BACKGROUND: The Close Combat Clasp was introduced on November 25^TH 1942 for award to personnel who fought in hand-to-hand combat situations unsupported by armor. The clasp was issued in three grades, of Bronze, Silver and Gold with each successive grade signifying more days spent in hand-to-hand or close combat. Criteria for award of the clasps consisted of fifteen days of hand-to-hand combat for bestowal of the Bronze clasp, thirty days of hand-to-hand combat for bestowal of the Silver clasp and fifty days of hand-to-hand combat for bestowal of the Gold clasp. There was also a prescribed, combat to time served ratio, enabling long serving personnel to be eligible for award of a clasp. Of Note: Hitler considered the Close Combat Clasp in gold as the "highest infantry decoration", of the German Armed Forces and as a result on March 26^TH 1944 he reserve the right to bestow the award to any recipients personally. Also Of Note: Manfred Dörr’s book, Die Träger der Nahkampfspange in Gold, (The Holder’s of the Close Combat Clasp in Gold), indicates that a total of only 585 gold clasps were awarded to personnel serving in the Heer, Luftwaffe and the Waffen-SS up to the end of the war.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nicely detailed, die struck, alloy construction clasp with a gilt washed finish. The clasp is in the form of a central square panel with a recessed background field with an embossed national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a canted swastika in it’s talons, positioned above a crossed bayonet and stick grenade, flanked by four oak-leaves and dual acorns superimpose on a ribbed, horizontal outward pointing base. The clasp retains about 75% of its original gilt wash with numerous small lifting bubbles and small spots of wear to the base alloy. The clasp has a blued finished, magnetic sheet metal backing plate positioned behind the eagle, bayonet and grenade motif that is held in place by crimped, side tabs of the reverse. The backing plate is quite loose and only retains about 30% of its blued finish with light to moderate surface spotting. The reverse has a solid, soldered hinge, a broad, tapering, horizontal pin and a soldered catch on an oval base plate all intact. The reverse is well marked with the embossed designer’s name and location, "Fec. W. E. Peekhaus Berlin", and the manufacturer’s initials "FLL.", with each initial encompassed by a circular border indicating manufacture by Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid.

GRADE ***1/4                             PRICE $1,905.00