DSWA, almost mint.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Did I get a good almost mint piece for EUR60.. or is this a new generation fake?

I think th former, but it is not my usual field.

Anyone know where I can get ribbon?

[Guest Rick Research]

Is it really dirty dull BROWN? Combatants were GILT and should have some of that finish no matter how battered.

I'd say you have an ICKY.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

are you sure about that? All the ones i see at shows are brownish. seems to be a patina of some kind.

I have never seen a gilt one :-(

[Chris Boonzaier]

For instance... post 4 on here...

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14546

[CHRIS W]

Here's a gilt one.

[Christian L]

the dark bronce ones are the originally issued examples of the medal - as they used a rather dark bronce, many gilded their original examples privately and some bought spangen-st?cke (those haven't the markermark on the bust of germania).

so your medal is good and the price even more!

(added a scan from the armee-verordnungsblatt 1908 nr. 95) - only bronce, nothing about gilding in any way as official issue.

christian

[Chris Boonzaier]

Oh bugger...

after seeing the spangen stuck I thought it was maybe fake after all and I did a polishing experiment to see what the base metal was...

Now it is bronze, no longer with a dark patina dark...

But I do see the microscopic makersmark..

Guess i have to wait another 90 years to regain the patina :-(

(I know, Me was silly... noone needs to rub it in...)

[dond]

Chris, just stick it under your armpit for a week or so. That should recreate the humid african climate and speed it on it's way to recovery.