🔎 UNIDENTIFIED WWII German MAKER MARKED 1939 IRON CROSS 1ST CLASS, IS IT REAL OR FAKE?

[hail]

Is this Authentic and Wartime Issued (L/11 for Wilhelm Deumer)? Or is it a good fake?

 

[PenguinDetectsCA]

I'm not sure myself but welcome to Tnet!

 

[hail]

I noticed that the swastika has quite rounded edges

 

[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

Your pictures are good quality but could we please have a similar quality picture of one of the edges? (or you can check it yourself, using this tip):

Apart from some extremely rare variants, authentic WWII iron crosses were made as a sandwich... the black core layered between a two-part frame. You can see it clearly on this partly delaminated one:

With close examination, you should be able to see the seam, and may even be able to partially slide something thin (a piece of alu-foil, or a cigarette paper) between the two layers in some places. Fakes and reproduction are usually cast as one piece and won't have that seam. Also, check with a magnet of course, since many single-piece cast fakes won't have a magnetic core.

 

[russau]

I also have one same date and swastika but it is a one peice w/o a fastening device on the back my Father got it some how in the service ! and a Triangle swastika flag . BUT like Red-Coat says its probly fake !: I'll always keep it because it is from my dad !(

 

[Red-Coat]

I also have one same date and swastika but it is a one peice w/o a fastening device on the back my Father got it somw how in the service ! ans a trianglar swaatika flag . BUT like Red-Coat says its probly fake !: I'll always keep it because it is from my dad !(

Just to clarify, I'm not saying the OP's cross is fake/reproduction, but if it is cast as one piece (unconfirmed) then it almost certainly is. Exceptions to that for authentic iron crosses are extremely rare.

 

[ToddsPoint]

I collected the WW1 version. I sold my entire collection a couple of yrs ago. When I started collecting, no one wanted WW1 artifacts and they weren’t expensive. I also had a really nice EK2 from the Franco-Prussian war of 1870.

 

[SilverCoinHound]

I have a ton of experience in this field, especially medals. German WWII items are some of most highly and professionally reproduced items in history. There are some items that are indistinguishable unless in hand or unless there's dozens of close up pictures. I own books, 500 pages + on just a single badge and its variants. Having said all this, the best thing to do is to go on to the WAF forum, search your item and look and both the positively and negatively reviewed versions of “Deumer EK1”

2 examples I just saw on reputable dealer sites have the maker mark below the catch. Your version is obviously different but that doesn’t mean it’s fake.

 

[invent4hir]

This is just one of MANY GREAT examples of how educational and helpful TNetters are!

 

[Gare]

Hail hope you find out Also WELCOME to Treasurenet

 

[Retired Sarge]

Is this Authentic and Wartime Issued (L/11 for Wilhelm Deumer)? Or is it a good fake?

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SILVERCOINHOUND menrioned WAF (Wehrmacht Awards Forum) if you aren't a member, I am and can cross post for you.