Panzer Skull Ring History Background

[Mark4321]

I'm leaning towards this ring being made of Nickel Silver rather than actual Stainless Steel, but no big deal. It is a fine ring and comes from an excellent seller. I like it! As for much deeper history searching on it's background, I doubt too much that you will be able to get very much deeper. Battlefields and troops rolled around contrysides like flood waters. Always changing. Sometimes in the area for just a few minutes. And the Kurland pocket was a concentration of many thousands of troops of who knows how many kinds-they were finally surrounded and at bay, so to speak, so any still non-surrendered German soldier might be found in there... But, still it's a decent and worn ring. The design was well known but had small variations, of course, as do most all things of the sort. It may even be not made in Germany itself but Norway, The Baltics or who knows? German soldiers traveled from one end of Europe to the other. Who can say just what,when and where a trooper purchased it? That's all just part of War.

Ah OK, interesting points there William, thanks for that! I LOVE this whole history treasure-hunting thing! SUPER fascinating, I'm already halfway hooked I believe...

Thanks everybody for the welcoming friendly spirit and all the support and help! :-)
Mark

[Mark4321]

Could it be possible the ring was left by these guys? If I didn't miss anything, they might have been there at the time...
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Panzer_Army
Looks like it was Heeresgruppe Nord, the same guys who invaded Poland in '39.
Later renamed to Heeresgruppe Kurland. Could be the 4th Panzer Armee was with them...?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Group_North

[jamoros]

Hi nice ring you bought, this seller you bought it from, does he have a web page?

[Wagriff]

Something like 200,000 fighting men and 26 Divisions were bottled up in Kurland. Take your pick!

[odal]

I am not to 100 % sure with this real not so good pics, but i think more this is a cast than a die struck ring.
If so, it is a nearly "no go" for a period ring in such style.
Look at the teeth, such faults are not explaining with wearing or a hard used die.

Not a ring i would want to have in collection.

[Wagriff]

The seller is a highly reputable digger and a personal friend. I definitely would have no qualms. You know him also,Odal. The ring was well looked over on the Ring Forum and received no dissenting remarks. It was sold with a Lifetime Guarantee..

[Glenn66]

Look at the teeth, such faults are not explaining with wearing or a hard used die.

Sadly, I must share the same concerns as colleague Odal. Let's hope when Mark receives his ring that better photos can put these concerns to rest.

As a small comparison against my own two silver skull rings, the teeth deformation does appear to not be uniform and indeed hard to explain away by wear or by being crushed etc.

[Mark4321]

Whoah! And all German? Is there a way to find out which Panzer troops?

[Mark4321]

Hi nice ring you bought, this seller you bought it from, does he have a web page?

Dear Jamoros, Hi and thanks! I doubt he has a web page, but you can find him on Facebook: Mãris Stjade.
He is also in this Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1525654987693466/.
Good luck and please keep me updated! :-)
Mark

[Mark4321]

I am not to 100 % sure with this real not so good pics, but i think more this is a cast than a die struck ring.
If so, it is a nearly "no go" for a period ring in such style.
Look at the teeth, such faults are not explaining with wearing or a hard used die.

Not a ring i would want to have in collection.

Ah OK? So you think because the teeth are, what, not uniform? Too deformed? It looks more like a cast? I'm not sure I totally understand...