EK II - A Real Stumper

[regular122]

I bought this cross on eBay and was excited about getting it because from the pics, the crown and letters looked exactly like the late war solid brass pieces. The seller listed it as an 1813 Iron Cross. I thought, well not really, turn it over and there will be the 1914.

The ribbon is perfect and original, the ring is soldered and the quality is good for this type of Brass 'Iron' Cross. And the paint is fairly intact. Here is a pic of the obverse.

[regular122]

What to my confusion when I turned it over and saw this.

[regular122]

You're not seeing double. It is the same cross. It is very well made. The reverse looks (both of them!) looks like many of the other brass examples I have seen. My guess is that since these were made late in the war, it was an unintended double strike? Or what? Here are more pics.

[regular122]

Top detail

[regular122]

Bottom detail

[regular122]

And the side for the last pic.

Measurements are 44mm overall and each arm is 24mm on the edge. Has anyone ever seen one like this? Steve

[gregM]

So you're the one who got it I tried for this one myself but was
outbid. My best guess is a late war piece just like you thought--made on a friday afternoon just before quitting time and some body screwed up
with the die stamping machine. OOPS

[Don D.]

Perhaps a stamped hollow core with two of the same halves. That means somewhere there is one with two 1914s out there. That crown sure is funky looking though.

[regular122]

Greg, my thoughts as well!

And Don's point about the other one with only obverses is quite possible. Kind of like finding a pair of right socks and a matching pair of left socks.

I think Greg and I went into it with some skepticism because it didn't go for much and I would not have gone but just a shave over what I got it for. But the ribbon and style made it worth taking a chance, especially when I saw that the vendor was selling antiques rather than military items. Now I'm glad I did as it adds a very strange piece to the Imperial EKII reference world.

The crown is odd Don. That is what alerted me to it. At first I passed it by but then I remembered seeing that round crown on some pics of brass examples, checked the files, and then decided to go for it. Here are some pics of some others I surfed on the web. Regards to any of you that may own one of these pieces. Would love to see more detail if so. Steve

[Robin Lumsden]

What a unique item..........and something missing from ALL the books!

[MrSmith]

Always something new and interesting to see with 1914 EK2, never seen something like that before, just reminds us these people who toiled away for hours making these things had slip ups, just like us in our jobs everyday.

It is said too often but it is so true nonetheless, if only these pieces could talk.