1870 Ek's

[tegunn]

I've looked on the threads and in Iron Cross Iron Times book and still searching for answers..
Were the centers of 1870's 1st and 2nd classes cast or stamped? I know they went through different issue time frames, so I'm mainly speaking of "period" pieces. I figure after 1914 any duplicates were stamped...

[joelhall]

they were cast on the period pieces. this is evident from seeing the pieces themselves, but also the fact that many cores were brittle - stamping would have cracked these long before time.

i believe they were brittle due to other metals added - this happened after the core had cooled, therefore it suggests they were cast still as in 1813 crosses.

[tegunn]

I agree the brittleness is due to the mixture of the iron(too much phosphorus- I believe). Stamping would have taken place with the metal hot, (not a could stamp) and cracking would not happen ( I believe the WWI crosses generally were stamped to maintain production). I kinda thought they(1870) were cast..