Condition: Excellent
Product Description: This early six-rivet German Cross in Gold is a stunning example of a very desirable award. To find one of these in the original small box of issue is extremely rare. This Deschler-made badge is very hard to find, and the issue case is even more seldom encountered! Both the cross and its case are in excellent condition. The cross shows almost no wear, with only slight patina from age on the reverse, and on the silver field behind the swastika. The enameled swastika is perfect, with no chips or scratches. The reverse hardware is textbook, with the typical Deschler short pin. Only two of the lower rivets have lost their delicate post caps. The case is in outstanding condition, with no abrasions at all on the exterior. All aspects of the case are complete and functional, and the black flocked insert shows an impression where the cross has rested for decades. A cased set featuring this pattern of rare and sought-after early six-rivet German Cross in Gold is not usually seen even in advanced collections. This would be nearly impossible to upgrade. A killer piece.
Historical Description:The German Cross in Gold was instituted on September 28th, 1941. The German High Command saw it necessary to create an award which would bridge the gap between the Iron Cross First Class and the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. Once instituted, the German Cross became Germany’s second highest military decoration, second only to the Knights Cross and its subsequent grades. The German Cross was similar to the Knights Cross in regards that the award was not based off of any previous awards in German history. It was a unique creation which also ended with the war. There were approximately 26,000 recipients of the German Cross in Gold. This number, however, does not reflect the total amount of German Crosses produced.
The German Cross was actually not a cross at all, it took on the form of an eight-point star resembling some of the former breast awards of the Imperial era. The award came in two forms, a metal version and a cloth version. The metal version being the most complex of the two, it consisted of five separate pieces being fitted and held together using four to twelve rivets depending on who the manufacturer was. The cloth version follows the exact same design as the metal produced version except the entire cross is cloth with the exception of the laurel wreath still being metal.
We are the leading team of military antique specialists. We have specialized in military antiques for over 25 years.
Epic Artifacts offers free evaluations and the highest prices available for your collectibles.
We purchase single items, entire collections, or family estates.
Click the link here to learn more: Free Evaluation or Inquiries
or feel free to email us directly: info@epicartifacts.com
