1870 Iron Cross First Class

[Gailen David]

Will you knowledgeable 1870 Cross guys take a look at the 1870 Cross I listed on my site (GDMmilitaria.com) and give me your thoughts. It has beautiful definition.

Gailen

[Michael Everett]

1870 Cross

Gailen,

I am of the opinion that the cross and the case were not manufactured during the 1870 Franco-Prussian war period.

However, I would not eliminate the possibility that the cross may have been produced during the period of 1900-1920.


It has been generally accepted that only three manufacturers produced actual period made 1870 pieces. This is not one of them. Also, the case has the wrong shaped cross on the case lid.

MIKE

[Gailen David]

Gailen,

I am of the opinion that the cross and the case were not manufactured during the 1870 Franco-Prussian war period.

However, I would not eliminate the possibility that the cross may have been produced during the period of 1900-1920.


It has been generally accepted that only three manufacturers produced actual period made 1870 pieces. This is not one of them. Also, the case has the wrong shaped cross on the case lid.

MIKE

Thanks Mike!

[Biro]

Not an issue piece by Godet or Wagner... (nor a well-known fake for that matter)...

Puts it firmly in the 'Grey area'.

Numbering and general obverse has more in common with the Prinzen first class.

Not something I would buy.

Marshall

[Gailen David]

Marshall: I was aware that it wasn't an issue piece. But I could find nothing to indicate it was fake.


Gailen

[streptile]

Hi Gailen,

Can you please post precise measurements in mm? Is it magnetic? Does it look and feel like .900 silver, as it's marked?

Also, the pin on this on looks more WW2 style than Imperial or earlier. However, it's not a match to any WW2 EK1 makers that I know.

The issue pieces have known cores. The early replacement crosses have known cores, too. Even jubilee crosses have 2 known cores that I am familiar with. One of these types of jubilee-era cores was used in WW1 examples, from what I can tell. This one matches none of these.

May I post a couple of the photos here to stimulate more discussion?

Numbering ... has more in common with the Prinzen first class.

Finally, I believe this is the Prinzen core Marshall is referring to:

[streptile]

Here's a Third Reich Anti-Partisan Badge with a pin that's similar to the 1870 EK1 in question.