Guy on Craigslist is selling these. Are the authentic?

I'm not aware of a confederate plate like that with those type hooks. Let the price guide you. A real confederate plate with a bullet would force you to get a mortgage on your home.

Nope!

These are reproduction plates.

The CS Oval with the Minie' Ball is an outright fake. It might make a great conversation piece but that's about it.

If you look at the flattened out portion of the bullet's skirt, you can clearly see that someone used the rear of the bullet to pound it through a hole which was fabricated into the plate. In fact, look at the lead in the rear of the buckle and the bent down hooks. You can see where it was laid on a flat surface so the bullet could be beat through the hole in the plate. See the transfer marks in the lead. That is also why the hooks are beaten down flat. I have seen these frauds over and over.

I've been a Civil War relic hunter here in Virginia for over 30 years and have attended tons of Civil War Shows. I have seen my fair share of fakes. If someone even attempted to bring this plate into a Civil War Show here, they would be run out on a rail.

I have seen some bullet struck plates, guns, canteens etc... but they're far and few between. The relic hunters I talked to who have found them even question if someone was even wearing them when the plate/buckle was shot. One gentleman I talked to who dug a shot eagle breastplate told me that some soldier probably put the plate on a fence post and used it for target practice. I would have preferred a sexier story but, he dug it!

Heck, I'm even seeing a ton of eBay fakes with civil war bullets in wood.

Stuff like this sells great on Craig's List or eBay to misinformed or uneducated collectors. There are obvious reasons for this. At least this guy said he could not guarantee their authenticity.

You can buy theses CS Oval plates of eBay from $5.00 to $10.00 each. You can get a CW bullet of eBay as well for a couple of bucks. Heck make your own for $13.00 and save yourself $37.00.

You were smarter than most for posting this and getting informed.

The undistorted lead bullet in the buckle should of given you a huge clue .

Does anyone remember on "American Pickers" on one of the first seasons, they came across a belt plate with a bullet embedded. I'm not a CW guy, but I thought it looked fake, like the one above. Mike and Frank paid some outrageous price, obviously thought it was real. Just like above, the bullet was non-deformed.

duggap said:

I'm not aware of a confederate plate like that with those type hooks. Let the price guide you. A real confederate plate with a bullet would force you to get a mortgage on your home.

Click to expand...

the one with the bullet is a fake seen that before

del said:

The undistorted lead bullet in the buckle should of given you a huge clue .

Click to expand...

ditto

As soon as I saw them I smelled FAKE. I think every one else did also. You know the old saying if it sounds too good to be true. I believe if one or two are fake, they all are.

DougF said:

Does anyone remember on "American Pickers" on one of the first seasons, they came across a belt plate with a bullet embedded. I'm not a CW guy, but I thought it looked fake, like the one above. Mike and Frank paid some outrageous price, obviously thought it was real. Just like above, the bullet was non-deformed.

Click to expand...

I remember that.. they were all goo goo and gaa gaa about it.. it was fake as a football bat..

Like everyone else has already said, they're novelty items which is a nice way of saying fake.

DougF said:

Does anyone remember on "American Pickers" on one of the first seasons, they came across a belt plate with a bullet embedded. I'm not a CW guy, but I thought it looked fake, like the one above. Mike and Frank paid some outrageous price, obviously thought it was real. Just like above, the bullet was non-deformed.

Click to expand...

What was so bad about it was that they were told it was no good and did nothing about it. Their producer said it made good copy.

duggap said:

What was so bad about it was that they were told it was no good and did nothing about it. Their producer said it made good copy.

Click to expand...

That entire show is so fake I cannot watch it. It reminds me of Pawn Stars.

I figured they were fake too, and here in Nebraska, we don't see many of these. Thanks for all the help, I will pass on these.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

worm12ga said:

That entire show is so fake I cannot watch it. It reminds me of Pawn Stars.

Click to expand...

That show is so fake it make me sick. It put me out of picking. Try to get some of the things they come across at the prices they pay. It does not happen. And then everybody wants to be a picker. And dealers have there pick of a bunch of misled people thinking they are going to get rich over night.

budaf250 said:

That show is so fake it make me sick. It put me out of picking. Try to get some of the things they come across at the prices they pay. It does not happen. And then everybody wants to be a picker. And dealers have there pick of a bunch of misled people thinking they are going to get rich over night.

Click to expand...

When I worked at a bicycle shop that did a lot of business in bikes from the late 1800s to now, people would come in with dinged up girl's shwinns from the 60's and 70's, and get upset when I only offer $20. To get any decent money for one of those, it needs to either be all original, a men's bike, or had a complete frame-off restoration. Very tall models also don't sell well.

When they would balk I just told them to go look at what our bikes were selling for after a thorough cleaning, and a tune up that almost always required tires/tubes, cables, and whatever else was broken or missing.