WEAVER45 Posted May 11, 2020 Share #1 Posted May 11, 2020 This is different then what I am used to seeing. Is this an official government engraved heart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 11, 2020 Share #2 Posted May 11, 2020 No, it's not. It appears to be machine engraved with large and small capital letters - not a pattern used by the government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 11, 2020 Share #3 Posted May 11, 2020 Also, FWIW, it appears to be artificially aged as well...another sign that it's not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted May 12, 2020 Share #4 Posted May 12, 2020 Well someone put out some big bucks for the medal. $2300 + 20% to 23% commission for the online auction site used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 12, 2020 Share #5 Posted May 12, 2020 19 minutes ago, BigJohn#3RD said: Well someone put out some big bucks for the medal. $2300 + 20% to 23% commission for the online auction site used. Whoa! Do you have a screenshot of the auction? I'm entirely curious what this medal was claimed to be...because whatever it is, it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Linz Posted May 12, 2020 Share #6 Posted May 12, 2020 Dave, Here is what I found: WWII Named US Army Purple Heart identified to James W. Brodie of New Jersey and was killed in actin on September 18th 1944. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. Purple Heart comes with blue coffin box and ribbons and rosette. Excellent condition James W Brodie was born on October 7, 1909. According to our records New Jersey was his home or enlistment state and Essex County included within the archival record. He had enlisted in the Army. Served during World War II. He had the rank of Sergeant. Service number was 32307228. Served with 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Brodie experienced a traumatic event which resulted in loss of life on September 18, 1944. Recorded circumstances attributed to: "KIA - Killed in Action". Sgt James W Brodie served in the US Marine Corps in the early 1930's aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma. After the beginning of WWII, he went to rejoin the Marine Corps but they wanted younger men at the time, so he joined the US Army and volunteered for experimental parachute infantry. James W Brodie is buried or memorialized at Plot L Row 15 Grave 16, Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location. He made 3 jumps during the war. James was killed in action on the day of his third jump. Name James W Brodie Born October 7, 1909 From Essex County, New Jersey War World War II Branch US Army Rank Sergeant Group 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment Death September 18, 1944 Cause Hostile, Killed in Action Awarded Purple Heart Translate View on... Wish Inquire Date 09 May 2020 Estimate $ 400 - 600 Sale Price $ 2,300 Location USA, Willoughby Catalogue SPRING PREMIER MILITARY AUCTION Auction House Milestone Auctions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 12, 2020 Share #7 Posted May 12, 2020 I took care of it...looks like it was a nice Purple Heart that someone engraved and attempted to age the reverse. Someone blew a couple grand on a bad medal... Here's the James W. Brodie medal from Milestone Auctions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEAVER45 Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted May 12, 2020 Has anyone seen this engraving style on any other fake medals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_Smith Posted May 12, 2020 Share #9 Posted May 12, 2020 Yes. I saw at least one at the SOS this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted May 12, 2020 Share #10 Posted May 12, 2020 14 minutes ago, WEAVER45 said: Has anyone seen this engraving style on any other fake medals? It doesn't ring a bell to me, though it's close to the old BobVN3 engraving. To be honest, it's poorly done...to me, someone tried to engrave it, but used the wrong font, wrong font size mixture (they tried to duplicate hand-engraving) and then it looks like they tried to blacken the letters, but were unsuccessful and it turned out just "antiquing" the back of the medal (the back should be the same color as the front, which is proper...and the backs of Purple Hearts were never, ever "antiqued" or aged). (As a side note, someone's going to say "oh, but the early Navy Purple Hearts are known to lose their finish on the reverse and develop a dark patina..." but that has nothing to do with the artificial aging on the reverse of this one...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigJohn#3RD Posted May 13, 2020 Share #11 Posted May 13, 2020 17 hours ago, Bruce Linz said: Dave, Here is what I found: WWII Named US Army Purple Heart identified to James W. Brodie of New Jersey and was killed in actin on September 18th 1944. He was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. Purple Heart comes with blue coffin box and ribbons and rosette. Excellent condition James W Brodie was born on October 7, 1909. According to our records New Jersey was his home or enlistment state and Essex County included within the archival record. He had enlisted in the Army. Served during World War II. He had the rank of Sergeant. Service number was 32307228. Served with 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Brodie experienced a traumatic event which resulted in loss of life on September 18, 1944. Recorded circumstances attributed to: "KIA - Killed in Action". Sgt James W Brodie served in the US Marine Corps in the early 1930's aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma. After the beginning of WWII, he went to rejoin the Marine Corps but they wanted younger men at the time, so he joined the US Army and volunteered for experimental parachute infantry. James W Brodie is buried or memorialized at Plot L Row 15 Grave 16, Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location. He made 3 jumps during the war. James was killed in action on the day of his third jump. Name James W Brodie Born October 7, 1909 From Essex County, New Jersey War World War II Branch US Army Rank Sergeant Group 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment Death September 18, 1944 Cause Hostile, Killed in Action Awarded Purple Heart Translate View on... Wish Inquire Date 09 May 2020 Estimate $ 400 - 600 Sale Price $ 2,300 Location USA, Willoughby Catalogue SPRING PREMIER MILITARY AUCTION Auction House Milestone Auctions I saw this and the first thing that hit me was the "third jump" on 18 September 1944 would have been problematic for a 502nd trooper because this was only the second 'combat jump for the101st at that time. A few Pathfinders would jump into Bastogne in December 44, and a few such as Nixon would make the Rhine jump with the 17th Airborne Division in March 45. So that seemed a red flag. I admit I did not quite recognize the machine engraving when I saw this with the large and small letters. I appreciate Dave's pointing that out. Hopefully who ever "won it" can decline the medal. On a side note, I received my copy of Dave's book the other day and find it fantastic. I appreciate his work and all the forum members who collections appeared in it. It is truly a book to have in any collection related to U.S. Military men, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guard who gave their lives for this country in the Second World War and the stories of the families who were left behind are just a relivent to the stories of the medals earned. I was pleasantly surprised that he included examples of the accolades given by the United States and French Governments for those who perished in the First World War and the 5th Marine Lt. Grouping, who was KIA on 5 June 1918 that Robert Wilson has so generously allowed to be included as well. If you think this is an advertisement for Dave's book, YES IT IS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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