There is an unending supply of M1992 Hungarian Defence Ministry honour daggers as well as colour variations based on that design. These include green (Customs & Finance), blue (Police) and red (Fire Department). The latter are entirely bogus. While there were prototypes for the Customs & Finance and Police daggers they never went into production. The prototypes were accompanied by cases that matched the leather colour of the daggers. All the above mentioned daggers are being turned out for the collector market and are often found being offered by auction houses. Unless you find a M1992 with its case - a rarity - you're just buying crap.

Truly an unfortunate developement. I purchased one years ago and believe it to be original. However, the Hungarians have destroyed this market as well as several others.

Thank you Kurt, for the heads up.

Jim

If what you purchased was the standard black M1992 there's a chance it's legitimate. I can guarantee you that all of the coloured daggers were made for the collectors market with the exception of a handful of prototypes that ALL were accompanied by the corresponding coloured case. Within a couple of years of getting the contract the company that made the standard black daggers starting making them for collectors since demand from the military was small. Again, the only way to be absolutely sure that the dagger is legitimate is if it is accompanied by a case (the black daggers came in a purple case). Without the case it is impossible to know if the dagger ever went to the military.