Detecting Fakes and Forgeries - never crossed the border into Zululand, will be granted a medal without clasp. ’’~ The South Africa Medal for 1877-1879 Although the Battle of Isandhlwana and the Defense of Chris Cawthorne Rorkes’s Drift against the Zulus always dominate the collectirfg interests in this medal, there are a series of This article is the second in a series of articles intended small, but fascinating campaigns for one who delves to bring more awareness to members of the Orders and further into this period of South African history. This Medals Society of America on the growing number of history is too complex to be properly written up within fakes and forgeries in the collecting field of British the scope of this article. However, there are medal books campaign medals. The subject matter presented here will available such as "British Battles and Medals" by E. C. focus on recent observations on a particular type of Joslin, A. R. Litherland and B. T. Simpkin, that do a British South Africa Medal forgery for the campaigns brief, but good historical summation with lists of the fi’om September 25, 1877 through December 2, 1879. many British and Colonial units present during the years Although this article is specifically oriented towards the involved. The various campaigns can be broken down South Africa Medal for 1877 - 1879, it is important to by time period as follows: note that certain observations and characteristics of this particular forgery can aid in the detection of other British September 26, 1877- June 28, 1878 campaign medal forgeries in circulation. Campaign opposing Chiefs Kreli, Sandile, Macomo of the Galekas and Gaikas, the ORIGINS OF THE SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL Tambookies and other Kaffir tribes.

The South Africa Medal for 1877-1879 was issued for a January 21, 1878 - January 28, 1878 number of different tribal campaigns in this region Campaign opposing Chief Pokwane. between the years of 1877 to 1879. Three different preliminary Royal Warrants were issued for the creation April 24, 1878-November 13, 1878 of the South Africa Medal because the War Office was Campaign opposing the Griquas. continuously re-examining their position with regards to services for which the medal would be awarded. This January 11, 1879- September 1, 1879 was due in part to a certain amount of confusion in the Campaign opposing Chief Cetewayo and the War Office on the different complexities in the region Zulus. with the different tribes and telTitories. Finally, General Order 103, was published on August 1, 1880 and November 11, 1879 - December 2, 1879 basically stated the following: Campaign opposing Chief Sekukuni and the Basutos. "The Queen, in consideration of the arduous duties performed, &c., has been graciously March 25, 1879 - November 20, 1879 pleased to command that a medal be granted to Campaign opposing Chief Moirosi in the Her Majesty’s Imperial Forces, and to such of Drakensberg Mountains. Her Majesty’s Colonial Forces, European or Native, as were regularly organized and disciplined as combatants, &c., in the various BUYER BEWARE- operations in South Africa during the years ANOTHER HYPOTHETICAL CASE 1877-78 and 79." The first article in the author’s series on British campaign "Her Majesty has also been pleased to approve medal fakes and forgeries, entitled "The Waterloo Medal of a clasp being attached to the said medal, on Detecting Fakes and For~,enes, introduced us to a which will be indicated the year or yeats in fictitious medal collector and his perilous journey in which the recipient of the medal were engaged." trying to choose between two Waterloo Medals for his collection. Perilous in that one Waterloo Medal was a "Those troops employed in Natal from the llth treasure to add to his collection and the other a dangerous January to the 1st September, 1879, but who forgery style that has been plaguing many collectors. This article on Waterloo Medals was published in the January

2 JOMSA - February 2002 issue of JOMSA. Although not required five that I have seen totally forged copies of the South prerequisite reading, it is of definite value if reviewed in Africa Medal as well as a forged Crimea Medal. This context with this article. South Africa Medal mentioned is the same type analyzed within this article. What I did not say in the Waterloo Once again we find our fictitious medal collector article is that the "forging style" of all three of these cautiously venturing out to build his medal collection medals observed is similar and may be made by the same by attending another militaria show. His last purchase unscrupulous people. of a Waterloo Medal to the Scots Guards was a nice addition to his collection. His caution in this new search There may also be a link between these copies of the is due to narrowly avoiding a costly mistake because his Crimea, South Africa, and Waterloo Medals and Barry friend handed him a copy of the article on fake Waterloo Weaver’s atticle on the fake Military General Service Medals and he just missed buying the forgery. Medal ( 1793-1814). The Crimea medal, the South Africa Medal and the Military General Seryice Medal all share His new "acquisition target," a South African Medal for the same obverse of a young Queen Victoria (except for the campaigns from 1877 to 1879, is the subject of this the date 1848 under the bust for the MGSM). It is a article. His burning desire to buy this particular medal reasonable assumption that if the forgers have made an has been fueled by reading "The Washing of the Spears" investment in tooling up the dies for the Crimea Medal by Donald R. Morris on the rise and fall of the Zulu and the South Africa Medal, that the popularity of the Nation (a fabulous book!). The purchase of a South Military General Service Medal would follow. I have Africa Medal also fits fight in his collecting theme, as not been able to confirm that the obverse on all three he has been trying to pick up one nice example from different campaign medal forgeries is the basically the each of the campaign medals formally issued by the same portrait (Barry was not able to record pictures of British Government. What a treasure it would be to pick the forged MGSM). I would like to appeal to the readers up a South African medal to the 24th Foot, or perhaps to send me any information you can on suspect Military even a casualty from the Battle of Isandhlwana or a General Service Medals with die-struck planchets for defender of Rorke’s Drift! future articles.

