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    johnnymac

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    Everything posted by johnnymac

    1. ThaiDave, I could not agree more with your statement posted in #131 If we accept everything that seems to be a different type, we are adding to the injustice of promoting fakes. “Just because a young men rings your door bell wearing a suit and tie does not make him a gentlemen”. That’s why he must earn your trust through a “long” courtship with your daughter and family. There are so many lies and fakes out there hiding under the umbrella as an unofficial medal. I ask…. are we making the original issue medals almost worthless and making the unknown quantities of unofficial medals more desirable? I believe the driving force behind this trend is the lack of availability of some of the rare medals and the need to have something special in one’s own collection. I think a medal that is undocumented and its origins of manufacturer is without question unclear, we need to stop classing it as “another unofficial” medal from a country it seems to represent. Rather we should put this unknown suspect under the light and grill it until the truth about it is known. Regards, Jim
    2. This “new” suspect listed by Bilco has a suspension that can be found on one of the five newly found Polish Victory Medals. Plus, the ring has been forced into suspension from the looks of it. If we accept everything that seems to be a different type, we are adding to the injustice of promoting fakes. “Just because a young men rings your door bell wearing a suit and tie does not make him a gentlemen”. That’s why he must earn your trust through a “long” courtship with your daughter and family. There are so many lies and fakes out there hiding under the umbrella as an unofficial medal. I ask…. are we making the original issue medals almost worthless and making the unknown quantities of unofficial medals more desirable? I believe the driving force behind this trend is the lack of availability of some of the rare medals and the need to have something special in one’s own collection. I think a medal that is undocumented and its origins of manufacturer is without question unclear, we need to stop classing it as “another unofficial” medal from a country it seems to represent. Rather we should put this unknown suspect under the light and grill it until the truth about it is known. To me this medal like the Polish medal is clear, no history no creditability. Bill, I think you nailed that medal!
    3. What we have here is, Good and Bad news. The Italy is not good but the English is an original clasp, (Click the photo to enlarge it). - The top clasp is your clasp, and the bottom is my original Italy. Also I posted below my Italy your England clasp, note how the letters of these two clasp match each other. Regards, Jim Italy mod.jpg johnnymac's original post edited by Moderator to add: This post has been edited to keep the "good news England clasp" in this thread and edited to move the "bad news Italy clasp" to the FAKES thread; see there for more info.
    4. Hello IrishGunner What we have here is, Good and Bad news. The Italy is not good but the English is an original clasp, (Click the photo to enlarge it). - The top clasp is your clasp, and the bottom is my original Italy. Also I posted below my Italy your England clasp, note how the letters of these two clasp match each other. Regards, Jim
    5. Hello Lambert & Rob, Here are two things I find interesting. The first, as Rob pointed out, is the crispness of the name C Charles marking. Second is the smoothness of the suspension ball, where the two surfaces do not match each other condition. Regards
    6. By Laslo’s count there were about 6,000 to 7,000 official medals made. Without doubt if this number is correct, the Cuban Government would have ordered just what was needed to cover the small groups of Army and Navy personnel who would have been entitled to this award. Vilardebo Y Riera was the official military supplier for the Cuban Government from the early 1920s into the 1950s. So let’s say Vilardebo Y Riera made had made an extra 1,000 Victory medals, in both gilded and cooper color for the Government and Private, but official sales, that 1,000 seems a reasonable number. Yet, if we look at this situation there seems to be about 8 - 10 different style Cuban medals in the market! So, who did these unknown medal manufactures make medals for,” the collectors market” and because of this fact we view nearly everything as official. Why, because it would have more "value". Just because there is one of these many different victory medals on a bar does not necessarily make it an official Cuban medal. Or, do we believe the average military person having his medals mounted on a medal bar would know the different between an official, unofficial, reissue, reproduction or fake. To him they all look alike, and because of this fact any medal dealer can pass off anything without him questioning it, “Too the military person, he’s happy and it looks great.” Cuban is a small country with I am sure has very few shops to get medals. I have seen several Cuban medals each claiming to be Vilardebo Y Riera. The one in posting#1 just may be the real deal, and I ask, is it listed in a catalog? Because if it is in a catalog that helps everyone. I also don’t believe the government would have had years later another medal made for reissue because they had their own supplier, Vilardebo Y Riera, so why go though the expense. To me here is only one official medal, with the Vilardebo Y Riera medals being the only other authorized issue medal, the rest are unofficial, reproduction or fake until we have real proof, like documentation or a catalog. Regards, to all Jim
    7. Good morning Bill, thanks for the posting, good to see you weigh in. Jim
    8. Lambert Without another medal to compare it to that makes it hard to catalog as one type or another type. So I ask you are they asking too much for the medal or not enough? Are there marks on the rim? Where did he get this medal? If he say's at an estate sale then I say "RUN". do not buy Sem outra medalha para compará-lo ao que o torna difícil de catalogar como um tipo ou de outro tipo. Então, peço-lhe que eles estão pedindo muito para que a medalha ou não é suficiente? Há marcas no aro? Onde ele conseguiu essa medalha? Se ele diz é em uma venda da propriedade, então eu digo "Executar". não compre.
