Prussian Kriegshilfkreuze • War Help Crosses

[streptile]

This is most definitely an accidental collection of mine.

A while ago I bid on the silver piece on eBay and to my surprise I won it. Later I learned that The Club sells very good silver fakes, and I was lucky that mine wasn't one, because I bought it blind. Then, last year, the aluminum version popped up on a dealer update and I thought, what the hell. So I bought it.

That left me in the strange position of owning two rarer variants of this common cross, but not the awarded original type in zinc. So, for $15, I picked up a minty zinc example at the recent SOS.

So now, three of these most humble Prussian awards: the War Help Cross, or Kriegshilfkreuz.

[streptile]

The aluminum is, I think, quite uncommon, and it's definitely very light. It's the largest of the three.

[streptile]

The silver is marked GODET on the ring and 938 on the pie-slice eye. It's heavy and very, very thin compared to the others -- I guess to conserve the precious metal.

[streptile]

The zinc is much nicer than I expected considering my inborn aversion to zinc. It's also heavy and thick, and basically brand new (although about 100 years old).

[Jesse]

A nice set. These are under valued medals in my opinion. I have a bronze silvered one, the bronze eeps through on the high points. I thought it was a pure silver one when I bought it and was quite excited after seeing your silver one. You do seem to see an awful lot of very good condition zinc versions around, which makes me wonder, how many were awarded? I assume they were handed out like confetti, especially during the latter part of the war.

I am very worried the club is doing good fakes, do you have any pictures of their ones? I am starting to get really annoyed about the amount and quality of the fakes those guys are pumping out.

J

[streptile]

Thanks for your reply Jesse.

The Club fakes are superb (as usual for their simpler awards) and can only be unmasked by close comparison of the die. I'm not entirely sure I saved photos of the entire thing (I'll look) but I did make this one comparison image of the center medallion before they took them off their site.

Silver GODET on left, Club fake on right, and a few differences noted.

[RelicHunter]

Very nice trio. I still need to pick up a zinc one. Most medics and red cross volunteers were awarded these I believe.

[Jesse]

Thank you, I can clearly see what you mean by the comparisons. I am starting to think I should look at all the awards I have, in case any were made by those shysters.

Jess

[VonPeter]

Nice to see them side by side.
The silver one looks extra nice. The details on the crown is very sharp and distinct, but its a Godat made from proper materials so why shouldn't it be....

These are under valued medals in my opinion.

Agree

/peter

[römischIX]

a piece made of silvered bronce is missing.

i had one.

[streptile]

a piece made of silvered bronce is missing.
i had one.

Please show it Joe.