Ko Ek1

[Henri S]

Just got this in and to be honest not so impressed with the quality.

Is this paint quality normal or has it been repainted?

Is the date 1914 OK?

What do you think of this ek1?

[Henri S]

Closer look at the date

[Henri S]

Reverse view, which looks OK to me.

[Henri S]

Pin open

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Henri,

This type of KO (with the massive hinge block) is accepted as original but honestly the quality of this type is really poor, especially core detail. In this case I believe your suspicions about a repaint are correct though as there is strong evidence of black paint on the beading and the finish is glossy and rough from your close-up.

Regards
Mike

[Dave Danner]

KO was the Royal Mint in Württemberg. Given the kingdom's proximity to the Western Front, the mint was a major supplier of Iron Crosses during the war, if not the biggest. I imagine quality varied considerably.

[J. Adam]

KO was the manufacturer that made the EK that were issued by the armed forces. Therefore it is no suprise that the quality of the KO EKs declined substantially later in the war. Also, because of the numbers of crosses produced the die wear is clearly visible. I have a cross that is pretty much identical to the one you have shown and it is 100% period. mine has a similar paint texture but it has not been repainted.