Prussian Red Cross Medal 2nd class

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes please! I have none.

[Guest Rick Research]

This 1st Class came to visit today:

[Komtur]

In between there was a visit here too

This one and Ricks are in my opinion the typical awarded item of the Berliner M?nze. It was minted there, but the finish was done in another firm (or for the small series produced over 20 years in the Berliner M?nze may be in different firms). That could be the reason for the difference in the enamel.

Edited July 25, 2007 by Komtur

[Komtur]

...the back

[Guest Rick Research]

I'm not sure which was UP and which was DOWN on the scan I made for my friend yesterday, but I did notice that the scanner could NOT capture the pattern underneath if it was turned one way, but DID get it scanned if turned 90 degrees. I guess it is the shadows on the lines. Try turning yours sideways and see if the pattern that the scanner sees is more the way it is to look at with human eyes.

This effect also happens with Soviet officers' shoulder boards. Straight up and down, they come out like mush. But scanned sideways, the bullion pattern shows perfectly. Weird. But it has to be the MOVING shadow effect of a scanner.

[Henry 24th]

This 1st Class came to visit today:

Nice to see this little beauty again, I used to own this one. Looks like it found a good home

I used to own some of the second class medals as well and have this to add (in case no one had made a point of it yet.)

Look at the quality difference between the 2nd class medal in Post#1 and that of Post #20.

Post#1 clearly is a 3rd class award that had been painted silver and a very inferior enamel applied to the cross. It is almost opaque.

Post#2 on the other hand, is made of actual silver, has a woderful transluscent enamel and a pattern on the cross similar to that seen in the 1st class award.

I believe the difference is strictly caused by war shortages and that post#1 is a legitamate example of a late war issue medal. Post#20 being an early war example.

With regard to the 3rd class medal, you can find them in almost every finish imaginable: Steel, zinc, brass, copper and gilded.

Henry

[Komtur]

I'm not sure which was UP and which was DOWN on the scan I made for my friend yesterday, but I did notice that the scanner could NOT capture the pattern underneath if it was turned one way, but DID get it scanned if turned 90 degrees. I guess it is the shadows on the lines. Try turning yours sideways and see if the pattern that the scanner sees is more the way it is to look at with human eyes.

The picture of my cross is no scan it is a photo. Just by chance we had yesterday a meeting of collectors and compared three of these beauties . No difference except caused by wearing were to be seen in the case of the cross and the crowns. But in case of the needle and the colour of the enamel one was exactly like yours and the other like the one I showed. I suppose it is the question of different finishing by two firms as mentioned above.

[Guest Rick Research]

"Nice to see this little beauty again, I used to own this one. Looks like it found a good home "

Must be a clone. Not that one, which was found locally years ago.

[redcross]

I am told that the enamel is important,

laying aside the reproductions which use plastic,

the high rounded enamel is the original issue,

while those with low flat enamel are "later replacements"

there was supposed to be an article about this in a German medals journal,

[Komtur]

Another sandwich

[Komtur]

....came along with a document

[Humberto Corado]

hello all,

thanks for sharing all this info and images!

I am wondering if it was alone the kaiser who granted personally the 1 class decoration??I should suppose then that the other two lower classes were granted by some authority of the red cross.

why in some ribbon bars that you have shown here the ribbons of the 2nd and 3rd clases were used together and in other's separated by another medal ribbon?

thanks!

Humberto

Edited September 22, 2007 by Humberto Corado

[nesredep]

Hi

Very interesting.Thanks for sharing all info.

Regards

Nesredep

[ixhs]

The 2nd class is a

piece which was made after 1918 (till 1920)

or a 57 S & L piece or a modern fake

 

[speedytop]

Hi ixhs,

"The 2nd class is a piece which was made after 1918 (till 1920) or a 57 S & L piece ..."

I could absolutely never be a "57 S & L piece", there is nothing to combine with 57er.

Uwe