Hi Dieter3 Many thanks for the picture of the hybrid case. I saw one on ebay recently where the seller had pictures of the case open (like your picture 2) and a straight lid on shot of the black lid in another picture. When i asked what colour the case was, he just said black! Had i have known it was a hybrid, i would have pounced on it. I dont doubt that coloured boxes could come from different makers, but i do believe i have seen more than 4 colours, though perhaps they were just different shades. Martin

This a one of the best looking Japanese medals. I have a Y maker marked example but that came in a very dark brown/black case. With the trade in medals, i wouldnt be surprised if medals & cases got swapped. I do believe that the purple cases are scarcer than most people think, although Peterson stated that they were the main colour for the case. ImperialJapan's website has a great page on the showa medal, showing many case colour variations and all the maker marks. I an on the looked for the hybrid purple/black case myself Martin

Thanks Rick I much prefer being able to find all info in the specific threads. and RobW every field of collection has it's pleasures and pitfalls. My vic collection so far is limited to the Italians and the Japanese official, so a long way to go there.

Rick No problem, your comments were not taken out of context. I try to keep my collecting palletes as broad as possible but specifics just seem to creep in. Thats why i have over 100 Hindenburg Crosses with different maker marks, These being the major difference other than getting the Combatant, non combatant and widows versions !! One could say the collecting of Vics is a much more restricted field in comparrison. Martin

You are indeed a lucky man then if that is the case - being a collector is sometimes just so pedantic Martin

Hi Lambert Thanks for the link. I have seen many of these multi-bar USA Victory's -is it just the combination of the bars (and the bars) that are fake? Martin

Hi Bill I believe that I have seen that Siam before, at least again it was marked as a repro. Thanks for allerting me Martin

A selection of new die stamped medals on offer, though clearly marked as reproductions. Check out the other items for sale in the victory range http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Die-Stamped-COPY-of-the-ROUMANIA-Interallied-Victory-Medal-Full-Size-/111001129644?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item19d82ed2ac Martin posts edited as i'm not that adept at inserting the links !

Hi Bill Saw your post 30 and the image - definitely some scratches in the exergue on that one. Ebay is a great place, but you have to tread carefully ! Martin

Thanks again Bill for some excellent further clarification. Here's the recent auction for an un-maker marked MCMXIV. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-rare-Italy-WWI-Victory-medal-without-markings-/261151594228?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ccdd916f4&nma=true&si=iH4YRoAAB%2BZ38rpSfN831M03ktE%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Hi Bill Many thanks for a great comprehensive reply. Do I take it that a more light Bronze looking Johnson may not necessarily mean that it's a Type 1 reissue, or is that a given? I have seen some Italian vics as bright as a UK Vic, though most are the more dark tanned brown. I believe that a Type 2 reissue sold on ebay in that last few days, it was unmarked with regard to maker and Orsolini but had the MCMXIV on the reverse. It went for over £40. Would these still be regarded as collectible? The cast copies sound daunting, do these look significantly inferior to originals? Many thanks for your continued help Martin

Hi Bilco Many thanks for the fast reply. I was rather hoping that due to to the Italian Vics being common that they wouldnt be seriously faked. I do have types 1,2,3,3a at present and saw another that would have been a Type 5, but like your posted example, the dates were still 1914 to 18. It appears that the variants to these medals are Italy: Official Type 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Reissue 1, 2, Unofficial Type 1, 2, 3, 4, at least 3 Repro Types. I would be keen to know more about the Reissues, Unofficials and Repro types, as these seem to outnumber the official types. Thanks Martin

Hi Guys I must admit that the Italian Vic is my favourite and the one i shall likely concentrate on. As i'm still waiting for the library to advise me of an available copy of the Laslo book, can any one inform me where the major fakery with Italian vics lie, preferably with some images? Many Thanks Martin

Thanks for resurrecting this thread, as never knew there was a Phillipine version of the medal.

Thanks RobW The $250 BIN price was a little too high for me, as much as i would have liked the book. A copy shall come round again sometime Happy New Year to one and all Martin

Hi Bilco Many thanks for the link This thread is indeed a great reference with many great closeups. Martin

Yes indeed - Merry Christmas and a Happy Mew Year to all on the forum Martin

Many thanks again for your advice RobW With regard to the scarcity of the various types, am i right in that the Belgian Vic was said to have been awarded in the range of 300,000 - 350,000? I ask this, as going by ebay values, they dont seem to command a much greater price than the Italian Vic, that was was said to be awarded in the region of 2,000,000. I appreciate that different variants may affect this, but scarcity doesnt always make something more expensive. Could it be that due to the naming of the British Vic to recipients, that this most common version maintains a value higher than it's scarcity level may warrant?

Many Thanks RobW and Bilco I shall try to see if my local library can get hold of a copy of the Laslo book. I understand RobW's advice that a good grounding in knowlege can save many bad initial purchases and shall take the advice to research each type of Vic purchesed. Is there a rough guide as to the ballpark values of each version? Martin

Hello Lambert Thanks you for your comments and advice. I am currently acquiring some of the Italian Vics and look forward to posting some pictues in due course. This forum is a great read, I only wish i could get a copy of Laslo's book but dont have the $138 being asked for it at Amazon. A good reference book on the subject is well worth having. Martin

Thank you RobW and Jean-Michel Many thanks for your replies and no disrespect intended to the seller. I am new to this medal and have seen a few for sale at rather low prices especialy from the likes of mcstls. It was only that i had seen known fake sellers from ebay named within these forums and the single item selling record rang alarm bells. I still require a Czech medal so would be happy to by from him. Martin Always happy to learn something new

I dont know if this ebay seller has been mentioned http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=bilylev&&_trksid=p2047675.l2560&rt=nc&iid=261143148264&sspagename=VIP:feedback&ftab=FeedbackAsSeller Just made me suspicious that the Czech medal is all he appears to sell !!

I have seen these both in "silver" and "gold" with 5 different ribbon colours. All that have a maker mark have M.Heinloth, though have also seen others marked just DRGM, which i believe was the German equivalent of patent pending. There still seems to be doubt as to whether they were shooting badges, or the just the Prince's own personal "vanity" award given to whoever he chose for any reason,