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H037560 IRON CROSS 2ND CLASS, 1939 IN ISSUE ENVELOPE.
(Eisernes Kreuz II Klasse mit Umschlag)BACKGROUND: On March 10TH 1813, Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III established the Iron Cross as a temporary award for bestowal during times of war. Originally the Iron Cross was introduced in three grades with a Grand Cross intended for award to Senior Commanders for successfully leading troops in combat and the First and Second classes for award to all ranks for bravery or merit in action. The Iron Cross’s were reinstituted by King Wilhelm I on July 19TH 1870 for award during the Franco-Prussian War and again on August 5TH 1914, by King Wilhelm II for award during WWI. On September 1ST 1939 Hitler once more reinstituted the Iron Cross series of awards in the First and Second Classes and established the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. The second class medal was for award to personnel who performed a single act of bravery in combat. When awarded the Iron Cross second class was usually presented in an envelope.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1939 pattern, die struck, three piece, iron and alloy construction Pattée style cross with a single piece iron core and a two piece alloy frame. The obverse features an embossed, high relief, central, canted, swastika with the re-institution date, "1939", to the bottom arm. The reverse bottom arm has the embossed original institution date, "1813". The swastika is in nice high relief while the dates are somewhat lower. The black wash to the magnetic center is retained about 85% with small spots of wear to the base metal with light to moderate surface spotting. The nickel/silver plated frame shows light age tarnish. The medal loop and ribbon suspension ring are both intact and the suspension ring is well marked with the faint, illegible, stamped, manufacturer’s numerical code. The cross comes complete with a roughly, 1 3/16" wide, 5 3/4" long, piece of original, ribbed, rayon ribbon. The ribbon is in overall very good condition with minor age toning and it appears as if it was never inserted through the suspension ring.
The cross comes housed in an original, roughly, 5" tall, 4" wide, mid-weight, blue/grey, cardstock issue envelope, with black printed Gothic script to the front center in three lines, "Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939". The envelope has a triangular, fold over, top flap with a corresponding horizontal slash to the reverse. The tip of the triangular top flap inserts into the horizontal slash on the reverse to close the envelope. The reverse of the envelope has the black printed, Gothic script, manufacture’s name and location within a rectangular cartouche, "J. E Hammer & Söhne Geringswalde". The envelope is in overall fair condition with light to moderate age toning, a small tear to the obverse, some light to moderate wrinkling and a central horizontal fold crease. Also included is a piece of the original protective tissue paper.GRADE ***1/4 PRICE $215.00
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