China Relief Medal Question

[peterson45]

I have the opportunity to get this medal and I just wanted to get the opinions of people who have handled more of these than me. It seems right and from the bad image I was able to get of the rim number, it seems to fall in that 525-625 range from BB&B. What I thought was interesting is that it seemed to have a wrap brooch that was spanned by an added piece of medal. Any information/opinions would be greatly appreciated!

[KurtA]

Pass on that one!  Brooch is wrong (should not have a locking catch), ribbon and ring are new and most importantly, that rim # is not even close to what the font of a medal produced by Bailey Banks & Biddle should look like. 
An original of one of these is a RARE medal and would bring somewhere in the $2 to $3 thousand range. 

[bulldog06]

Here is #560, hand engraved as noted in the New Medal Letters for this number range.

 

On #612, the drape is incorrect as noted. The planchet has the characteristics and quality of a BB&B strike. 

 

The hand engraved numbers are a tough call. The photo is blurry. The 6's look different, but hand engraving could do that.

 

For me, the price would have to be low enough to take the risk that the planchet is a legitimate piece. For comparison, #560 is attributed and cost $3500 three years ago.

 

good luck,

Mike

[bulldog06]

I'll also note that BB&B produced unnumbered campaign medals for sale that look the same as the USMC issue engraved pieces. So there is a chance that someone could hand engrave a number and pass off one of those.

 

Attached are more examples of engraving that is considered authentic for the China USMC in this number range.

 

Mike

[KurtA]

 For me to feel comfortable with a stand alone one of these (not part of an original grouping), it would have to look like #560 above - classic BB&B gold toning and the original ribbon and brooch.  Sure, an original planchet could have been re-ribboned, but having an original ribbon/brooch goes a long way towards believing the hand engraved # could be legit.  

It would be interesting to know where this is being sold and the price.  

[Adam R]

17 hours ago, bulldog06 said:

Here is #560, hand engraved as noted in the New Medal Letters for this number range.

 

On #612, the drape is incorrect as noted. The planchet has the characteristics and quality of a BB&B strike. 

 

The hand engraved numbers are a tough call. The photo is blurry. The 6's look different, but hand engraving could do that.

 

For me, the price would have to be low enough to take the risk that the planchet is a legitimate piece. For comparison, #560 is attributed and cost $3500 three years ago.

 

good luck,

Mike

 

I agree with Bulldog's comments. There's a chance the medal is good (and has lost the original gilt finish). There's also a chance that the medal is bad... Based on the poor photos it's very hard to say for sure either way. The brooch and ribbon ring are definitely not "original equipment".

[peterson45]

Sadly it doesn't matter anymore. The seller sold it out from under me. It was the classic told me they would hold it, then someone else inquired. He said it was promised to someone else. The interested party offered more money and instead of the seller coming back to me to see if I would counter sold it out from under me. 

[collectsmedals]

5 hours ago, peterson45 said:

Sadly it doesn't matter anymore.

I think you dodged a bullet on that one.

[peterson45]

2 hours ago, collectsmedals said:

I think you dodged a bullet on that one.

I hope so,