Fake Academy Badges

[deValcourt]

Here's a new one on me. I don't aggressively look for these badges, but I've seen quite a few and have a couple around somewhere. What makes this on different from what I've seen before is the circular MMD mark on the reverse. Anybody ever see one like this? Is it post-1991 production? It would not surprise me if it were a fake since we've established that counterfeiters are sometimes using good replicas of mint marks. If it is a copy, I don't think the seller knows it because he doesn't want much money for it.

Thanks in advance to anyone with an opinion.

Phillip

Sorry about the photo quality. I have no control in this matter.

[Nota Bene]

Phillip,

Looks genuine to me. Back when I was a dealer I used to get tons of them, all still in factory boxes. I believe they are late Soviet issue.

Alexei

[deValcourt]

Thanks Alexei.

[desantnik]

Circular MMD mintmark is legitimate. I don't know when it started, but yes it is comparatively late.

[deValcourt]

Originally Posted by desantnik

Circular MMD mintmark is legitimate. I don't know when it started, but yes it is comparatively late.

Thank you as well. I've also seen them elsewhere with the MMD mint mark. As I said, the seller wants so little for them and I'm always afraid that the ones I have are fakes I'll probably buy one just to know for sure I have at least one real one.

Phillip

[Nota Bene]

I'll just have to find my Soviet yearly mint sets and check exactly when this mint mark was used. Give me a day or two...

Alexei

[deValcourt]

No rush. Good things come...as Poor Richard says.

[deValcourt]

To be honest, with the hairline crack all over this one, I doubt it is a fake, but I just wanted some input to confirm and perhaps a good guess as to when this one could have been made because I was under the impression that these "early" versions had either rivets or wires on the reverse holding the pieces to the badge. I did notice there are 16 scrolls in the seal, unless my eyes are too tired and I'm not counting right. (Sorry, not my pictures so I don't know which of the two MD mint marks is on the screw nut.)

Thanks in advance.

Phillip

[Alfred]

Phillip,

it is an interesting topic with these Military Academy graduation badges.

In my oppinion yours is a fake, but I am not totally sure.
The red enamal looks strange, it is glass enamel or made out of epoxy?

All real academy badges with shields I saw, had rivets or wire and they were made out of silver.

All real academy badges without shields I saw, had one rivet below the screw and were made out of silver and the last ones out of german silver. See picture 1 (silver) and 2 (german silver).

Picture 3 is an example for a fake made out of white metal.

Has anybody more knowledge about these academy badges?

best regards
Andreas

[deValcourt]

Andreas,

I agree that it is likely a copy (and a rather bad one). The only thing that made me even hesitate were the hairline cracks I noticed only when I copied and enlarged the photo. I didn't buy it and I was simply curious because it seems like the metal used must be soft considering all the dings and uneven lines.

Phillip