The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross from 1939: Purchase and Sale
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross is a higher grade of the Iron Cross . It was newly instituted on September 1, 1939, at the outbreak of World War II. It could be awarded to enlisted men and non-commissioned officers as well as officers. During the course of the war, the Knight's Cross was expanded to include further grades: Oak Leaves (June 3, 1941), Oak Leaves with Swords (September 28, 1941), Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds (September 28, 1941), and Golden Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds (December 29, 1944). The Knight's Cross is among the most well-known decorations of World War II.
Requirements for the Knight's Cross
The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded for “particular acts of bravery that were decisive in battle.”
The prerequisites were “own, independent decision”, “outstanding personal bravery” and “decisive successes in the conduct of the battle”.
Design of the Knight's Cross
Front, black core, in the middle the swastika on the 6 o'clock arm, the founding year 1939.
On the reverse, black core, on the 6 o'clock arm the year 1813, in memory of the first foundation of the Iron Cross in 1813 (Wars of Liberation)
The black core is surrounded by a silver frame with a ribbed decorative rim and polished edges. Attached to this is an eyelet, through which the actual carrying ring (jump ring) is threaded.
Wearing the Knight's Cross
The Knight's Cross was worn around the neck on a black, white, and red ribbon (the "neck order"). Therefore, someone who wanted to earn the Knight's Cross was colloquially known among soldiers as having a "sore throat." It could only be worn with a uniform.
Award figures for the Knight's Cross
The Knight's Cross was awarded a total of approximately 7.200 times. Significantly more crosses were produced than were awarded. Experts currently estimate that approximately 21.000 were produced.
Buy or sell a Knight's Cross: the value of a Knight's Cross
The value of a Knight's Cross is difficult to determine. The decisive factors are the condition, exact variant, manufacturer, material, name/unit/rank of the recipient, date of award, and, of course, the completeness of the estate, e.g., ribbon, case, certificates, photos of the recipient, or other documents. However, a Knight's Cross is always something special, which naturally also has financial implications. Individual crosses can cost up to €10.000, while large, extensive estates can even exceed €100.000. We specifically seek out and purchase Knight's Crosses, entire estates of Knight's Cross recipients, as well as individual cases, ribbons, and certificates.
