Fake WW2 era Romanian paratrooper wings

[Tonomachi]

A number of years ago I was at an insignia show in Northern California and came upon a table with Royal Romanian medals for sale. I got to speaking with the seller whom I found out was visiting from Romania. I asked him if he had ever come across any WW2 era Romanian paratrooper wings. He had never heard of such a thing but told me that he would be returning to Romania and would inquire about these wings. This was before the Internet so I drew him a picture of the Romanian paratrooper wing and gave him my mailing address. He asked me how much I would be willing to pay for a WW2 era Romanian paratrooper wing. I gave him a figure and eventually forgot about him. Some 6 to 8 months later I received a letter from this individual. He told me that he had checked governmental archives and I was right there were Romanian paratroopers during WW2. He told me that he had found one for me and in the letter was a photograph of the wing. However the colors were off as I recall so I foolishly gave him the correct colors for the enameling portions of this wing and a copy of the reference I had kept on these wings. Another 6 months or went by and I received a second letter from this individual. He had found the correct colored Romanian paratrooper wing and for me to go to such and such an address about an hour away from my residence with cash to pick up the wing. I drove over to an apartment complex and had brought along my jewelers loupe. A nice couple invited into their apartment and gave me two boxes containing the below photographed Romanian paratrooper wings. Upon close examination I realized they had to be copies. They were in mint condition as if they had been made yesterday. The wing where the crown has two two pins that were peened to the back showed bright brand new shinny metal which would have darkened even if left in a box for 60 to 70 years. So I declined the purchase and as I was leaving I could hear the male yelling at someone in a foreign language on the telephone as I was guessing the money I had brought was probably going to be used for their rent or something. So long story short there are pretty good copies of these wings out on the market and you have to be cautious.

 

 

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Second pair