EK 1939 Knights cross

[TheKnight]

Hello all

Here is another cross i have come on. dont know whether to take a chance on it or how much it may be worth.

There is no case or papers with it but to me it looks good but i am no expert

any comments would be appreciated.

Assuming its ok what would this cross be worth?

[TheKnight]

picture of front

[PKeating]

Save your money. This is a well-known type of fake, probably made in Latvia about seven or eight years ago. The fakers tried to emulate the cross-hatching effect on the inner corners of the beading on original C E Juncker crosses but, like so many other details, got it wrong. This fake has also been seen with other makers' marks.

PK

[TheKnight]

That cross was one of about 5 that were for sale at an auction. That one and 2 other didnt sell. The others made up to 6500 euro. I assume the others must have been real or else someone was badly caught. That cross had a value of 2500 + 15% Commision on the catalogue. Is it unusual for fakes to make it into what you would think would be a reputable auction house. Another web site advertised a 1957 RK for sale and when i enquired the came clean and said they werent sureif it was real or a reproduction. Is there any safe place to buy a medal like a knights cross.

[PKeating]

There are some reliable dealers out there. However, if you wish to collect the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, or just add one to your collection, you ought to study the subject closely before parting with your money. A genuine LDO-marked C E Juncker cross would set you back around 6.5k in rough condition, unless you were lucky enough to find one for less. However, it might prove difficult to sell when the time came to upgrade so it is better to go that extra mile, so to speak, and pay the money for a nice one. There are a couple of good references out there. The books by Gordon Williamson and Dietrich Maerz come to mind, although there are a few caveats that have been much discussed on the various forums. The book by Previtera is also worth having although there are some howlers in it. However, Gordon Williamson's book is a very good 'primer' study as it covers the crosses produced by the authorised suppliers. It also covers other crosses and some variations but this is really territory, with all due respect, that you ought not to venture into just yet. As far as the genuine crosses are concerned, it is a good idea to stick with 'safe' examples, like those by C E Juncker and the Godet/Zimmermann partnership as the Juncker dies were very likely destroyed when the factory was bombed out in 1944 and there is no evidence that the dies used to produce the Godet and Zimmermann crosses, which are very rare, survived the war. Juncker is a very good choice and the frames are very distinctive. Study the cross-hatching in these two photos. It is a very good starting point, although there are other reference points to learn as well. Obviously, the same frame strikings were used for the obverse and reverse sides of the cross. Compare these to the cross you were considering.

PK

[PKeating]

Mind you, there were several variations produced by Junckers, as this zinc-cored cross with neusilber or nickle-silver frames shows. This cross predates the tightening of the rules pertaining to the production of the Ritterkreuz in March 1941, when, amongst other stipulations, the authorities forbade the use of anything other than iron and silver as materials. However, even though there has been some discussion about the centre or core, the frames are the deal-maker, struck on the same dies used for all RK by C E Juncker. However, as I said, go for a textbook classic in iron and silver, in decent condition, and you shan't have to 'defend' it if the day comes to sell it. The riband loop is of course in .800 silver.

PK

Edited September 27, 2010 by PKeating