Coburg Badges with Provenance

  
Provenance - What is it? In the collecting world, the term "Provenance" is sometimes used to widely describe a record of ownership of the badge (or item), and used as a guide to authenticity or quality. A badge that has provenance, attributed to a high ranking official or a well known figure, can fetch a higher amount and has higher desirability. Such attribution can sometimes come in the form of a signed document by a vet, a family member, through photographs or any other evidence. Proving the autheticity of the attribution is also sometimes difficult and can be faked. The two Coburg badges have some sort of attribution, herein the one on the left is attributed to Karl Schegk, with provenance coming from the Brown House which was the Headquarters of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. The badge on the left does not have any provenance per se, but has been attributed to Ludwig Schmied. The bottom line is that all Coburg badges are not numbered and therefore cannot be traced back to the recepient, so when buying the badges, think whether you need that level of provenance or attribution, and if that source can be trusted.