Luftschutz 1st class in zinc

[Andy B.]

Hi Guys,
I saw this 1st class Luftschutz and found in rather intriguing. Initially I thought it was bad, but after doing a search, I found a zinc one owned by mott5ranch and thought it looked just like it. I can see some minor differences in a couple of the letters, but that might be attributed to the photograph. Overall tho, I thought they looked the same.

Here is a link showing his (I hope he doesn't mind)....
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...hutz+1st+class

What do ya'll think?

Sincerely Andy B.

[mott5ranch]

123

[Andy B.]

Hi Gary,
I appreciate you chimming in on the medal. I don't own this one....I found it for sale and thought it might be good. I will also try and get measurements and weight from the seller. Good luck with the shopping...I found it best if I don't go, that way I won't get too depressed with the bill.
Andy

[Andy B.]

Anyone one else?.....Beuller?.....

[clevischi]

I have found this one in zinc too:





What is the overral opnion in this zinc type medal?

[byterock]

I actually have my doubts about both of these, The do have some marks on them that lead me to believe they are cast.

One of the very few TR medals that I never did manage to get because like other have said they are rare in the extream with I think fewer than 150 ever being awarded.

I have examined a few (read 3) in the past none have lost their guilt and were made to a very high standard. I have only seen it in wear in one photograph and the odd time as a double placement on a medal bar never with a device though.

What I would really like to see is a close up of the obverse under the 19 and the suspension bar holder. These are the areas I am suspicions of

[tgn]

Here is a real one for comparison. I never get tired of showing this one...Tom

[tgn]

This close-up may help more... Personally, I don't think they ever made them in zinc.

Tom

[kenneth wolfe]

Wooooooooooooow

Tom,

You need to invite me down for some show and tell.


Kenneth

[MrSmith]

The details look good, considering the precial metal shortages in Germany at the time and the fact everything from coins to pots were made from lower base metals I wouldn't discount these out of hand.

[Stan]

RLB Cross 1st Class

Tom,

That court-mounted Cross is a killer

Here's my gilded bronze piece.

Later awards (post 1944) were made of zinc.

Stan

[Stan]

RLB Cross 1st Class

Reverse.

Stan

[clevischi]

In the last 4/5 years only 3 (count with these ones in yhis post) of this medal in zinc have been showed here in the foruns, and the details of them are really good.
Thinking that in the late war zinc was used for doing medals, i can suppose that these ones can be real. If a cast of this medal does exist i imagine some more medals have had to be showed in the last years.

[Peter J.]

I've seen yet another.

Stan, I'll not dispute your comment about 1944, I simply don't have the knowledge, but I think with the limited numbers of awardees, the existing stock of produced gilded bronze pieces would be sufficient. Either way, the crosses differ in details, hence there must have been two different dies

p.s. I love your cross.

cheers
Peter

[James Clark]

Tom,

That court-mounted Cross is a killer

Here's my gilded bronze piece.

Later awards (post 1944) were made of zinc.

Stan

The award of the Luftschutzehrenzeichen was halted for the duration of the war by an order published in December 1944, so there shouldn't have been any awards post 1944.