Ddr east german nva steel m56

[BlackCat1982]

Hello Mark, it is actually marked as follows;

II
69
64

So I am slightly confused by the markings? Thanks for your reply, it cost nothing so I might hang onto it for a bit.

[Watchdog]

Hello Mark, it is actually marked as follows;

II
69
64

So I am slightly confused by the markings? Thanks for your reply, it cost nothing so I might hang onto it for a bit.

Yes that does seem odd to me.
I have checked the ones I have and the only double digit month mark is 10 for Oct but of course 69 doesn't seem to make sense.

The later M56/66 type were marked the same way though all the ones I have looked at that closely had the marks "upside down" depending on which way is up I suppose!

However, despite the anomaly which a NVA expert might explain, I still think yours is a good M56 and as such it should likely be worth at least 4 times the value of the later type.
I wouldn't worry about the NVA stamp on the liner. I have seen loads of other kit marked like that just never a helmet liner but that doesn't strike me as odd with DDR kit.

Either way I think that you should hold on to it if for no other reason than there are thousands of the plastic liner late types around but many fewer of these (many M56 were converted with the new liner, hence the transitional late liner with riveted shell) and we all know what that means right?

As it was a "freebie" I would say you can't lose by holding on to it or disposing of it. It's just a question of degree really.

Regards

Mark

[BlackCat1982]

Thanks for your observations Mark, I am curious about the markings too. Hoping that someone might do an article on these sometime.

[Composite]

Why don’t you?

[BlackCat1982]

Fortunately someone with more examples has done so already;

Modelle
- Stahlhelmsammlung

[HARRY THE MOLE]

If the markings on the helmet are in the same style as they do their uniforms, then '11 69' would refer to the second quarter of 1969. I have the first pattern helmet in my collection, but the date stamps are so indistinct as to be unreadable.

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

If the markings on the helmet are in the same style as they do their uniforms, then '11 69' would refer to the second quarter of 1969. I have the first pattern helmet in my collection, but the date stamps are so indistinct as to be unreadable.

Cheers,
Steve

Hi Steve,

I know the marks you are talking about but the helmet stamps are different;

The top mark is the roman numeral II for a size two (there were three sizes; I, II & III) rather than 11 ie eleven for November.

The bottom stamp is the year, in this case is 64 for 1964.

The middle stamp should be the month which is why 69 is puzzling.

Could this be a mis-stamp or is there another explanation. I'm afraid I have no idea but I still like this helmet as an original.

Regards

Mark

[BlackCat1982]

Curiosly I see from the website I linked that he has a 1967 dated 3 rivet Modell 1956 which also has what appears to be two year dates? So the one I isn't unique in this style.

[Fabe]

The early type M56 helmets with so-called "M1944" or "Model 44" liners are the closest thing to the war-time type (which are only a few exists probably in museums or some forgotten Russian warehouse
I was lucky enough to pick up 5 of these @ ebay a few years ago (the seller didn't know what he was selling so it was 90 EU for all five of them):


Also. 2 of these helmets came with an early type chin-strap: top strap is later type - bottom strap is early type:



Cheers,
Fabe

[Watchdog]

The early type M56 helmets with so-called "M1944" or "Model 44" liners are the closest thing to the war-time type (which are only a few exists probably in museums or some forgotten Russian warehouse
I was lucky enough to pick up 5 of these @ ebay a few years ago (the seller didn't know what he was selling so it was 90 EU for all five of them):Cheers,Fabe

It is so nice to see the collector getting the upper hand over the seller who is usually trying to make a killing!!