SMGL-2751 German Academy for Aeronautical Research Membership stick pin in Gold

A once in a lifetime offering! Amazing detail. The gold versions are plated 800 silver and based on what i have read, “should” Tarnish over time if standard plating was done and not some sort of gold wash. There is a good article on it here: Does Gold Plated Sterling Silver Tarnish? (Reasons & Prevent Tips) (somethingborrowedpdx.com)

There is plenty of other research you can do on this subject.

So, this super rare award in stick pin form is of Jewler grade detail, better even. It’s hard to describe how crisp the feathers are. The back is mirror polished and all the marks (59, 800, LN, 1790) are stamped in and not cast into the eagle. There are easy to spot micro saw marks on the back side of the wing tips, but they are expertly masked by the depth of the feathers on the front. The gold-plated eagle has begun to tarnish due to the silver base metal which is completely normal. In fact, I’m a little suspicious of any that are not tarnished after 80 years after what I’ve read about gold plating silver. As we know, solid gold does not tarnish, and we see this in the actual pin and the spring-loaded pin retainer. I tested the pin and retainer for gold purity using acid. So, you will see a light rub mark on the pin tip and side of the retainer. The retainer tested positive for 10K, and the pin tested positive for 14k. This is fantastic news and should give the owner much reassurance in his or her investment. I can’t tell you for sure why these parts are real gold. I assume that wear was a consideration, and they knew these pieces would show the silver sooner than the eagle. Not using pure gold for the whole eagle must have simply been a cost consideration. The entire piece (with retainer) comes in at 4.1 grams and the retainer alone is exactly 1 gram.