War Merit Cross Makers

Johnnie13 · 12-31-2009, 09:41 AM

Dear All,

I have a war merit cross with out swords and have just noticed that it has a "52" makers mark on the ring.

I have had a look on the forum and there is a thread about makers marks, however I was wondering if these marks related to all medals. If the marks listed in the thread do relate to all medals am I correct in thinking it was made by Gottlieb & Wagner, Ldar/Oberstein.

If so can this provide me with any information about when the medal was made/issued?

Any help would be great. All of my German items are from when I started collecting miliatry bits and bobs when I was about 11. I now tend to stick to British items and therefore know very little about German items.

All the best,

Johnnie

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-31-2009 09:41 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 12-31-2009, 10:36 AM

Hi Johnnie, yes, that will be the maker.

You can only broadly date when the medal was made going by the material used in it's construction. Early war examples will be "buntmetal" (ie Brass) while mid to late war eaxamples will be made of zinc with a coloured wash.

Cheers, Ade.

Johnnie13 · 12-31-2009, 10:41 AM

Many thanks for the reply. This medal seems to be brass although I am not 100% certain (It has two very very slight edge knocks and the colour seems to be the same on these and I would have thought any wash might have been removed on the edge knocks).

Is there any way to tell which are brass and which are zinc?

Johnnie

**Adrian Stevenson** · 12-31-2009, 10:55 AM

Hi Johnnie, sounds like it is Buntmetal.

Here are two from my collection: one buntmetal and one zink: the wash has worn from the zink example which often happens exposing the bare grey base metal.

Cheers, Ade.