Early War crosses are usually not marked.Īfter 1941 there were certain requirements for makers to mark the Crosses. There are many fine and sought after Crosses that are not marked. Be aware though that pristine examples can actually have that 'brand new' look and feel as well. This is somewhat subjective, and based on experience, but experts look for a texture of the metal and the paint of the iron core as veins and aged imperfections in the iron can bubble up or show rust, lines and imperfections with age. Single piece moulded fakes can therefore have paint on the lower inside portions of the silver coloured frames that adjoin the supposed black painted iron core from being painted after moulding. Does the silver frame have any black paint on it? Genuine manufacture has the black painted iron core in the centre, then the silver frame mounted from either side. Can you slide a piece of paper between the core and the inner corners of the frame? If the frame is tight you can't always do this by the way, it works on ones that have become slightly loose over time.

When you look at the silver frame side on can you see a join / line running down the side of the frame? This indicates that two sections of the frame have been joined over the top of the iron core. So some telltale signs to look for here are: The black painted Iron Core had its silver frame soldered together over the top of the iron core in two pieces from either side. Is it of three sectioned / three piece construction? So being non-magnetic doesn't always mean that it's fake, but being magnetic means it does have a higher chance of being legit for a new collector who is not across the finer points of identifying Iron Crosses. Having said that, at least one maker of high quality reproductions has made magnetic reproductions in the past, but these don't show up too frequently thankfully. A simple fridge magnet can show you that a cross is magnetic and can be a big indicator that you have an original. Non magnetic versions were made for the Kriegsmarine, and as cheaper private purchases for field wear. Whilst it is the 'Iron' Cross, which will make most magnetic, not all genuine Iron Crosses are actually magnetic. This is always a good sign, and a good thing to have up your sleeve should it subsequently prove to be a cleverly faked item. It wouldn't be the first time that even experienced dealers and collectors had fallen for a clever fake of German militaria.Ī few tips for buying an Iron Cross (these are by no means exhaustive by the way, experts may look at numerous other factors):ĭoes the dealer have money back assurances? Be aware that some dealers who may not have detailed knowledge, may innocently be passing off a fake that they themselves fell for as a genuine item.

Beware of less open and honest dealers who can pass off aged fakes as the real deal. Watch out for the condescending 'rivet counters' though who may not be as welcoming as they should be to new collectors.įor most militaria collectors, we are just in the hands of honest dealers to be open with what it is that they are selling. If you have the time, joining some online expert chat rooms and social media groups can be useful to tap friendly experts and build some knowledge. They do this from years of handling them and also analysing the small idiosyncrasies of the design, placement of the numbers etc. There are wonderful experts out there who can take just one good look at a Cross and tell you whether it's real or fake, and possibly even who made it. As German troops had the custom of actually wearing their awards and decorations into combat (as seen in virtually all wartime images) many soldiers legitimately made private purchases of licensed versions their awarded Crosses for field wear. Some Crosses were made as 'Award Pieces' that would have been issued to the recipient from their Unit upon earning the decoration. Identifying and buying the right Cross can be a little daunting and even a bit complicated for the newcomer in a number of ways.įor starters, numerous makers were licensed by the government to make the Iron Cross, with early war examples often being unmarked, and post 1941 mandated markings being in numerous forms. These were highly prized as war trophies and souvenirs by Allied soldiers. They represent military gallantry, albeit from the other side of those major conflicts for Aussie collectors.

They are also an interesting and elite artefact to collect. Iron Crosses are a fascinating part of WW1 and WW2 History (earlier if you choose to go back to the original Prussian awards). TIPS FOR IDENTIFYING AND BUYING AN IRON CROSS

Iron money box