MY first Imperial medal aka Where's the paint?

[Kevin Price]

Any ideas on what happened to the black finish this Friedrich Cross from Anhalt is supposed to have? A newly converted former Third Reich collector would appreciate any input.

[Kevin Price]

The posterior

[Bill M]

--That cross is fine, I think you are thinking about the blackened Friedrich August cross of Oldenberg...

[Rick Research]

Nope, if anything it has simply been overcleaned, which time will heal. These Anhalt Friedrichs-- like the Brunswick Ernst Augusts-- were MADE with a chemically "permanent" deep, wonderful chocolate bronze finish. Somebody, sometime, decided that was "tarnish" and overcleaned it, removing the original timeless patina. That chocolate finish WILL come back-- although it will take longer than the factory applied one did to begin with!

Just leave it be-- not meant to be shiny.

These are quite scarce, and like many of our beautiful Imperial pieces, severely under-appreciated (and we always hope, underpriced! ) by nazty zinky sellers!

[Dave Danner]

This is about the right patina, I think:



As with old copper coins, the chocolate patina looks much better to me than the shiny finish.

An example of an overcleaned medal:



Also, Kevin, your cross isn't Second Class at all. It's just the Friedrich Cross, or Friedrichkreuz. Unlike some of the other EK equivalents, it came in just one class. The pinback ones sometimes seen were unauthorized.

Regards,
Dave

[Kevin Price]

I thank everyone for their input. Hopefully I'll get more knowledgeable about Imperial items.

[Bill M]

--Still think he was referring to a black FA Cross...