Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse - misstruck maker 24?

[Hastriq]

Posting this in a separate thread since I previously had both my EK2s posted together... I'm trying to ascertain if this cross is an original, and if so, who is the maker?








The mark looks like a 4 which would be Steinhauer & Lück, but Adrian showed me some examples of makers mark 24 crosses where the 2 is poorly or very lightly struck. I'm wondering if this could be another such example. Apparently some EK2s by Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Hanauer Plaket-ten-hersteller (maker 24) also have additional markings on the suspension ring, and mine may have something like that, although it's really difficult to make out:





It kind of looks like an ohm symbol or something, but it's very hard to tell/get good pictures. It could well just be chipped from wear over time, but some of the lines seem too clean/intentional for that. Anyone have any ideas about this? Would this make it more likely to be a 24 misstrike rather than a 4?

[Adrian]

Definitely original and by maker 24.
There are extra marks on the suspension ring, looks like a mis-stamped X on one side.

[rbminis]

You can compare with my marked example here.
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, 24
And my unmarked example here.
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, Unmarked 24, Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Hanauer Plakettenhersteller, Wide Frame
Ralph.

[Hastriq]

Thanks Ralph! It looks like a pretty good match for your marked example to me...the corners on yours are much sharper, although mine looks more worn overall so that could make sense. The coloration, shape, and finish look very similar, although again I'm not a very experienced judge of such things. The 4 on your maker's mark also also seems to be stamped much deeper than the 2, which makes me think it could be possible for the 2 to be missing on a shallower strike... Seems weird to have there be no sign of it at all, but that seems to be the best explanation given the other markings. The 4 on mine definitely looks much more like the 24 makers mark than any Steinhauer & Lück examples I've been able to find.

[manclino]

I agree with the previous speakers. This cross is PKZ 24. On the large ring there were sometimes different digit markings, letters some symbols. And on the jump ring there could be (instead of) an X such as a clover.
Robert