UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories Medals & Badges of the Third Reich Forum GC in Silver on for sale forum

Never seen one like this before. Look at the wreath and the date.
What do you guys think?
German Cross

Looks like a Latvian fake to me.

i don't know if it is from Latvia or somewhere else,,,I agree- a high-end fake

absolutely fake and produced in Latvia.

William Kramer

Well, so much for those "purchased at vet's estate" pieces,,LOL

I find more fake crap in vets collections/estate sales/in their brown paper/or Wal mart bag when they walk in a show, than anywhere else. I do part time help at 2 different *vet org*'s and when they find out I deal in militaria, they bring in their *war bring back relics* in to show off, Most all are crap ape fakes/fantasy/repros, WTH is up with that?

I think a lot of the items were purchased from the ads in mens magazines in the late 40s/early 50s (Stag, Battle Cry, Saga, etc) or even in the 60s. Over time, the stories evolved from "bought as a souvenir" to "brought back from the war" to "captured off a German soldier". I've heard several quite detailed stories from vets as to how a B&A dagger was taken from a high ranking officer captured on the front lines in 1944/5

There I was, surrounded. Nothing but me and my p38 can opener.

I agree, and have gotten such pieces in Vet. purchased lots; sometimes just saw something "neat" for a buck at a flea market and tossed it in with the rest of the stuff in the cigar box.

These Latvian DK's are not from the above scenario and started appearing in the late 90's on eBay - a good reference showing what to look for in these can be found here:

http://wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87714

another:

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=186979

another:

http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/orders-decorations-3-reich/deutsches-kreuz-silber-genuine-141450/

another:

http://www.germancombatawards.com/thread.php?postid=288442

Also posting photos of mine; here is a published DKiS by Zimmerman (notice it lacks horizontal folds in the wreath ribbon that surrounds the "1941" date) and a Veteran acquired gold version as well (both lightweight examples)

William Kramer

Yea I thought so, thanks William for linking this discussion to that thread.
Dave when we determine that an item is a fake do you not remove the listing?

Been a while since I have been out here but I notice another clue might be to look at the center of the 9 in 1941. In the original the center is large and round and in the fake the center is smaller and oval, in fact the font is notably different but as it's bee pointed out if you make a 1 for 1 comparison between the suspect and original the ribbon is the main difference.

The original listing has been removed but for reference I am uploading the images of the cross in question that has been regarded as a fake.

William Kramer