Not sure...could use some help on these

**SatansCabanaBoy** · 06-08-2010, 01:23 AM

the story goes that these were found in the mud of a trench and brought home...? Any ideas? I have never seen anything like them. Both are the same size as an EK but are very poorly manufactured.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-08-2010 01:23 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Chopperman** · 06-08-2010, 02:08 AM

Supposedly these were produced by the allies and dropped
into the German trenches. Whether these are period pieces,
who knows. I have always been a bit learly of these things
just because someone could be casting these today in their
backyard and no one could distinguish it from an original.

**SatansCabanaBoy** · 06-08-2010, 02:23 AM

Just out of curiosity...why would the allies drop them for the Germans...?

**Chopperman** · 06-08-2010, 02:45 AM

Well, the ones I have seen have usually had writing on both sides.
Usually some sort of message to slight the Germans.

For example, The one with the pickelhaube had a message on the back saying "Thirty five cents each, Three for a Dollar" suggesting the value of an Iron cross.

**SatansCabanaBoy** · 06-08-2010, 02:54 AM

heh...that's pretty rich.

**oradour** · 06-08-2010, 07:27 AM

Propaganda Iron Cross. Many moons ago these items would of been described as a 'Patriotic' souvenir, from the homefront in Germany, however they were later identified as pieces of Allied propaganda. Heres my example, made in England, rumoured to be in the Lancashire town of Leigh, (where a large German POW camp was located), 44mm square, made of cast iron, and has the 'W' surmounted by a cross in the centre, with the names of 6 towns/cities in France & Belguim where in the eyes of the allies, the German army had committed atrocities, the massacre at Dinant, burning of the library at Louvain, the sacking of Antwerp, Ghent, Rheims & Amiens, the bottom arm on each side has '1914' upon it, obviously made to embarass the Germans. It has been rumoured that they were thrown into German lines/trenches from aircraft ....although no evidence to support this is forthcoming !....probably sold to the British public to raise funds. The Americans produced a similiar cross, the one Chopperman describes, ive yet to get one.