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WWII SPANISH CIVIL WAR WOUND BADGE - SILVER -

The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939. It began after a military rebellion, led by a group of conservative generals under the authority of Francisco Franco, went against the elected Government of the Second Spanish Republic, at the time under the leadership of President Manuel Azaña.

Towards the end of the Spanish civil war, several German soldiers were wounded. This prompted the New Spanish government to institute an award in recognition of the help provided by the Germans, the wound badge. The year was 1939, the design that was selected was very similar to that employed during the great war, the main difference being that the new badge sported a different shape helmet.


The wound badge was issued in three classes: Black, silver and gold.

The criteria for earning the award follows:


CLASS CRITERIA
Black Wound badge 1 to 2 wounds
Silver wound badge 3 to 4 wounds
Gold wound badge 5 or more wounds


The design consists of an oval shape with a wreath surrounding its perimeter. The area inside the wreath has heavy pebbling. The profile of a German helmet (Type M-35) is placed in the center of the badge. A swastka is positioned in the center of the helmet. A pair of crossed swords is located behind the helmet. The shape is stamped so it is raised in the front. The back is solid and smooth. A vertical pin is provided to secure the badge to the tunic of the owner. This was accomplished by putting the pin through a series of loops (two or more) that were sewn to the breast area of the jacket. The pin is hinged on one end and has a catch on the other.

The award was issued in a box. Black in color. The lid is hinged to one end via the use of metal hinges. When the box is in the open position, the hinges cannot be seen from the inside of the box because a section of cloth is provided to hide them. A button activated latch is built to the opposite end of the hinges. This mechanism secured the lid shut when in the closed position.

The inside of the box has a cutout made to fit the back portion of the badge, normally this area is covered with a black felt cloth. The piece featured here is missing that feature. It consists of plain cardboard.



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 badge 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. Wound Badge 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








The German Wound Badge

The "Military minute" is a series of instructional videos created by MilitaryItems.com for the purpose of providing basic information about military collectibles. The idea is to expose people to the exciting world of military collectibles.

The video presentation coupled with detailed photographs and written information, including a military collectible's price guide, and anatomical breakdown of each piece enhances the visitor's experience.

Whether you are a long time collector, a beginner or simply have an interest in the history and value of each collectible, we hope that you find the information presented here useful.



The back of the wound badge is normally not marked. However, there may be instances where this did not occur.

BY THE NUMBERS
It is hard to determine the exact number of Spanish Civil war wound 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 400 thousand as many soldiers qualified for this badge.



The actual number of Silver wound 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 SPANISH WOUND MEDALS
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 Spanish Civil War Wound 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 Spanish Civil War wound badge.



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 $60.00 $80.00 $80.00 $90.00 $100.00 $100.00 $110.00 $120.00 $130.00 $130.00 $140.00 $140.00
Availability Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium
Invest Grade B B B B B B B B B B B B


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 3rd, 2017
The wound badge shown here is in very good condition. The value is likely to increase over time at a steady pace.


 
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