I am a new collector of medals, and I was hoping someone could add some clarity about the iron core of an iron cross. Should the core have the properties of a magnet (what I would call magnetic) or be attracted to a magnet, I.E. ferrous? I have recently purchased an EKI and an EKII and neither are "magnetic", but both are guaranteed original.
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Hello,
Most EKs were made with an iron (magnetic) core however some early types were made with a brass or non magnetic core. It is thought that these were favoured by naval personnel who didn't want their awards to succumb to corrosion brought on by exposure to salt water so it is perfectly normal to have an Iron Cross without an iron core.
If you do a search on the forum or have a look in the Iron Cross section on the home page you will find it explained in much greater detail by the experts.
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Does it appear to be 3 piece construction? If you want me to post pics ... PM meOriginally posted by Vonstigler
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Hi,Originally posted by Vonstigler
The cores were ferrous, ie made from iron and will therefore attract a magnet - they are not magnetic as such.
As indicatd above, there are some exceptions - mainly brass but some EK2 cores were also in zinc.
Regards
MikeRegards
Mike
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Thanks everyone for your input, now I understand. As soon as I figure out how to take a clear close-up picture with this digital camera I will post some pictures. The EKI is a screwback marked L54, the EKII is unmarked.Comment
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