Portugal commemorative campaign medals - any experts out there?

[Sumserbrown]

Hi everyone,

I was recently in Portugal and at a market I picked up 3 campaign medals from the colonial wars of independence from the late sixties into the seventies. I have no reason to suspect they are fake but what surprised me was how different they were in terms of metals used for the medals, the size differences in the planchets and the differences in the ribbons. Is anyone out there an expert in the field who can let me know if these differences are normal and indeed if the medals are genuine as I suspect.

Rob

 

This one is a commemorative campaign service medal for Mocambique 1969-1971

White and red ribbon

Heavy planchet, diameter 38.8mm, thickness 3.1mm at the 3 o'clock position

 

 

Special (NB the addition of 'Special' cf the first one) Commemorative Campaign service medal for Mocambique 1971-1973

Again the same red and white ribbon

Same dense metal, but this time diameter 37.7mm and only 1.4mm thickness at the 3 o'clock position

 

 

 

The third medal:

Special commemorative campaign service medal

Guine 1971 - 1973

Different ribbon, green and red this time

Much less dense metal compared to the first two.

Diameter 38.0mm, thickness 1.7mm at 3 o'clock position.

 

 

 

Any thoughts or comments gratefully received

Rob