Ulsterman

From what I can tell, the EK1 was a rather rare award for anyone below Sergeant/VitzFeldwebel rank in WW1. It was certainly hard won by rankers.

Even the common stuff has gone up, but not by nearly as much: In 1995 this most common duo cost $30. In 1985 it cost about the same. In Feb. 9, 2002 on eBay it went for $66. Today they seem to average @ $100-$120. I blame the internet. :whistle:

Wow!! I just learned something. I thought the above matrix was definitive.

Ooooooh! Great thread! I LOVED Wallis and Wallis.

Not only his regiment- BUT this man knew Hitler and probably "ran" with him at one point. Look at his assignment.

Oh Dear!!! Peter-the Chinese have been making fakes of all their medals for a decade. The immediate clues that they are fake is the red ribbon which is cheap and too short. Also, the real Chinese medals were made rather well, certainly better than the cheap pot metal stuff being made these days.

see post #145

a total dud? As in it was faked?

Very cool. Did any of them leave any interviews about what happened that day?

A war time trap bar: 1915-

WOW!!!! Now THAT's one for the Rickmeister! I think you are right.

Hmmmm...Dix Noonan might be able to help with your ancestors medals. I think they track Napoleonic medal sales. Christian Krug Surgeon. Well, nothing about him directly I know, but thee is a GREAT letter by one of his comrades in the new Glover book (The Waterloo Archive: German Sources") which describes well the hellacious conditions the Brunswick medical corps (all 20-25 of them) experienced in June, 1815.

Ummmmm...folks- just to give you an idea of how special that medal actually is. 1. Note that it is in almost mint condition 2. The Black Watch are THE premier Highland regiment, much sought after by collectors 3. VERY few privates survived THAT many Peninsula battles AND Waterloo. At Waterloo for example, the 1st Bttn. 42nd Ft. was in Pack's brigade and started the battle allegedly with 526 officers and men (allegedly because they lost an unspecified number in the retreat on the 17th and apparently several squads were on guard duty in Brussels etc.). They took 337 casualties on June 18th (and I'll wager your ancestor was one of them) and of the wounded (@290) aprox. 35% on average died within a month of their wounds). That is one rare medal!!! 4. in addition I have seen an MGS "roster" of multi-bar awards. Any MGS with more than 4 must be considered "rare" and with 6+...REALLY rare. There were more infantry soldiers- and they tended to be the vast majority of casualties as well. Your ancestor was one VERY hard man.

Oh My God! That is THE FINEST Black Watch medal I have ever seen. That folks is one of the best Napoleonic medals extant. THANK YOU!!!!! for posting it. :jumping:

Oooohhh...good question:

WoW!! Interesting thread. I learned a lot here gentlemen. Thanks for keeping it civil. Hunyadi- PLEASE do not leave. I shall miss you if you do! Please, please experts-can you show examples of HUPR fakes that are being sold out there?

Outstanding group!!!!

OUTSTANDING series of bars chaps! There's some really odd and rare combinations here.

OK- I gotta ask-how did you NOT get an air medal?

wow! Your trip west was worthwhile huh? :jumping:

It looks real to me! Congrats!!!

Ohhhhhh... something VERY cool.

Well, I will eat crow! Sadly, the original picture has been removed (Grrrrrrr.......). However, in watching a DVD of the "Goebbels Experiment" there's some detailed footage of a reception in Hungary @ 1942 (focused on the tasty german film stars and their companions) where one of the chaps in a tuxedo -possibly a Hungarian, is wearing....an English style medal bar with German awards!

You Lucky Dog!!!!! there is a thread on the good Freiheer earlier-. See here: same ribbon bar and research...http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=40461&st=0&p=374730&hl=+%20+freiherr%20+ompteda&fromsearch=1&#entry374730 see Nov. 22, 2009- Christian L.'s post in the Imperial german forum.

WOW!!!!! !!!! I am impressed. I saw him speak @ 2 decades ago. I had no idea he was the author of the 'open sources" quote. Man, it is a pity he didn't stay on another 30 years or so.