WWII GERMAN IRON CROSS 2nd CLASS in Box -
The Iron Cross is perhaps the most recognizable award of World War two. It was issued to soldiers in
recognition for bravery. The Iron Cross employed during WWII is very similar to that used during
WWI .
The major differences between the two periods are the dates displayed in the lower arm of the cross
and the absecense of a Swastika in the WWI type.
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There were several versions of the Iron Cross.
- First Class Iron Cross - This award has a pin back and
does not hang from a ribbon.
- Second Class Iron Cross - The award has a Award has an upper loop where a ring is attached allowing it to be
suspended via a ribbon. This is the award featured on this page.
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - Introduced on September of 1939. Designed to bridge the gap between the
Iron Cross First Class and the Grand Cross.
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves - Introduced on 3 June 1940.
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and swords - Introduced on 15 July 1941.
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, swords and diamonds - Introduced on 15 July 1941.
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, swords and diamonds - Instituted on January 1945.
awarded to only one person. Hans Ulrich Rudel.
- Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross - This is a prototype award.
- Grand Cross of the Iron Cross - Instituted on September 1st 1939. Identical to the Second Class Iron Cross
except that bigger.
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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 Iron Cross 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.
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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, 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.
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HOW THE IRON CROSS WAS PRESENTED
The Iron cross was usually issued in a paper envelope. It could be blue or beige in color. It had a printed
words in the front along with the date of 1939, which is the date when the award was adopted by the Third Reich.
The award was also issued on a box. Although this was not a common occurance. The photo to the right illustrates
what the box looks like.
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COLLECTING IRON CROSSES
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 Infantry Assault badges."
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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 Infantry Assault badge.
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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.
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