Our medal collector feels good about his decision to buy. The big day has arrived for our medal collector. Just as a South Africa Medal, as his original sights were on a we all experience, the mad rush begins as the doors open Military General Service Medal (MGSM) to complement to the militaria show. He quickly scrambles around the his recent purchase of his Waterloo Medal. That changed tables looking for a nice example of a South Africa Medal after reading the March - April 2003 issue of JOMSA. among the militaria dealers present. Time is of the that contained an article by Barry Weaver entitled "A essence, as he just knows that if he does not act fast, the Fake British 1793 - 1814 Military General Service "good stuff’’ will be gone. The adrenaline is pumping as Medal." In this article, Barry describes his experiences he has surveyed the scene and there are two South Africa in purchasing a Military General Service Medal that was Medals at two different dealers’ tables that have caught faked, from the striking of the planchet to the bars that his eye, and both are to the 24th Foot. In both cases, he were attached. The perpetrators even had the gall to put does not know the militaria dealers, or their reputation. a doctored portrait with the medal to give it that aged, The prices are not cheap, but he is not deterred and after provenance feel. Well, our fictitious medal collector all, he is only going to buy one medal today with his thought "why not steer clear of this situation and go for hard-earned money. His first option is the South Africa the South Africa Medal instead?" Medal to Private J. Hayes, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot that is in "GVF+" condition (Figure 1, left side). His second Although he should feel reasonably comfortable with option isthe medal to Private J. Turner, 2nd Battalion, his decision to purchase a South Africa Medal, a state of 24th Foot that is also in "GVF+" condition (Figure 1, optimistic caution should still be exercised with his right side). search. He needs to be informed and experienced enough to recognize a good South Africa Medal from a renamed Once again, just as he did with his Waterloo medal, he one, especially if it is to a desirable unit or a casualty. struggles with the decision of which one to buy. The The same might be said about knowing how to recognize difference this time is that his friends with more collecting if the bar has been tampered with on the medal. Now, he expertise are not at this show and he is alone to make his has to be concerned with a new threat. In my article on decision. As stated, he has never done business with Waterloo Medals, I mention in the fine print on page either dealer before and does not know their reputations.

Vol. 54, No. 5 3 that are outlined in the Table 1: Measurement Audit of Planchets in Figure 1 sections below and challenge yourself to pick up more Name/Unit Planchet Diameter Range Planchet Thickness Range subtle differences in the die, Pte J. Haynes, 2/24th Foot 1.426" - 1.428" 0.148" - 0.158" suspension and bar variations Pte J. Turner, 2/24th Foot 1.428" - 1.429" 0.133" - 0.139" than the specific examples given. By doing so here and ’ with other examples over "Lady Luck" is going to be needed today for our medal time, you will train your eyes to detect very small collector, as one of these medals is a total forgery differences in comparing one medal against another. This (planchet, suspension and bar) and the second would be is necessary because just like our fictitious medal another valued addition to his collection. Which is the collector, you will most likely find yourself judging fake and how can he avoid buying the dud? Once again, whether or not a medal is fake in total isolation from an you will have to read further to find the answers to these original. Once again I stress taking the time to study your questions. medals down to another level of detail than you may not have previously attempted and you will not need to carry SPOTTING THE FORGERY an original for reference and will have the confidence to make good choices. As the case with the medal examples shown in the Waterloo Medal article, many might find it difficult or Medal Planchet Diameter and Thickness: impossible to spot the South Africa Medal forgery in Figure 1 at first glance. It is under direct visual and The first line of defense with any named campaign medal dimensional examination that the forgery will start to is to check the rim diameter to see if it has been shaved reveal its flaws. This visual inspection is best done with and renamed. Since this forgery was struck from new a low power magnifying glass, making it your best and dies, it was also interesting to measure this forgery to most traditional line of defense. Study the differences see if the diameters were within range of the original medal diameters. W h i 1 e measuring the medals, the planchet thickness was also checked. The results of this audit on both medals in Figure 1 are included in Table 1. It is interesting, but not surprising that the diameters of the two medals are basically the same. After all, the forgers know it is quite common to measure the Figure 1: South Africa Medal to Pte. J. Hayes (left) and Pte. J. Turner, both of the 24th Foot (one is rim diameters genuine and one is a forgery.) of any medal

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