    9. Lambert, Eu tenho um pouco de dificuldade com esta medalha. É o primeiro desse tipo que eu já vi. Poderia um original feito em Cuba, sim, poderia ser "mas". A principal coisa que eu acho é a medalha e uma bola são feitas de dois tipos diferentes de metal. A própria medalha é da mesma cor que uma moeda EUA (avermelhado), onde, como a bola parece estar mais perto de uma cor de bronze. Qualquer um gostaria de pesar sobre isso. Lambert, I have a little bit of trouble with this medal. It is the first of this type I have ever seen. Could it an original made in Cuba, yes it could be "but". The main thing I find is the Medal and ball are made of two different types of metal. The medal itself is of the same color as a U.S. penny (reddish) where as the ball seems to be closer to a brass color. Anyone like to weigh in on this. Regards, Jim
    10. Lambert, nice to hear from you. Yes you should invest in some US Vic's. A word of caution be sure what you are buying is original. If you or anyone has a question on an item you wish to purchase contact me by email GMIC and if I can help, I will do my best to get the proper answer for you. Lambert, prazer em ouvi-lo. Sim, você deve investir em algum EUA Vic. Uma palavra de cautela ter certeza que você está comprando é original. Se você ou alguém tiver uma pergunta sobre um item que você deseja comprar entrar em contato comigo por e-mail GMIC e se eu puder ajudar, eu farei o meu melhor para obter a resposta adequada para você. Regards, Jim
    11. The Fulford clasps (Silver back bar) are a little harder to get than the Art Metal Works clasps.
    12. Hi, Iris Gunner Good to see you post a US Navy or US Marine Corps medal. I add US Marine Corps medal because Marines did serve on large type ships, like Battleships and Cruisers and these ships are part of the make-up of the Atlantic Fleet. In addition, I will add the ribbon, medal, brooch and the clasp (Fulford Manufacture Co.) are all correct. Had the ribbon length of this medal been different I might have question the fact that the ring is not tighter which sometimes is a sign that there was dealor or collector intervention. But not in this case as the ribbon is of the right length. Regards, Jim
    13. Rob This photo shows a copy of RO unofficial 3 from Laslo's book. It shows the photo you posted as RO unofficial 3a As well, you posted this description from Laslo's book. Type 3a If reading, "other reverse die variation compared to Unofficial type 3". 4 major differences, that I feel is not just "die variations of the type 3". 1. OVAL style chain, (that in itself should have classed your medal as a RO unofficial type 4). 2. An oyster style leaf on the axe blade on the right side. 3. By the word BELGIA, the leaf in your photo is touching a different chain link than the one on Laslo's type 3. 4. And between the words, China and Romania, the leaf in your photo is much longer.
    14. no words, #5 On the obverse the years are MCMXV - MCMXVIII Is this medal "real" I have never seen one? I have asked many to post one without an luck. Even LASLO does not have one in his book. so I ask why is there is no example of this medal available for us to see?
    15. Good morning, Rob, Using Laslo's numbering system, we truly do not know what his thoughts were as to the unofficial 3A. He left his book without an illustration and there is a very vague description of the 3A. Since his book was published, there have been at least several new Romanian medals found with the same suspension all having the "C" and not "G" as does the unofficial 3. What is your basis for a description of the unofficial type 3A? Regards to all, Jim
    16. Hello to all (unofficial Romanian) type-3, type-3A, type-4 and type-4A. Regards to all, Jim Double click on photo to enlarge photo!
    17. Good Morning, Yes the clasps are French made and Rob is correct about the exception of Chateau-Thierry, which is a U.S. unofficial fantasy made clasp. Also the Meuse-Argonne clasp which is an official U.S. Made clasp (without Spacer bars). Next the medal is also unofficial. This medal was "not" made up by a veteran for his own use. IMO just someone with parts looking to make money "Buy Now" price is $375. Last, No attempt at a brooch, and note the white strings (on both medals) where there was price tags, which help tell us these items were on table for sale without any buyers. Jim
    18. Thanks for the come back, and I add I am sorry about that, as I was looking forward to seeing yours. Best, Jim
    19. Rob I would like to see your medal so please post it when you can. I am in error when I said they were (still issuing) they stopped awarding the U.S. Vic's sometime in 2000's. Regards, Jim
    20. I just got my third, (2 Army, 1 Navy) Official, type-3 (late issue) naval medal by Lordship Industry, made in late 70's by the marking on the brooch. Note; that they were still issuing medals with Art Metal Works clasps which is not always the case with the late issue Army. These are very hard to find in the naval version. Click on photo to open to large viewing of medal
    21. Hello Lambert, I saw this posting myself, but since you ask, the mini wings look to be WWII, "only a guess on my part as to the wings age". The wings "may" have been placed on the medal by a veteran from WWI at a later date. this medal should be purchased for a "story" or for "interest" only, as the medal to me is valued at its max. IMHO, Jim
    22. Rob, I agree with all that you said. This is a post war enhancement by a soldier who no double "may" have had some involvement in the battle. The danger to collectors is when an onlooker believe this combo is a "fact" and passes it on to others. Rob you at level of collecting know better and I am glad to see you straight shoot this, and tell it as it is, "just a vet enhancing his medal" for his own interest. Jim
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