Memel occupation medal 22 march 1939

[bobby2step]

Good afternoon Gents,

After months of hunting for a memel medal I have finally found one.

I am ninety-nine percent sure that it is a genuine one. But just to make sure I am posting some photo's to see what the fellow members think.

If you think that it is a copy please can you let me know.

On a personnal note this would be the crowning medal in my colection so far. If it turns out to be genuine.

Thank in advance Rob

[bobby2step]

Good afternoon Gents,

After months of hunting for a memel medal I have finally found one.

I am ninety-nine percent sure that it is a genuine one. But just to make sure I am posting some photo's to see what the fellow members think.

If you think that it is a copy please can you let me know.

On a personnal note this would be the crowning medal in my colection so far. If it turns out to be genuine.

Thank in advance Rob

[Paul R]

Those are very tricky. I would love to know the outcome of this one as well!

[joe campbell]

if you could show a picture of the side of this medal,

it would help.

it there is a seam along the circumference of the medal,

it is fake.

hope this helps.

joe

[bobby2step]

Thanks for that will the seam run though the middle or will it be off set abit? I take it it will be there because of the two parts meeting. Should all medals be one solid shape?

I new to this so all this information is really useful to me.

Thanks boys.

Looking forward to reading some more information.

[joe campbell]

i believe these were one piece in construction, and

remember reading in one of , i think, chris ailsby's

books that 2 piece construction was not original construction.

joe

[bobby2step]

I have managed to get a picture of the side. What do you think?

[JamesM]

What was the price, if you don't mind me asking??

Cheers,

James

[joe campbell]

i am now willing to say, IMHO, that this

piece appears to be original.

very nice!

joe

[TerryG]

I do not like it.....the curvature of the letters "m", the shape of the "G" and the podium touching the rim of the medal.

[bobby2step]

thought the curviture of the me "m" was ok as long as it was not too pronounced on the first on memellands. The "m"s seem correct from what I have heard that they look capital to the the "m" in mars. (more of a space between memellands than mars)Which apparently is correct. as for the "g" I know people say that the 45 dregree angle are the only true orginals. but is not the straight up version's long as it has the right froms of memellands and mars. And the wreath at the bottom is in one of the correct froms?

the reason for this is on this forum one member has desribled four varitions of wreath for the straight up "g" version or was that just for the 45 degree?

I know there was only 33000 of these awards issued so to get an orginal one would be find and a half.

Regards Rob

[speedytop]

Hi,

Collectors should better accept, that there is not only one original medal, and, more important, that both types, laid back and upright "G", exist as original and as copy/fake.

This is a picture with 6 different period pictures of the Memelland medal:

top row, from left to right:

Doehle 1942

Meyers Lexikon 1940

Doehle 1944

bottom row, from left to right:

Schickle catologue 1940

von Hessenthal/Schreiber 1940

Deumer catalogue, period before 1945, no year specification

For the originality it is not important, to look only on the "G" or the "M", see the period pictures above:

Differences in the G, the M, the ?, the 9, the acorns and/ore in the oak.

It is more important, wether it is a stamped/coined (gepr?gte) medal or a casted (gegossene) medal.

Stamped medals are rather bright, casted medals are rather dark.

Regards

Uwe

[Koj]

here?s my original - "textbook example"

[Koj]

back

[bobby2step]

Thanks for the photo's.

But can you get more variations of these or only these 6? Can u have these 6 with different way of the wreath being arranaged? OPen, closed etc. Or only just these?

It seams the more I am find out about this medal the more confusing it sems to see an orginal or copy!

I'm looking at this one and I still cant be 100% sure either way.

[TerryG]

Here are a few images taken from Detlev Niemann's site a while back.

[TerryG]

...

[TerryG]

This one is mine for information.

[bobby2step]

Well by the looks of it this one that I have seen is a copy as well.

I kind of knew getting a memel medal that is orginal was going to be a bitch. But it will be woth it when I do.

Thanks for all the help with this. The information you have given me has been priceless.

[bobby2step]

Should the makers number be on the edge of the medel or on the ring?

On the coined version?

Regards Rob

[Gunther Beckmann]

Should the makers number be on the edge of the medel or on the ring?

On the coined version?

Regards Rob

The only two authentic Memellande medals, that I am aware of, that have a maker's mark is a slanted G type, "H.G." stamped on the rim and the L/11 by Deumer, L/11 stamped on the suspension ring. There may be other maker marked examples that I haven't seen or heard about. Not all slanted G types have the H.G. stamping ..

It has been proven, without question, that there were multiple manufacturers of the Memellande medal. And that these manufacturers produced both the slanted style G and the straight G style. (the G seems to be the starting reference point) It is also extremely important to only make comparisons between known "like" manufacturers. For example, you cannot compare an L/11 to an H.G. marked medal. Two different makers! You must always compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges to achieve any form of constructive accuracy. So comparisons of Ms, 9s or acorns between different manufacturers is a waste of time.

It's a common belief these medals were never cast, they were stamped (coined). This is "one" sure way to identify a reproduction.

Experts agree, to make an accurate determination of authenticity, you should have the medal in hand. Dimensions and weight is another factor.

The ones with the slanted G are popular because one with that style of G is "clearly" pictured in Dr. Heinrich Doehle's publication in 1943. "Badges-Decorations and Insignia of the Third Reich." Because of this they are widely accepted as "textbook" and the easiest to sell. I think the sell ability carries allot of weight here......... BUT ..... There are also known fakes with the slanted style G ..

With all of the research into the Memellande medal and the subsequent discoveries, we must rethink the old ways of authentication and open our minds to the new facts. During the Third Reich period there were, in fact, multiple manufacturers of the Memellande medal and there obviously was variation, between the different makers, in the fonts or styles of letters and numbers.

Rob, it is possible your Memelland medal is a good one. It seems to be stamped and not cast .. You might catch some flak about the "plinth" touching the rim .. There will always be a clash of opinion on these medals as there seems to be a distinct line in the sand between the slant G brigade and those with the ability to think outside the box.

Thanks to Uwe (speedytop) for your ongoing efforts.

All the best ..

Edited October 8, 2009 by Gunther Beckmann