🔎 UNIDENTIFIED Nazi merit cross

[Digstuff]

Hello!
This is my first post to the forum, but I've been metal detecting for 3-4 years now.
Today i dug up what appears to be a 1939 Nazi merit cross(with the crossed swords). It does not have a ribbon, and the loop is broken off.
It is non magnetic. I don't have a picture yet.
How do i tell if it is real?
Thank you!

 

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[Retired Sarge]

And i did some tests, i do thing its real zinc. Sad its not one of the bronze ones!

Still a cool find nonetheless. Is there any type of Manufacturer marking on it?

A few years back I found a Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords (Erroneously referred to as the Hindenburg Cross) making it for front-line veterans, in an antique dresser my wife bought, along with an East German overseas cap.

 

[THing4CSA]

Hi All My Fellow TH'ers
I dug a few WWII Nazi items while stationed in Germany 1973-1979. Most were made of zinc and a few were iron. Most are in really nice condition considering they were in the ground for 30 plus years. I am no expert but find them very interesting finds as well as Historic! I sure wish that I had bought a better detector and spent more time TH'ing than drinking great German Beer every weekend! LOL 20/20 Hindsight never has been so good! Congrats on the find! ;-)

 

[Red-Coat]

We really need pictures and close-ups of any marks it may have. Fakes abound, Sometimes they have obvious clues to authenticity or otherwise... and sometimes not, leaving them 'indeterminate'.

PS: Welcome to Tnet

 

[GoDeep]

Where and under what conditions did you find it, that will tell you a lot? If you found it in some old WWII trenches in Germany, yeah, probably the real thing.

 

[fyrffytr1]

A picture is worth a thousand words. And, Red-Coat will probably use close to that many to describe your find once you post a picture!

 

[Digstuff]

OK!
Heres some pics.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Digstuff]

Still a cool find nonetheless. Is there any type of Manufacturer marking on it?

Not that i am aware of... what would it look like?

P.s. your cross is pretty neat! Awesome that it's real!

 

[boogeyman]

Is there any way i could theoretically tell it is or isn't fake?
Like a metal test, or something?
Thanks!

Any military surplus stores near you? They might have some for comparison or have a contact list for collectors. Take it with you to the next gun show. Best I can do!

 

[Digstuff]

Any military surplus stores near you? They might have some for comparison or have a contact list for collectors. Take it with you to the next gun show. Best I can do!

Good idea!
I'll try that next time I'm at someplace like that.

 

[Digstuff]

Where and under what conditions did you find it, that will tell you a lot? If you found it in some old WWII trenches in Germany, yeah, probably the real thing.

I found it in front of a very old shed that two days ago belonged to an avid antique collector.
I live near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Thanks for your reply!

 

[jewelerguy]

would be hard to determine even with a pic. Unfortunately, German war memorabilia has been heavily faked for a long time. You could look at it this way, you've got a 50/50 chance it's either real or fake.

 

[Digstuff]

would be hard to determine even with a pic. Unfortunately, German war memorabilia has been heavily faked for a long time. You could look at it this way, you've got a 50/50 chance it's either real or fake.

Is there any way i could theoretically tell it is or isn't fake?
Like a metal test, or something?
Thanks!

 

[Digstuff]

I am looking at the official standards, and they look VERY similar. I can't find a difference between the official standard and my own.

 

[Digstuff]

And i did some tests, i do thing its real zinc. Sad its not one of the bronze ones!

 

[Retired Sarge]

Not that i am aware of... what would it look like?

P.s. your cross is pretty neat! Awesome that it's real!

There's a great site for WWII German militaria, called www.Wehrmacht-awards.com, there is a 2010 post listing the manufacturers, but it's only visible to members. So I copied it and will send it via PM.

Membership is free, but if you want, if you can take clearer photos and I can post them on the site for you, and report back with the answers you seek.

Don't know how visible they are on the WWII era ones, but here's the markings on my WWI era one.

 

[RustyRelics]

It is safe to say, if you dug it up, it's good. It's in fine condition for a dug cross. Some I have seen dug up are heavily pitted and messed up.