Schloss-
It is not absurd. Fakes are sold by vets quite often, either intentionally or unintentionally. Post war, most makers of awards continued to make pieces as a part of the souvenier market to GIs. Trading went on for souveniers post war and later. "Vet acquired" pieces can and have been some of these fakes as well as fakes that have been traded or switched to vets at a later time.
Do you honestly believe that every piece sold by a vet is legit? What fake have you run across that does not have the story that it was acquired by a vet?
