TOPIC:

C&T Auctions 25th & 26th feb have a number of Zulu, and ABW war medals, including some Boer awards, a couple with significant amounts of documentation:-

bid.candtauctions.co.uk/auctions/catalog/id/217?page=1

good luck.

Hi
I am afraid to say that a number of the ABO medals are fake in this sale.
Compare the anchor top bar in the attached photo shown here, with the next photo from the sale.

Kind regards Adrian



Genuine ABO



Suspect ABO

This applies to most if not all the ABOs in this sale, unfortunately. The origin of these abominations are known .


Suspect DTD

Adrian, I’m baffled- can you go into detail about how to tell a fake? Now I need to check mine!
Thanks
Rob

Have you told C&T Auctions? Should you not warn them and show the difference?

thank you

Hi
There are a number of points where the fakes differ from the originals. However it is not really in our interests to disclose them all, in case the manufacturer makes improvements.
However , an easy way to currently determine the suspect medals, is to look at the anchor.
The top bar of an original anchor is tapered at the bottom , from each side to the central shaft. This gives the appearance of a triangle, thicker at the shaft.

The fakes tend to have a straight top bar .

The anchor prongs are also wide in a genuine medal, whereas the fakes often have a narrower V shape.

The general definition of an original medal is good, for example, the Boer soldier is detailed well.
The fake does not reproduce the details well, and the lettering is not as sharp as it should be.

Naming is often a bit erratic and messy in the fakes, and the rim is often damaged during naming.

The suspenders are neat on an original, on the fakes they are often loose with incorrect pins.

In the fakes, the alloy composition is often not exactly correct, or there are attempts to “age” the medal with a strange grey patina or dirty look .

I have handled a good number of them, both ABOs and DTDs, I had hoped no more would be found, but alas, it would appear that they are still being produced, in South Africa.

It is hard to turn down a fake because they are often named to interesting recipients , entitled to Lindt vir Verwonding etc or interesting ranks.

Kind regards
Adrian

Genuine Anchor showing tapered cross bar



Fake anchor with straight cross bar.