Eisernes Kreuz II klasse

[thecyclist64]

Hi everybody. My first purchase of 2018, a WWI EKII by PS, marked with what I believe to be 800 for the silver content of the frame.

A couple of questions:

1. Does anybody know who PS is? I have been on various German websites and can't find the answer.
2. is it actually marked 800, as I can't quite make it out?
3. If it is silver, I am thinking of giving it a really good clean to bring up the shine; good or bad idea?

Thank you in advance

[jamie7d7]

Personally I would not clean it, why polish out 100+ years of history. Each to their own but even with silver frames, I love the patina that comes with age.

[Franjo Vuk]

It also can be accidentally damaged by cleaning. You should leave it as it is.

Best regards,
Franko

[buellmeister]

Patina is a good thing!

[thecyclist64]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed. I am open minded on the subject, but my reasoning for polishing the cross is like this: every year, British war vetrans proudly display their highly polished war medals when standing at the cenotaph. My perhaps warped reasoning is that if they polish their medals and disregard patina, then following that logic, why shouldn't all medals, irrespective of origin, not be polished and kept in good condition.

[Chopperman]

Most of the PS crosses I have seen have been marked 800.
As far as I know, PS has still not been identified.

[tompress]

Hi.

you can remove some fuzz from the core, by a soft dry brush. But don't touch this nice patina on the silver frame

regards
Tomasz

[Walkwolf]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed. I am open minded on the subject, but my reasoning for polishing the cross is like this: every year, British war vetrans proudly display their highly polished war medals when standing at the cenotaph. My perhaps warped reasoning is that if they polish their medals and disregard patina, then following that logic, why shouldn't all medals, irrespective of origin, not be polished and kept in good condition.

Yes, you do hear stories of old soldiers polishing their medals
but most guys you see today have had them plated (which
IMO, devalues them). Polishing can also do a lot of wear
damage. Personally, I like dark toning on medals.........