Help with this badge please

[Skoivu]

Found this badge right next to our house by a lake. Inscription is "SUUM CUIQUE".
From looking online that phrase has been on a Prussian badge to honor those in The Order of the Black Eagle. However this award was given from the 1700's to 1918 and only 407 were ever given out. That makes it extremely unlikely one ended up in southwest rural Michigan. Plus this area wasnt settled until the 40's. Its also the symbol now for the German Military Police. My family has been here since the 50's and they have no idea why something like this would be around. Is it a replica? How do I find out? The whole thing doesnt make sense to me.








Looks very similar to the real thing, from The Order's wikipedia page.

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[Breezie]

Some one could have had it as a souvenir from WWI. Who knows how things end up where they do. I once found a 1950's lipstick tube in the same hole as a Civil War 3-ring Minie bullet. Super neat find, Breezie

[Bigcypresshunter]

I doubt its a replica. Who knows how things get where.

[Bigcypresshunter]

Its also obviously not the badge you posted but it may be the "Star of the Black Eagle". According to Wikipedia, as well as several other websites, the Order of the Black Eagle is the "highest order of chivalry awarded in the kingdom of Prussia." The order became obsolete with the abdictation of Kaiser Wilhelm II, the last Prussian king, in 1918.

World War II Memorabilia - 1889 Prussian Sword

[Bigcypresshunter]

OK I see now. It may be part of the medal. http://www.hermann-historica.de/aukt...ax/73827_b.jpg

[Bigcypresshunter]

The Wehrmacht Awards Forum should be able to help but you may need to be a member. Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums - Powered by vBulletin

[Skoivu]

Thanks for the replies, its just mind boggling that something like that would end up where I am. Ill try to see if its authentic, that would be really cool, especially since all the other stuff Ive found are clad coins and roof tacks.

[Bigcypresshunter]

I dont understand those back pieces that appear weaved together. Are those bendable tabs? It doesnt look like something easily replicated.

[Skoivu]

I dont understand those back pieces that appear weaved together. Are those bendable tabs? It doesnt look like something easily replicated.

Yeah those are bendable tabs. Maybe they somehow attached the badge to the star?

ALso not sure why coloring is different, but I think found an example with the red coloring on google images.

[Bigcypresshunter]

Im sure The Wehrmacht Awards Forum can help. We have a member ffluries that maybe can help.

[Bigcypresshunter]

I sent a PM to ffuries.

[ffuries]

Gonna post this on the other site and see what we can find out!

Added: Here's the link to posting on the Wehrmacht-Awards site.

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...37#post5307037

Mike

[ww1czechlegion]

Hello,

I'm a WW1 collector, and a member of the wehrmacht-awards.com forum.

The item you found in the ground is actually the center part off a star that was on a spiked helmet frontplate worn on a Guard Regiment pickelhaube. Whatever happened to the eagle frontplate, and the star that this was attached to on the center of the eagle's chest, or even the leather body helmet shell, is unknown.

I have two personal friends with ancestors that destroyed or disposed of the German helmets & uniforms which they brought with them to the USA.

One friend's ancestor destroyed a Garde du Corps helmet. The helmet & uniform were burned after the ancestor showed up in town wearing it when the U.S. announced it was entering WW1.

The other friend's ancestor destroyed a Kurassier helmet. The grandmother threw it in the ravine of a creek, which was the family trash dump, along with the uniform.

It's quite possible that someone's ancestor threw out or buried an old German pickelhaube to get rid of the traces of their German ancestry/military involvement. Thus your finding these remains from a spike helmet in your yard. Like a lot of stuff that members on here find in the buried in the ground, only God knows how it got there...

All the Best,

Alan

[ffuries]

Thank you for taking time to answer my post on Wehrmacht-Awards, and for joining here to answer the question. Stick around there are some interesting things that get dug up that people are looking for answers to.

Mike

[Skoivu]

Thanks ffuries, czechclegion, and bigcypress! I really appreciate the help and input!

[Skoivu]

Hello,

I'm a WW1 collector, and a member of the wehrmacht-awards.com forum.

The item you found in the ground is actually the center part off a star that was on a spiked helmet frontplate worn on a Guard Regiment pickelhaube. Whatever happened to the eagle frontplate, and the star that this was attached to on the center of the eagle's chest, or even the leather body helmet shell, is unknown.

I have two personal friends with ancestors that destroyed or disposed of the German helmets & uniforms which they brought with them to the USA.

One friend's ancestor destroyed a Garde du Corps helmet. The helmet & uniform were burned after the ancestor showed up in town wearing it when the U.S. announced it was entering WW1.

The other friend's ancestor destroyed a Kurassier helmet. The grandmother threw it in the ravine of a creek, which was the family trash dump, along with the uniform.

It's quite possible that someone's ancestor threw out or buried an old German pickelhaube to get rid of the traces of their German ancestry/military involvement. Thus your finding these remains from a spike helmet in your yard. Like a lot of stuff that members on here find in the buried in the ground, only God knows how it got there...

All the Best,

Alan

Thanks for the info, so you would date this around WW1 era? Was this a common badge to have on the helmet, or was it an award that had to earned? How rare is it? Is it worth trying to clean or restore?

Ill try searching the same area for the other parts.

Thanks again!

[Bigcypresshunter]

Im guessing its the hemet I posted in reply #5 http://www.hermann-historica.de/aukt...ax/73827_b.jpg