I am posting this here because I can’t see any other section in which it fits but I think it illustrates a point of which all collectors need reminding from time to time.

Just back from holiday I was browsing the web to get back into the collectors "mindset" when I found a website with an item listed in the political and police section of WWII Third Reich militaria and described thus;

Police Dog ID Tag

This rare dog tag was stamped from solid brass with a substantial curve and holes on either side so it could be affixed to the dog’s collar. It measures 2.25" x 1" inches (56mm x 28mm) with "Erster Deutscher Polizeihund" (First German Police Hound) across the top and "Verein (P.H.V.) Sitz Dulsburg" (Society (P.H.V.) Seat Dulsburg) across the bottom in raised text. The dog’s "Police Hound Number" "P.H.Nr. 3357" stamped into the center panel.

Polizei Hund Verein.tag.obv.jpg

Sadly, the description is quite misleading.

This is not a police dog ID tag but a membership tag for what was a kind of sports association and the title of the association should read;

Erster Deutscher Polizei-Hunde-Verein (Sitz: Duisburg)

ie. First German Police Dog Club (Duisburg) , Sitz does mean seat but in this context indicates the location and it is Duisburg not Dulsburg! To be really picky "hund" should, in this case be interpreted as dog rather than hound.

The tag therefore is not miltary nor is it police per se but relates to the club which has its membership concerned with police dogs.

It is of course German but it is definately not WWII or even Third Reich as the club only had this title from 1926 - 27. It continued with title variations and I think it may still exist today and there are many PHV in Germany. However, my point is that the dealer has (probably innocently) listed this incorrectly hence the title of this thread.

So, just because he is a dealer with a brightly coloured website one should still know what one is buying and not assume that dealer means expert (Expert; Ex = has been. Spurt = drip under pressure - sorry that only works in spoken English!!)

"Caveat Emptor"

Happy browsing!

Mark