"5"-marked EK 2

[George Stimson]

I've not seen one of these before -- an EK 2 marked "5" for Hermann Wernstein on the ring.
Obverse.

[George Stimson]

Reverse.

[George Stimson]

Here's one view of the mark. It's not a clear, head-on stamping, but when you look at it through a loupe and move it around in the light it seems to be a definite "5".

[George Stimson]

Here's a different light angle on the mark.
Opinions and comments are welcome!

[Steinar]

very nice cross lovely patina

[grueni1208]

I believe Wernstein didn't produced EK's during the WW2.
There are no EK packets and cases by Wernstein, too.

I think it's an original EK II with a post war stamp.

I only saw EK II's with maker's mark 5 on internet by a german dealer, but he has EK II's with maker's mark 2 and 8 too.
This EK II's with a rare maker's mark (on different EK II's ) are regular to buy .

Regards

Grueni

[George Stimson]

"I believe Wernstein didn't produced EK's during the WW2.
There are no EK packets and cases by Wernstein, too."

Why do you believe that, Grueni? What about the packet here: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...n+Wernstein+EK

[Adrian]

The stamp certainly looks believeable, not the usual '5' commonly seen on postwar stamped crosses. I'm not at home at the moment so can't compare for myself but does the actual EK bear any resemblance to another maker?

[grueni1208]

Why do you believe that, Grueni? What about the packet here:

IMO a bad fake
The script-style is wrong and the maker stamp on back side is wrong, too.
The packet could be original and the script is post war.

Here examples of Wernstein maker stamps (Ostmedaille, KVK II).

Regards

Grueni

[George Stimson]

Okay! Thank you! (Is there a maker mark on that Ost medal?)

[grueni1208]

(Is there a maker mark on that Ost medal?)

This are pictures from my database, but there are no maker's mark to see.
Maybe it's possible that another member of this forum has an Ostmedaille with an original maker's mark by Wernstein.

Regards

Grueni

[jani_tiainen]

I have had one Wernstein with exactly the same mark. Unfortunately I do not find picture but I know the guy who owns it now and might get one. I remember it well because I reported it to "EK2 makers statistics" and it was the first one there.

I purchased it from Germany two years ago from dealer who had misc. lot of EK2's. Price was not high so there was no premium for rare maker - All the other EKs were good. I do not understand why someone would have marked few crosses with "5" just for fun?

Jani

[Robert P.]

I have had one Wernstein with exactly the same mark. Unfortunately I do not find picture but I know the guy who owns it now and might get one. I remember it well because I reported it to "EK2 makers statistics" and it was the first one there.

I purchased it from Germany two years ago from dealer who had misc. lot of EK2's. Price was not high so there was no premium for rare maker - All the other EKs were good. I do not understand why someone would have marked few crosses with "5" just for fun?

Jani

Just for money, jani. Just for money. Forgers stamp a lot of original crosses postwar to 'up' their value. Hopefully, yours was good.

I don't know if Wernstein manufactured EK's during the war, but I've asked the medals guys on the medals forum to show us a '5' ring stamp off of an Ostmedaille. Hopefully we'll have a stamp shortly to look at.

Robert

[Tiger 1]

Would the proper numeric mark for Wernstein a 5 inside a box or square?

Tony

[jani_tiainen]

Just for money, jani. Just for money. Forgers stamp a lot of original crosses postwar to 'up' their value. Hopefully, yours was good.

Robert

Sure, but there was no premium. All the EK's cost same price, whatever maker / no maker it was. Whatsoever we will wait for the Ostmedal.

...Though who knows how many people had previously owned that EK and where it had came from.

I will try to get picture of that as well.

Jani