EK I 1813 : Iron cross I. from 1813 !

[frankandfrank]

hello ,
what must i pay for a iron cross I. from 1813 ? About 2000 Euro (2500 US $ ) or more! thanks.
ralf

[Blitz]

If you are lucky enough to find one, 2,5K Euros is not nearly enough. During the almost 2 years i've been collecting i have never seen one for sale, so i can't be sure of value though..

[Tony & Kaiser]

hello ,
what must i pay for a iron cross I. from 1813 ?

About $90. Contact "the82nd" on ebay. Or, you can just burn your money and at least enjoy that.

But really, read every thread you can on 1813s in this forum and think carefully. Good luck.

[Tom Y]

With luck $2000 will get you an EKII. A First Class could go 5 times that.

[Tim Tezer]

I think about twice that price would put you into the general area, but it's very difficult to say because original pieces with good provenance that can be verified as ORIGINAL come on the market so rarely. This is one of the most challenging items for a collector to buy. I have been studying the Iron Cross for years, reading all the literature I could get my hands on, and I still don't feel confident that I could positively tell a good fake from an original. The reason is that the 1813 EK1 is so simple and has so few distinguishing features. It is the perfect item for a faker.

If you really want to own one, my advice is to spend a year or two saving up your money and reading all the books you can get about the Iron Cross. Make sure you get Freidhelm Heyde's "Das Eisernes Kreuz, 1813-1870-1914" which has excellent photos from probably the best Iron Cross collection in existence. Also, join the Bund Deutsche Ordenssammler. They are probably the most expensive collectors group (compared to the OMSA in America and OMRS in the UK), but they have an excellent magazine. Lastly, research dealers and auction houses and look at their sales lists regularly. Try to get a feel for how honest they are in their descriptions of items, what kind of guarantees they offer, and whether they are really knowledgeable enough to know if they are selling an original or a fake. (For example, there is a dealer well known to most members of this forum who specializes in WW1 aviation items, and offers a lifetime guarantee of originality. Unfortunately, he is not very knowledgeable about medals and orders, so his guarantee may give you financial comfort but it doesn't mean that if you buy one from him that it will be authentic.)

Ater you've done your homework, you'll be ready to wait for one to show up on the market.

Luck, they say, is where preparation meets opportunity. Good Luck.

Tim

[frankandfrank]

hello tim,

thanks for fast writing. i have all the books about the iron cross,
From Heyde,Bowen,Previra,Williamson,Schneider, Geißler and more!
But for a iron cross I. 1813 its very difficult to say if it original or no!
Dealerprice about 5000 Euro = Andre-Hüsken a later one about 1840!
But im looking for a early peace!
Iron cross 1813 II. Its easier to say if its a first one or for example about 1830!
thanks
regards
ralf

P.S. my special interess is normal kc winner signed photos

[Tim Tezer]

Ralf,

Since you already have all of the books, here are some more suggestions I can make:

If you want to buy an 1813 EK2, that is a bit less difficult, because the reverse side has details that can be examined closely. Look at the pictures in Heyde, and compare the 1914 crosses with the 1870 and the 1813. They all have subtle differences, and if you study the pictures long enough you will begin to see what they are.

If you are planning to buy something, get photos of it, and put them online somewhere. Then post a link to the photos in this forum and see what people think. Obviously, the more detail in the photos, the better we will be able to form an opinion.

If possible, get exact dimensions and weight of the item. Many of the fakes fall outside of the correct range of weight for the originals.

Tim

[K Bandow]

My dad has this original here at home. Got it in the 70's from the original family.
Not sure how much he wants for it, but is planning on selling the whole lot, including Napoleonic War Prussian button, Prussian Victory medal 1814-1815, and of course, the EKII. It shows age for sure, but is 100% authentic.

[Bill D.]

Liverpool medals currently is offering an 1813 EK II for about $1,600.

I know that Detlev Nieman thinks very hightly of Liverpool Medals.


http://www.liverpoolmedals.com/FMPro...tart2.htm&-new

[Tim Tezer]

Unfortunately, Liverpool Medals seems to be a little behind the technilogical curve. Their photos are usually very small, and there is NO way you could determine the authenticity of an 1813 Iron Cross from a photo as small as they have on their site. They might be able to come up with a larger photo and details if asked.

Tim

[Eric Stahlhut]

I couldn't help noticing that they also advertise a "rare" Silesian Eagle badge 1st class in white enamel. The infamous "O Slask" badge.