Denazification: Affect on price

[Brian S]

Remember that Spanish Cross w/Diamonds. De-nas'd by filling in the spaces... Still a huge award with serious value.

[jambobbyb]

Danazzed clasp

Denazzed Tombac day fighter in gold i understand the value drop on denazzed items but its a decent way to pick up cheap awards

[jambobbyb]

Reverso

[DanCz]

I have a soft spot for de-Nazified items and have quite a large number in my own collection including those belonging to a relative. He claimed that the (offending) swastika was removed so that no one confiscated their awards on surrender.

Incidentally, my wife nursed a former POW in old age at York hospital - he had never returned home to Germany after the war - - there was nothing there for him left - - anyway when he learned of my collecting/historical interests he gave my wife his de-Nazified army buckle - - which I still have.

As to prices - - well I tend to pay what ever is asked if I think it fair but I would reckon on a 40% discount at least (a bit more on the more common awards). There is a growing market for this sort of material and I see the fakers moving in too - - so beware all !!

[Dorr]

Value

I would say min. 30% of the normal value, they use to have the look of "having been there".
Many Regards.

[Tiger 1]

Tough to answer in a definative manner.

The value is certainly down a bit from an unaltered award. But they are valuable in their own right as pieces having been worn during the war and perhaps later in Bundeswehr service.

I have a postwar group that belonged to Major Kurt Friedrich. In it is a mixture of denazified awards as well as early '57 awards. You bet that these are genuine collectables denazified or not. It shows how one soldier dealt with keeping and treasuring his original decorations in a time of shifting political realities.

At the recently past SOS I managed to buy a stunningly beautiful 1st type Schwerin HSF badge that had the swastika neatly removed. The condition of the finish and eye appeal of this badge was such that I initially missed the fact that it was denazified. The dealer graciously pointed this out to me as the reason for the relatively inexpensive price. I'm very happy with it for the money spent. The original recipient had it denazified to keep this teasured award, perhaps for wear again in the in the new postwar Bundesmarine. I don't know that for sure but it meant something to the original owner to have been this carefully maintained both during and after the war.

Having said that I will gladly buy any genuine denazified awards for 10 cents on the dollar any day.

Tony