This just sold for $2,795:
Luckily, this one is still available, also for $2,795:
IRON CROSS 1st CLASS - DOUBLE SIDE HOOKS. One of the most exoticc variants of the1870 and 1914 Iron Crosses 1st Class was the pinback model with double side hooks. These were typically favored by senior officers. To wear them properly it was necessary to sew three loops onto a tunic to support the pin and the two side hooks. When you see the loops on a tunic, you know right away what they are for. The Iron Cross is a flat or non vaulted model, which was typical of Franco-Prussian War Iron Crosses. The obverse’s paint rates at about 90%. It shows honest age for a one-hundred-plus-year-old Iron Cross. A very light patch of very limited surface rust also appears. This is not deep and adds to the age of the Iron Cross. It also confirms the center is iron. I can assure you that the light trace of rust is not detractive to the overall presentation of this beautiful medal. The frame’s beading is even and pleasing. The frame’s patina is dark. It speaks of silver that has not been cleaned in a long time. The reverse sports a flat pin. Under the pin the cross is hallmarked for .800 silver. Its double side hooks are the real beauties of the Iron Cross. They are in excellent condition, with no trace of damage to them. This is important to note, as the hooks are very delicate. It would not take much to separate them from the cross. It is common to see one that has been reattached by soldering, or with the hook completely missing. The WW I double side hook Iron Crosses that I have found over the years often came from the workshop of the well known Prussian Royal House Jeweler, Godet & Sohn of Berlin. While this style of Iron Cross has never been common, I believe they were a bit more the fashion during the Franco-Prussian War. Our example was most certainly privately purchased by the owner after his initial Iron Cross award. Since it is hallmarked for .800 silver, it was produced on or after 1885 when Kaiser Wilhelm I established a new method of describing silver content by imperial decree. It was common for officers to own multiple examples of their Iron Crosses and other decorations (including the legendary PLM). The reasons for wanting multiple decorations were many, such as saving time when changing tunics, etc. It is a fine representation of an 1870 Iron Cross 1st Class. $2,995.00
1870 IRON CROSS 1st CLASS. This is a most interesting private-purchase example of the 1870 Iron Cross 1st Class. It is, of course, of the flat, or non vaulted, variety. What really makes this example unique is that it is has four loops on the reverse to sew it onto a tunic as opposed to being the more commonly seen pinback. This system of affixing the Iron Cross to the tunic was used for 1813 Iron Crosses, which sometimes used four and eight loops. This system was used from time to time for 1914 Iron Crosses, but rarely. There is no manufacturer hallmarking on this Iron Cross. The cross and the patina to it exhibit honest wear. A very unusual example compared with the more commonly seen Godet and Wagner 1870 Iron Crosses. This Iron Cross really has a lot of personality. $2,795.00
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