So I contacted the seller and got the somewhat heated response I expected. He claims that it is 100% legit and he will gladly take it back so he can sell it for way more money to a real audiophile.
 
So I guess my honest questions mean that I know nothing...which in this case is sort of true because all of the info I have read point to this not being a legit tube but it really does look legit except for the gold pins, no etched date stamp and lettering that does not wipe off.
 
I don't know what to think at this point.

If it sounds good to you does it really matter? The only downside I see is it being hard to recommend to someone else if you're not sure what to tell them to buy.

Yeah true.

I've never seen a bugle boy with red top before, but I have a whole bunch of Russian tubes with gold pins and red tops.
My 6H23P tubes look identical to the one on your pics.
But on the other side I can't say that I have seen all tubes thats been manufactured so I can be wrong.

amish said:

I have been doing research because like you said I cannot find any info on this model BB with gold pins. They did make them with gold pins but to my knowledge not the 6DJ8 nor with the bugle boy that I can find, and it does not have the delta code on it. The tube looks legit and god knows I've studied it but I cannot find any info on this tube with gold pins. When I first received it I compared it to my other legit holland Bugle Boy tubes and it looks close BUT it has gold pins, no delta, and the stamp up top with the tube model info seems odd to me considering my other BB tubes didn't stamp it like that. Plus when i rub on the logo and lettering it doesn't come off which it should. I even used my finger nail on it. the guy that sold it on ebay has 100% feedback, sells tubes, has loads (I mean thousands) of positive reviews with zero negative. But I have been doubting this tube since day one but because I can't find any real info on this tube I can't say for sure.

I don't know but I think I will contact the seller and see what he says. Here is a picture of it:

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johan-71 said:

I've never seen a bugle boy with red top before, but I have a whole bunch of Russian tubes with gold pins and red tops.
My 6H23P tubes look identical to the one on your pics.
But on the other side I can't say that I have seen all tubes thats been manufactured so I can be wrong.

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I read many hours about tube..... The bugle boy is very known tube .... all site about tube had a written a description of it with all its model's variation....I am very surprised that no one made a description like this specimen... I am no specialist.... but..... i am curious about this story....
 
best regards

 The red paint on the tip usually means an audiophile or someone thought it was special so that's it's mark. Usually tested high or sounded good. FWIW
 A quick google search yielded this http://www.audiotubes.com/6dj8.htm
 What he has to say about the fake bugle boys isn't good but like they said if you like it, who cares?

I have 12 bugle boys and not one of them have colored tips.
All of my Russians have colored tips, red for hifi and green for medical and extra high demands.
I haven't seen or heard about bugle boys with extra high quality demands or special for hifi.
If you can't rub of the paint with your nails it's a new produced print and therefore probably not a bugle boy.
I'll set my 2c it's a Russian relabeled.

Well after doing more research and getting some responses here and over at another site (audio Asylum) I am starting to think that this tube is actually a Amperex 6992 that was labled as a 6dj8 bugle boy. This seems like I'm reaching but it would explain the gold pins. Internally this tube looks exactly like a Amperex 6dj8 or 6992.
 
One thing I did find is the number 2 stamped into the glass on the bottom of the tub in the gap between the two pins that are further apart. Not sure what that means.
 
I'm going to bring the tube to work tomorrow morning and use one of our industrial magnifying glass units to see if I can see any sort of date code that has worn off.
 
The seller seems to think that any audiophile would know this tube is legit and rare. I can't argue that but so far those of you here and at the other site seem pretty stumped and I bet a few of you are audiophile's lol.
 
I'll keep you posted if I discover anything new. I should say that i have decided to keep the tube though. It's sounds like a fantastic amperex tube. Sounds just like my other bugle boys but cleaner and with less gain. So ultimately it is a keeper. I just hate not knowing and I also hate thinking I might have been taken advantage of.
 
I'll keep digging though.

So I just put this tube under our Vision Mantis Stereo Microscope.
 
There is absolutely no date code on this tube in the form of etching. Maybe one was stamped on and then worn off but nothing was etched into the glass. Now I find it funny that if there was a date code on the glass at one time how it wore off yet the bugle boy logo and amperex/made in holland lettering has not. Under the microscope I can clearly tell the logo and lettering is a sort of paint but whatever it is it is strong. My finger nail cannot get any of that paint off. I'd have to use a metal pick or something (which I'm not willing to do). If this paint is so strong why was the date code not stamped with the same material?
 
 
So at this point I think this is a Siemens or Philips 6992 due to the number (in the glass) at the bottom of the tube. But the search for info continues

 Even siemens would have a stamp. It's code would be a hashtag with only one vertical line intead of two. It honestly looks chinese to me but that's FWIW of course. The paint is a dead giveaway that it was manufactured recently at least, as Johan-71 said. I have 3 siemens 6922s and not one of them has a number on the bottom. One isn't etched, it's stamped on the getter support. But the other two have etched codes just like all amperex/siemens/mullard tubes. But if you like the sound that's all that matters.

This tube without a doubt is vintage. If you look at the internals this thing is legit. I have no doubt at this point that the tube was stamped with the bugle boy logo to fill an order but was another compatible tube of that time period. there is no way it is a Chinese tube or Russian tube. I highly doubt it is fake at this point. Just a re-badge. I've been talking to a guy who knows his tubes (local to me) and he feels that this is a 100% vintage amperex tube made by Philips. I can't prove it but this is without a doubt amperex sounding. I respect his knowledge too. I actually took the tube to him after work today. He still has it actually. He pointed out at the side of the tube you can see where there are tiny dots of ink where the lettering has been worn off. He also told me that he has seen vintage tubes where the lettering was hard to come off.
 
I don't know but he seems to.

On a side note the Telefunken 12AT7 is one amazing sounding tube with the Ember. If you have not had a chance to listen to one I highly suggest you do. I've been running a Siemens tube for over a week and just popped in my Telefunken and it immediately put a smile on my face. Damn this is a sweet sweet sounding tube.

Which Telefunken 12at7 do you have?  I have looked at some on Brent Jesses website and may get one of his I have a cv4024 Mullard from him that is my favorite now.

connieflyer said:

  Which Telefunken 12at7 do you have?  I have looked at some on Brent Jesses website and may get one of his I have a cv4024 Mullard from him that is my favorite now.

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It's a October 1960 ECC81 made in Berlin, Germany, winged grey plates, O- getter.
 
Out of all my tubes this is by far the best to my ears. I like it so much I'm looking to buy a few more just to have on hand. I'd like to try a Telefunken12AX7 and 12AU7.

Could you tell me where you bought this tube.  I was looking at the Telefunken's on Brent Jesse's site and wondered if one of the ones he had is the same as your's is all.