Deutsches Kreuz in Gold : Real?

[Silberkreuz]

Hi All, firstly thanks Nick for your example, can clearly see the difference.
Ned thank you for your input, there is something very strange here.
I have read Military Awards of the Third Reich by John R Angolia page 328
My cross is identical to the cross on the top LHS. I have measured the widest part of the cross which is 62.5 to 63.5 mm ( this ones approx 63.5mm) and measured the swastika which is 21mm and again correct.
As I lay my cross on the pictured cross they are 95% identical. My cross does look the same as the pictured cross, ( marked 1) and as you said Ned the rivets are domed and solid type, but clearly my cross has the 20 on the rear of the pin.
I bought this 20 years ago and it lives in my safe, I bought it from a English dealer who I also bought a pair of SS OGF collar tabs, and when I posted them I received the bad news of fake.
I will document all these threads and will speak with him.
Will have to take better pics on a HD camera and post this again so I have more opinions for the dealers attention.
Thanks again
Regards SK

[big ned]

O.K., the makers mark '20' on your cross is wrong. It does not match the accepted stamp that's on the inside of the pin. There is proof that Zimmermann used several different sets of stamps, but every set had the distinction of utilising the same number '2' stamp that has a small ball at the top end and was curved outwards and downwards at the bottom where it joins the base line of the numeral, the one above has neither of these traits, therefore it's bogus.

The catch on the reverse is directly soldered onto the backplate, rather than to a small oval plate. That implies it's a Zimmermann "Heavy" cross, but the fact that the catch is made from flatwire tombak rather than the original half roundwire that all originals had, both "Heavy" and "Light" weight, also is a bad sign. As it's pertaining to be a "heavy" cross marked '20', it should weigh 66.5g. If it were a L/52 marked one it would weigh 67.2g, and were it a "light" it would be 44.5g, all +/- 1 or 2g at most.

Below is a few pic's of my Klein (134) DKiG from the obverse side. Although a different maker, the parts used for the obverse side are all identical to the Zimmermann "Heavy/Light" crosses, so yours must match this exactly to be an original. I have highlighted the "11 o'clock flaw" that MUST be present for the cross to be genuine.

Btw, it's a little known fact that ALL Zimmermann DKiS crosses were presented in a DKiG case, having a gold cheatline around the lid rather than the silver type encountered from all other makers of the type. I had cause to return a cased Zimmermann DKiS to the dealer I bought it off 4 years ago because the case was with a silver cheatline when it arrived, and that's wrong, especially when you've paid nearly 1000 bucks more for the privilege....

Regards, Ned.

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

That's a beautiful cross Ned, also thanks for the "low down" on these, I have never owned one but maybe one day! I hope you get your money back SK. Leon.