Odd Victory Medal

[Bilco]

Just arrived from a seller on t'Bay -

https://i.imgur.com/5eyxTOQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ETc8uo0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nfdgt6W.jpg

The first thing that caught my attention was the rather prominent plinth under the suspension. Then I noticed that the W Mc M initials seemed to be missing - if you look closely there is a vestigial W just visible above Victory's 'skateboard' end. On the reverse the 9 dots under 1914-1919 seem to have a recessed dot in each centre. The finish doesn't look like the usual lacquer coating, more like a gold wash. Diameter is 36.2mm, thickness 3.5mm.

There is a MIC to the man named on the edge, Arthur A PAYE.  Initially he was 8214, The Queen's Regiment, later 527794, Labour Corps.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the authenticity or otherwise of this medal? Is the naming, particularly the full regimental name, correct?

Bill

Edited 11 December , 2022 by Bilco

[nhclark]

15 hours ago, Bilco said:

Just arrived from a seller on t'Bay -

https://i.imgur.com/5eyxTOQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ETc8uo0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/nfdgt6W.jpg

The first thing that caught my attention was the rather prominent plinth under the suspension. Then I noticed that the W Mc M initials seemed to be missing - if you look closely there is a vestigal W just visible above Victory's 'skateboard' end. On the reverse the 9 dots under 1914-1919 seem to have a recessed dot in each centre. The finish doesn't look like the usual lacquer coating, more like a gold wash. Diameter is 36.2mm, thickness 3.5mm.

There is a MIC to the man named on the edge, Arthur A PAYE.  Initially he was 8214, The Queen's Regiment, later 527794, Labour Corps.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the authenticity or otherwise of this medal? Is the naming, particularly the full regimental name, correct?

Bill

Bill, Is the suspension barrel hard soldered to the planchet, or is it part thereof?

 

[Bilco]

The suspension is all of a part with the planchet.

Bill

[Jim Strawbridge]

Seems ok to me. There were a number of manufacturers tasked with producing Victory medals and there are bound to be some small discrepancies and die wear.

[nhclark]

26 minutes ago, Bilco said:

The suspension is all of a part with the planchet.

Bill

Then it's a type II Victory medal (Howard Williamson, "The Great War Medal Collectors Companion" p. 96). The impressed lettering appears genuine to me (ibid. p. 100 "Official Style 1") and the abbreviation for the regiment is correct. The loss of detail and the absence of lacquer, and even the pitting on the "dots" suggests strongly to me that some one has had a go at cleaning the medal, and very nearly ruined it. They've destroyed the lacquer and spoiled the surface of the medal, and then attempted to make good by the use of some sort of paint.

I'd say genuine.

His full name was Arthur Albert Paye, he enlisted on 10th June 1915 and was discharged on 4th April 1918 as a result of being wounded. His full entitlement was the BWM, VM and SWB.

[Bilco]

Many thanks to everyone for their comments.

Looking back at my initial post I thought I saw a pair of ghostly figure 2s after the R. on the last naming photo. I took a closer photo ...

https://i.imgur.com/cv0OyAl.jpg

... and there does seem to be something there.

The surface of the planchet does have a granular appearance and, whatever the surface colour, it does not look like the original lacquer.

Bill

Edited 25 November , 2022 by Bilco