German WW2 Kriegsmarine High Seas Fleet badge (HSF) by the manufacurer Rudolf Souval of Wien / Vienna denoted by the R.S. marking in relief on the reverse. Depicting a naval battleship steaming out of an oakleaf wreath with the Kriegsmarine Eagle crowning the design is certainly “striking” as the ship bears down face on.
This particular badge has suffered tarninshing / loss of gilding (the gold wash) around 40% of the wreath but overall retains a pleasing patina.
Note: Some RS or Rudolf Souval badges were produced post 1945 and as always many copies abound. It is highly recomended to do an exhaustive comparison of fine details with known originals.
Ste Helene Medal commemorating the efforts of those who served in the Napoleonic wars. The original ribbon is a particularly difficult find.
With a little over three quaters of a million examples of the Defence of Stalingrad medal produced by the USSR this is an easily obtainable medal. There are currently two known variants, Variation 1 being 1940’s issue and discernable in part by a seperate eyelet, and Variation 2 shown here which is from the 50’s onwards and incorperates the eyelet into the stamping of the medal.
The cream, red, cream ribbon is easily discernable as the Stalingrad campaign medal BUT is very similar to the Defence of Kiev medal ribbon. The Kiev medal has a white / silver line of equal thickness running alongside the Red line.
Interesting to note is that Awardees of the medal could be civilians in addition to the “standard” military and police / NKVD recipients. This is an indication of the “total defence” that was necessary to maintain Stalingrad within Soviet hands.
An interesting civil / political medal from the Italian facist state issued when the state took over the “General Confederation of Italian Industry” as part of Mussolini’s policy to control all aspects of Italian life. The General confederation of Italian industry is still in existence today (2019) in Italy under the name of Confindustria with more than 113000 companies continuing to meet and agree labour and business practices.
NOTE: This Italian medal was submitted to Medalcheck for identification from a person outside the medal collector community and for this reason is submitted by Admin rather than the members of this site.
Any additional information collectors may possess would be greatly welcomed either via commenting the medal below or via the contact function.
Later version of the Karl Wurster GAB (small w maker mark at 11 o’clock position). Compared to the earlier version of the General assault badge of the same manufacturer it can be seen that the medal is:
– Of a different finish (silver coloured paint wash vs silver enamel paint / electrolyte)
– Uses a different Hinge (Folded stamped metal vs Block hinge)
The obverse detailing shows commonality with the earlier variant so one can assume that the moulds of the badge were not changed but re used with the new metal composition.
An early example of the small w GAB (General Assault Bage) from manufacturer Karl Wurster. The badge is made from zinc which is then silvered and evidence of this can be seen on the rear of the badge where “zinc pest” (corrosion of the zinc) has produced bubbling beneth the silver coating.
Please see the later example of this badge by the same manufacturer which is also in the medal database.
Manufactured by B.H.L a Germany WW1 War service cross (Hindenberg cross) without swords medal. Manufacturer marking is in the center of the rear of the cross and is impressed / stamped into the medal.
A world war one War service cross without swords for Non Combatants from the manufacturer O.14 (marker mark in relief on lower arm of cross on medal reverse). Currently O.14 is an unidentified German medal manufacturer therefore any possible clarification would be gratefully received.
The Hindenberg cross (unofficial nomenclature) without swords would have been awarded to members of the WW1 German armed forces serving behind the lines or for organisations such as Firefighters or Policemen (Public servants) in Germany. Also included in the potential awardess would be leaders of industry supporting the war effort. EG Military materials suppliers.
German WW1 war service cross medal with swords. Manufactured by LAUER NURNBG-BERLIN, Lauer of Nurenberg and Berlin. Maker mark (hersteller in German) is in relief on the reverse of the medal in the lower arm of the cross.
Interestingly a Plough takes the place of the sickle in the “hammer and sickle” rendering on the reverse of this Sovier jubilee medal commemorating sixty years of the Soviet armed forces.
Obverse: A soviet soldier stands in the foreground with a “thousand yard stare” whilst the backgound incorperates ICBM’s (Inter continental ballistic missiles) on the left and a submarine on the right. Above this scene two flanker interceptor jets fly in formation. The dates 1918 1978 are immediately above the submarine and in relief.
Reverse: The aforementioned plough and sickle combination sits centrally superimposed upon a lotus leaf stylized soviet star. In the backgound a standard rifle with bayonet afixed and a sabe sword are crossed. Cyrillic lettering around the edge of the obverse of the medal completes the border / framing of the central motif.