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WWII GERMAN CROSS IN SILVER -
The award featured here is a German Cross in Silver. It was introduced on September 28th 1941. Opertation Barbarossa had stated a few short months beforehand. The German forces were achieving significant progress in the Eastern front. The assault on Moscow (Operation Typhoon) starts two days after the German Cross on Silver is instated. plenty of soldiers would have the opportunity to prove themselves as leaders managnig the war effort.





DIFFERENT TYPES OF CROSSES
The following is a list of the different models in which the German Cross in Silver was manufactured and issued.

1. German Cross in Silver
2. German Cross in Silver cloth version - Air Force Blue
3. German Cross in Silver cloth version - Navy Blue
4. German Cross in Silver cloth version - Field Gray

The cloth version of the badge was created purely for use in the field.

AWARD CRITERIA

The German Cross in Silver was a coveted award. It was issued in recognition of the following actions:


RULE DESCRIPTION
1

Issued to a soldier for significant acts of leadership.

2

Assisting in conducting the war.





GERMAN CROSS ARCHITECTURE
The construction of the German Cross is very imposing and complex. The award was designed by professor Klein of Berlin. An eight pointed star provided the base of the award. A black enameled swastika was placed at the center. The swastika was fairly large in size and rested on top of a silver bed. a thin red line is found around the perimeter.





The design includes a wreath of Silver made up by a series of laurel leaves. They are bound together by a silk lace. This is placed above the red lines. The base has a rectangle with the year 1941 in the center to indicate the date in which the award was issued.

A series of rays eminate from the wreath and cover all eight points of the star. A chemical treatment was applied to the rays to darken their appearance. A secons set of rays was placed beneath the first. This last set protruded beyond the original and gave the cross an overall three dimensional look.







The year 1941 is placed at the bottom of the wreath of the badge. These photos show different views of the date.









This page is a recognition and identification guide for WWII German badges and awards. Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined points that should be noted.

One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my WWII German Iron Cross worth?". A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the badges and awards is reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of the German badges in the collector's market is illustrated.

This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of MilitaryItems.com, a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?
  1. FAQ's
  2. Iron Cross Anatomy
  3. Identifying fakes and reproductions
  4. RZM manufacturing codes
  5. LDO manufacturing codes
  6. Construction materials
  7. Pins, hinges and other
  8. Perspective view
  9. Purchasing a WWII German Combat badge










This section of the site offers several views of the hinge that was used for the German Cross in Silver. It is important to take a look at the front and back sections of the award. Close inspection reveals the hinge is attached to a rectangular section which is then secured to the body of the cross.





GERMAN CROSS MARKINGS
Not all of the German Crosses were marked with the manufacturer identification number (LDO). However, the example shown here is marked with the number 20 on the inside of the pin. This number indicated the cross was made by the Zimmermann company.



















BY THE NUMBERS
It is hard to determine the exact number of German Cross badges that were produced. However, thanks to the record keeping maintained by the Wehrmacht, it is possible to estimate how many medals were actually sent out. The number stands under 2 thousand as many soldiers qualified for this badge.



Even though the German Cross in Silver was not a combat award it is more valuable because it was not produced or issued in as large of numbers as the German Cross in Silver.

The actual number of German Cross badges produced is greater than the number that was issue. It must be accounted that the armed forces would have a stock in hand so it could replace lost ones and issue new awards. In addition the factories were likely to have warehouses with inventory at hand.



COLLECTING GERMAN CROSSES
Collecting Third Reich memorabilia is a field that has been growing since the days the GI's rummaged around Europe bringing back military souvenirs. German soldiers wore many of their awards on their uniforms when they went to battle. Once the soldier was killed or captured, the American soldiers would take the awards as war trophies. Eventually all these pieces came back to the United States where military history enthusiasts began to collect them.

"I am trying to figure out if I should get into collecting German Cross badges."

Determining which military badges to collect can be a challenging decision. The combination of availabiilty and cost will often set the pace of what can be collected.

The adjacent table outlines some of the advantages and disadvantages of collecting the German Cross.



This award is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this badge. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the badge.



If you have an interest is seeing other badges and awards of the Third Reich, you can do so by going to our WWII German Badges and Awards identification guide. Where we cover Heer (Army), Navy (Kriegsmarine) and Air Force (Luftwaffe) items.







PRICING GUIDE INFORMATION

The value for WWII German Combat badges and other military antiques and collectibles is provided as a means to educate the collector community and individuals who have a general interest on the field. The following is an estimated value. Prices may vary in every state and every country. This service is provided courtesy of MilitaryItems.com. The source for military antiques and collectibles in the web.

Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Value $1,800.00 $2,000.00 $2,000.00 $2,200.00 $2,400.00 $2,600.00 $2,800.00 $3,000.00 $3,000.00 $3,300.00 $3,300.00 $3,500.00
Availability Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare
Invest Grade A A A A A A A A A A A A


While the item featured here is not for sale, similar items like it are available for purchase in our website MilitaryItems.com


  MARKET ANALYSIS
Jan 2nd, 2017
German Crosses are well liked by collectors. The condition of this German cross is near mint. The silver type is hard to find. The value will increase over the years.


 
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