British Medals of World War Two:

The Air Crew Europe Star.
 
 

The Air Crew Europe Star; an original and a copy compared.

All of the British campaign medals have now been copied. Quality of these copy medals varies greatly. Many of the better copies have be produced to deceive, and if not stamped "copy" or similar should be described as "fake", and are probably illegal infringements of Crown or government design copyrights. Due to the rising price of medals copies are becoming increasingly more refined and more prolific. The problem once mainly confined to Third Reich collectors has now finally permeated almost every field of militaria, including that of British medals. 

Copies of the WW2 campaign star medals are common and the most dangerous is the Air Crew Europe Star. Below are some comparison photographs of the detail of an original and a copy medal.

Also visit the France and Germany Star page for another copy comparison.
air crew europe star copy
   
1. Pebbling within the circlet is poor and irregular on the copy.
 2. The three horizontal parts of the letter "E" are just about same length on copy while on the original the central horizontal is noticeably shorter.
 3. Letters have a flat surface on the original
 4. Letters generally have different shape and positions between the two: compare the "W" of "CREW" look how its positioned
     in relation to the bottom of the "V" of the "VI" and also the centre line of the bottom star arm.
   
   
   
I must admit the crown on this copy is exceptionally good, but again like other
 copies the pearls/beads in the central strut of the crown are not correct.
 Also again note the pebbled surface within the circlet - that must be a real tough one for our forgers to crack!
 Having said all that, the differences may seem obvious in these magnified images, but in the hand many of these are
 difficult to see with the naked eye, and this copy medal could EASILY pass as an original.
 Below; the suspension area - overall larger in this copy with a larger hole.
   
   
   

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