Kriegsmarine Help needed: u-boat front clasp

[rousp]

Hi

Firstly, I'm sorry to start off with a question on your forum.

Still, here it goes:

I bought a box of old medals, thinking that it would be fun to go thru them, find out what it is and then sell them to somebody that will care about them. (I'm into watches and timepieces so I won't start a medal collection too.)

While doing so, my dad came along with a medal friend gave to him after he helped him some 20 years ago. Most of the medals I bought I have managed to figure out, but this one seems to be a hard one.

From this excelent guide: clicky I have found that it's u-boat front clasp in bronze. It?s the 2nd type.

I have also found to whom it was awarded, but I can't figure out it's value. So that's where I need your kind help.

The item is similar to this: clicky

It's in fair/poor shape. The front is very dark, almost blackish. And most of the back is greyish.

My gut feeling is that the emedal price is wrong / inflated but your the expert. So please do tell me.

Sorry if my english is bad, it's my 2nd language.

Take care

Rousp

[Gordon Williamson]

Firstly, welcome to GMIC, and your English is very good !

I would agree the emedals price is high considering its poor condition.

Hard to say about your badge without a photo to see its condition, but you can generally pick a Bronze grade clasp up in nice condition for around Euro 400-450. These are not especially rare badges.

The price would drop based on how poor the condition is.

[rousp]

Firstly, welcome to GMIC, and your English is very good !

I would agree the emedals price is high considering its poor condition.

Hard to say about your badge without a photo to see its condition, but you can generally pick a Bronze grade clasp up in nice condition for around Euro 400-450. These are not especially rare badges.

The price would drop based on how poor the condition is.

Thanks for your reply.

If the medal at emedals is worth around 400 Euro the one I got is probably worth less. I'll post a photo as soon as i get my new camera.. Probably just two days away now

[Martin W]

HI rousp,

if you could post photo's,that would be great.I would like to see the badge.

Regards,Martin.

[John R]

Your English is fine. Many of us know exactly how hard it is to write a technical question in a language not native--it is one thing to speak, another to translate, and another to write and to write about such a complicated subject as U-boat frontspanges. You are doing great.

As Martin said, since these badges are heavily faked, and faked for far more than 20 years, unfortunately it is necessary to see detailed images of your badges. We would need clear (600 pixel and up) images of the front, back, back with pin down, pin up, and images of the letters themselves.

While this is might be a project, a decent camera or scanner will make it easy. Scanner might be best unless you are used to taking very steady camera shots. Since you are getting a camera, you need a tripod, or a steady platform from which to take the photo. Slight movement ruins the image for our purposes. You need to also use the macro function, natural lighting if possible with flash off. Hope this helps.

You can't go by emedals or any other website, the value of your badge is valued by the badge itself. It is very hard to compare since the condition and possible history of the badge (we call it the "story") influence value. Collector to collector is another value of course. The starting point in any case are the images.

John

[rousp]

Sorry it took so long. My camera was a bit delayed, and I just couldn't find the time until now.

I'll link to the photos. They are 12 mp therefor I don't want to flood the forum with them.

Feel free to save the photos in order to look at them in your favourite photo software.

clicky

Click on the thumpnails for the full size images, the "opp" button brings you back to the index.

- Rousp

[Gordon Williamson]

Looks like a good original piece but as you said, the condition is not great. The fact that you know the name of the person it was awarded to will help, but in this condition I would estimate it to be not much more than around 275-300 Euro.

[rousp]

Looks like a good original piece but as you said, the condition is not great. The fact that you know the name of the person it was awarded to will help, but in this condition I would estimate it to be not much more than around 275-300 Euro.

Actually, we do not know the name of the guy that was awarded.

I live in Norway, so we was occupied by the germans during the war.

My dad got this from an old friend he helped out. This friend was in his 20ies during the war, and enjoyed life to the fullest. That means, he was often out for a beer and a game of card on one of the local pubs. One one, or several occations he came in contact with germans soliders when he was drinking and gambling. He was given (or won) a few medals from one or some of them. These medals was given to my dad.

[Martin W]

Rousp,

thanks for posting the photo's of the badge.An original badge,i think with signs of corrosion.Overall,not that great a condition.

Regards,Martin.

Edited May 10, 2009 by mwestley

[John R]

Those are great images of your badge. Some of the best I have seen and wish all were posted in that detail. I have to agree with the maximum valuation provided by Gordon and the condition evaluation by Martin.

Still, you have a bit of history there so it does have value. Final value will only be determined when you sell it. Maximum value in this case would be collector to collector rather than from a dealer. From a dealer, maybe 50% less than 450 euros since they have overhead, adverstising, etc, to contend with. Very hard to say. At least you know it is a period badge and a value from which to work.

John

Edited May 10, 2009 by John Robinson

[rousp]

Thanks for all your help so far!

My dad want to sell this piece. Can you poing me to a place that is good for selling medals?

That is, of course, If not any of you want to buy the piece!

-Rousp