Medal Bars of Custom Service and Long Service

[Rommel1933]

Hi all,

I read in Tom Yanacek's book "Parade Medal Bars of The Third Reich" it is rare to see a Customs Medal on a Parade Medal Bar. What I thought was interesting is that there are 4 and 12 year service awards next to each other. At first I this might have been incorrect as Tom states in his book regarding police officers... however, I believe he stated this might be correct.. anyway, here ya'all go..

PS - This is mounted in the "Traditional German Style" - Page 9

Thank you,
Scott

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi all,

I read in Tom Yanacek's book "Parade Medal Bars of The Third Reich" it is rare to see a Customs Medal on a Parade Medal Bar. What I thought was interesting is that there are 4 and 12 year service awards next to each other. At first I this might have been incorrect as Tom states in his book regarding police officers... however, I believe he stated this might be correct.. anyway, here ya'all go..

PS - This is mounted in the "Traditional German Style" - Page 9

Thank you,
Scott

Hello Scott,

Actually, I term this as a modified traditional medal bar because the medals do not nest completely upon the ribbon rosettes; they hang down partially below the rosettes.

A combination such as this is completely legitimate. Members of the Armed Forces on active duty could wear up to two Wehrmacht Long Service Decorations, if they rated them. And as a member of the military involved in border patrol/security, they could get the Customs Service Decoration after four years of such service. The regulations allowed the Customs Service Decoration to be worn with two Wehrmacht Long Service Decorations. Policemen could only wear one Police Long Service Decoration on their medal bar (the highest one that they rated) but if a policeman was a member of the Armed Forces, on active duty, he could wear one Police Long Service Decoration adjacent to the Wehrmacht Long Service Decoration.

All of the medals on the bar look original, although that Wehrmacht 4-Year Long Service is unusual as the raised rim around the medal is almost completely absent from the front. The only other thing is that the 12-Year Medal should have a gold eagle on the ribbon and the 4-Year Medal should have a silver eagle. With the glare on the picture, I can't tell for sure what color the eagles are. Construction-wise, the bar looks like a legitimate period assembly. I need to get a bar like this for my collection as I do not have a Customs Service Decoration on a medal bar. Very nice & thanks for posting this bar.

Best regards,
Tom

[Rommel1933]

Thank you Tom for spending the time to respond to my post... The color of both the eagles are silver.. You are correct on the rim.. it is a deeper, thicker rim on the back of the 4 year medal than the front. Looking at the sides of the medal there are NO seams so it looks stampled no cast... I find it also interesting that this individual spend 12 years in the Armed Forces and they have no merit medals? After 12 years he would have done something for an Iron Cross 2nd class I would think...

Thank you again for you inputs. if you want me to post more close ups of the 4 year I can do so.

Enjoy it while you can.. I only have a few Parade Medal Bars left to post!

Thank you, Scott

[Tom Yanacek]

Here is another beautiful & completely original customs medal bar. Mathias just sold this one recently on the estand. I hope he doesn't mind me posting it here. (Mathias: If you want this picture removed, just say so and I will ask the moderator to delete it.)

The only thing the new owner needs to do with this gem of a medal bar is to tuck the suspension rings for the Wehrmacht 12- & 4-Year Medals back under the ribbons where they belong.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

I find it also interesting that this individual spend 12 years in the Armed Forces and they have no merit medals? After 12 years he would have done something for an Iron Cross 2nd class I would think...

Hello Scott,

This medal bar probably dates from ca.1939-1940 and is probably a pre-WW2 or very early WW2 assembly. Many individuals dispensed with upgrading their parade medal bars during the war so this is not at all unusual.

Best regards,
Tom

[Rommel1933]

Very True Tom... I believe you book talks about that in the Police Section. Basically you talk about how Police Medal Bars are more common since they had the time and were at home to have their medals mounted vs. soldiers in the far off lands fighting...

So once this guy left he might never have come back to upgrading anything...

[Tom Yanacek]

So once this guy left he might never have come back to upgrading anything...

So sad but so true in many cases.

[Tom Yanacek]

I need to get a bar like this for my collection as I do not have a Customs Service Decoration on a medal bar.

"Ask and you shall receive..."

I've wanted a medal bar with a Customs Service Decoration on it for a long, long time. Wouldn't you know that I stumble on to what I consider to be the ultimate in a customs medal bar at this weekends MAX Show. Not only does it have the elusive Customs Service Decoration on it, but it is a six-place, all-Third Reich Period bar. (Actually, a seven-placer if you consider the Prague Castle Clasp as a separate award.)

Best regards,
Tom

[luftkrieg]

"Ask and you shall receive..."

I've wanted a medal bar with a Customs Service Decoration on it for a long, long time. Wouldn't you know that I stumble on to what I consider to be the ultimate in a customs medal bar at this weekends MAX Show. Not only does it have the elusive Customs Service Decoration on it, but it is a six-place, all-Third Reich Period bar. (Actually, a seven-placer if you consider the Prague Castle Clasp as a separate award.)

Best regards,
Tom

Definately the ultimate in Customs medal bars!! Well done Tom.

Best regards
Pierce

[Woolgar]

Wow, a superb bar Tom

Nick

[Tom Yanacek]

Thanks Pierce and Nick. I was pleased to find such a gem at the MAX.

Best regards,
Tom

[Gary B]

Hi Tom,

Well done, Tom. Good chatting with you at the show.

Here is my one Customs Bar - 4 or 5 places (if you count the Prague bar) in mint condition. An pre war version of Tom's bar!!

Gary B

[Rommel1933]

Truly awesome guys! Tom that is a heck of a good Custom Medal Bar! I am glad my post was able to re-wet your whistle to get one

Is the Max full of gems like this?

Thank you,
Scott

[Tom Yanacek]

Hi Tom,

Well done, Tom. Good chatting with you at the show.

Here is my one Customs Bar - 4 or 5 places (if you count the Prague bar) in mint condition. An pre war version of Tom's bar!!

Gary B

Hello Gary,

Very nice! Thanks for posting that gem of a bar. Likewise, it was very nice seeing you and Jill at the show.

Best regards,
Tom

[Tom Yanacek]

Truly awesome guys! Tom that is a heck of a good Custom Medal Bar! I am glad my post was able to re-wet your whistle to get one

Is the Max full of gems like this?

Thank you,
Scott

Hello Scott,

Yes, indeed! I do feel that your posting of this thread somehow helped me to finally find one. So thank you, my friend! Yet it's not as if I was looking for one of these at the show. This bar could have gone so easily unnoticed but I magically, almost miraculously, stumbled upon it.

Usually, you can find some nice medal bars at a show like the MAX or SOS, but I really wouldn't say that the shows are full of them. It's not like they're everywhere you look. You really have to look around a lot to find them. You need to be careful too because many that you see will be those postwar assembled monstrosities with a mixture of real and fake parts. Sometimes, I leave the big shows without even a single medal bar purchase. But there is always plenty of other stuff to buy.

Best regards,
Tom