BACKGROUND: On March 10^TH 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 Crosses were reinstituted by King Wilhelm I on July 19^TH 1870 for award during the Franco-Prussian War and again on August 5^TH 1914, by King Wilhelm II for award during WWI. On September 1^ST 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 first class medal was for award to personnel who performed three to five acts of bravery in combat, and had already been awarded the Iron Cross 2^ND class. Originally when the Iron Cross first class was issued it came housed in an issue presentation case. Due to material shortages later in the war the presentation case was discontinued and the award was most commonly issued in a paper envelope. Recipients of an Iron Cross were permitted, with the proper documentation, to privately purchase a jeweler’s copy of the award, at their own expense, if so desired. Due to the prestige of the award personnel who could afford it could opt to buy a jeweler’s copy for everyday wear with the actual award being put away for safe keeping. Of Note: The LDO, Leistungsgemeinschaft der Deutschen Ordenshersteller, (Administration of German Medal Manufacturers). began regulating the manufacture of German awards in March 1941 as a quality control agent for awards that were intended for retail sale and manufacturers were to use an assigned LDO, "L", code on their products destined for retail sales. In 1941 the LDO decreed that manufacture of the Iron Cross 1^ST class be standardized with the only variation allowed being the type of attachment device on the reverse. The two acceptable attachment devices were either the standard hinge, pin and catch assembly or the screwback version. This example is for a privately purchased screwback award.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 2 3/4" square, 7/8" thick, wood and pressed cardboard construction issue case with a simulated black grained leather covering a subtly rounded top lid and subtly rounded corners. The top of the case has an impressed, silvered outline of an Iron Cross to the center. The fold back top lid has a magnetic, staggered, bar hinge to the reverse and a magnetic, spring loaded, closure button to the obverse. Both the hinge and the closure button still function. The interior of the top lid is lined in white satin while the interior bottom of the case has a light tan flock lining with a circular recess to secure the screwback plate of the badge. The case is in overall very good condition with minimal chafe wear to the exterior, minor yellowing to the interior linings and a couple of small tears to the light tan flock lining.

GRADE ***1/2                             PRICE $310.00