Air Crew Europe Star any good?

[T.E.B.]

Good evening

I'm very new to Brittish campaignstars but have read the threads here on the "ACE" star and followed the educational links. After having read the available info I bellieve my newly aquired Air Crew Europe is original but I would like to know your views.

4½ dots in the crown

Correctly shaped E

"VI" correctly attached

Diestruck

The only worrie I have concerning my star is that it has a brighter "goldish" colour to it as opposed to my other ones that has a more coppery tone to them. I hope this is due to it being unvorn?

Kr. Thomas Bendixen

Edited February 22, 2014 by T.E.B.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

I would not have a problem with it... seems just to be the finish worn off?

[Brett Hendey]

It may be a South African issue medal. I have a similar one in my collection.

Regards

Brett

[Brian Wolfe]

While there are a lot of reproductions on the market today I do like what I am seeing.

Nice piece.

Regards

Brian

[Brett Hendey]

I should have mentioned that ACE Stars to South Africans are rare and issued ones are easily distinguished because they are named. The unnamed South African minted ACE's in circulation must have been 'liberated from stores' at some time. They probably do not fetch the high prices fetched by the all-unnamed British ones.

Brett

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

did SA mint its own stars? Or were they unofficial copies?

Surely for the handfull ACE Stars needed in SA it would have been more reasonable to get them from the UK?

I have never read anything about SA minting stars of any kind, but may have missed out on something...

[Brett Hendey]

I remember being told that the South African ACE's were minted locally, but I cannot confirm it. Apart from the ACE, there were plenty of other WWII service medals awarded to South Africans, so a set of duplicate dies may well have been provided for this purpose. The same might also have applied to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. If the Royal Mint did indeed supply duplicate dies, the medals struck from them would have been indistinguishable from the British ones.

I think it is odd that the South African ACE, if it is indeed such, was given a brassy finish. Perhaps this was to highlight its rarity.

I am sure that Will (sabrigade) and other experts on South African medals will have the right answers to these suppositions and suggestions.

Brett

[peter monahan]

I believe - courtesy of a very similar discussion on another forum - that the ACE gilt finish was often worn or polished off, though it lingered in the details, so many of the Styars look 'brassy' while others have the high 'gold' shine'. My tuppence worth and, as Brett says, there are experts among us. I take it that this example is not named?

Peter