Treasure Hunt
Treasure Hunt for WWII Million Dollar Medals
"Kamerad, kamerad! Nicht schiessen!" (I surrender! Don't shoot!) 'This'was a'familiar phrase to countless thousands of victorious American and Allied GI's who fought across the hellish battlefields of Europe during WWI and WWII. It And this same frantic phrase has been uttered in their own Languages by'defeated Japanese, North Korean, Chinese and Viet Cong captives". Even before the bewildered prisoner has time to raise his arms above his head, 'the scrutinizing eyes of his captor rapidly shift from the Luger or Nambu pistol just removed from his defeated foe to the decorative medals worn on his uniform. Rather than leave such' choice "war booty" to his less deserving buddies in the rear area, who will further process the prisoner toward his ultimate destination in a POW camp, the GI immediately removes all medals and decorations and hastily puts them in the pocket of his field jacket. Days and often weeks after his unit is relieved from the combat zone and sent to an "R and R" camp, the proud captor mails his treasured war souvenirs home. Here they will probably remain forgotten, buried in obscurity in a battered GI footlocker, or perhaps later utilized as wall decorations for a den or family room. Often they are given to younger brothers and nephews as war souvenirs and traded off to admiring companions.
The oft-quoted axiom of war, "To the victor belongs the spoils" is highly appropriate when considering a topic of major interest to every soldier, regardless of nationality, who has ever seen combat. The topic? War souvenirs! It is a rare soldier indeed who fails to take advantage of every opportunity to acquire souvenirs of war and captured enemy equipment. Solders often take great personal risks in their attempts to gather souvenirs from the field of battle. In fact, the motivation is so intense that it has cost many GI's their lives, when they have thoughtlessly picked up a battlefield relic that has been booby trapped by a cunning foe.
The American soldier's obsessive seeking of war souvenirs has long been recognized by our enemies, who have demonstrated great skill in the art of rigging booby traps and explosive devices to tempting military items. During W.W. II, the Germans often wired explosive charges to the dead bodies of fallen German soldiers, whose uniforms were adorned with medals or other prized war booty such as binoculars or pistols. Large numbers of casualties resulted from unsuspecting troops eagerly attempting to remove these souvenirs.
Of course, not all such souvenirs are obtained at the risk of life and limb, nor are they all removed on the battlefield from captured high-ranking enemy officers. Often they are found in large quantities in storage depots and military camps which have been overrun or occupied after the fighting ceased.
Many intriguing tales can be told by ex-GI's who captured supply depots or quartermaster warehouses filled to the brim with unissued materials and equipment which included medals, daggers, firearms, and other highly desirable spoils of war. These items are not only sought after as souvenirs and conversation pieces, but also for trade or barter with servicemen who are not in combat and so cannot accumulate souvenirs. Frontline infantry soldiers learn early that their comrades assigned to rear areas will eagerly pay inflated prices for war trophies to send back home.
While most war souvenirs have much greater sentimental value than monetary worth, there are some items that are literally priceless treasures with historical or collector value placed at several thousand dollars. This fact is particularly characteristic of medals and rare decorations. Very few individuals, and even experienced collectors or dealers, possess a genuine knowledge of the value of foreign medals and decorations. One must have considerable background information before being capable of determining the difference between a common medal worth three or four dollars and a rare, presentation decoration or high order worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Practically every American veteran of W.W. I and W.W. II mailed home or brought back military medals and decorations awarded by a wide variety of European and Asiatic governments. German medals and orders comprise the greater portion of foreign decorations to be found today in the United States; however, numerous Japanese and Italian medals can be found in this country.
The hobby of collecting military medals, insignia, and other battlefield-related items has undergone unparalleled expansion in the past 10 years, with hundreds of new collectors joining the ranks of long-time collectors each year.
The increased demand from collectors seeking to buy pieces missing from their collections has driven prices higher and higher, particularly for the rare and finer quality specimens. The choice and most lucrative source for a collector to obtain foreign medals and decorations to fill gaps in his collection is by purchasing them directly from a veteran who no longer places sentimental value on his accumulation of war relics. Many ex-GI's have turned their war souvenirs into cash by selling them to dealers or collectors involved in this rapidly expanding field.
In addition to possible monetary value, there is also a highly fascinating, historical association with military medals and decorations. Since they are representative awards of a national government, the majority of them are exquisitely crafted, beautiful works of art, worthy of display in a private collection or public musuem. Most major museums, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., possess outstanding collections of military medals, orders, and decorations.
Unfortunately, many beautiful pieces remain forgotten, hidden away in attic trunks, closets, and cellars where warweary combat veterans stashed them after the initial interest and pride of possession faded away. Without question, many rare and quite valuable medals brought back to this country after the war could now be converted into cash if their owners were aware of their value.
While most of the medals and decorations taken from captured enemy soldiers are of the more common, less valuable types, opportunities did arise whereby some extraordinarily lucky GI stumbled across a rare cache of highly valuable decorations and orders belonging to a ranking general or senior government official. Such was the case in 1945 when a young American infantry captain discovered all of the personal medals and high decorations awarded to Joachim von Ribbentrop, the infamous Nazi Foreign Minister appointed by Hitler. It was during the last days of W.W. II, when the victorious Allied armies were steamrolling through Germany and Austria in an attempt to deal the death blow to what remained of one of the most inhuman dictatorships in history. As the 44th U.S. Infantry Division seized and occupied the picturesque Austrian village of Umhausen, the problem of finding sufficient billets and sleeping quarters for the exhausted soldiers became critical. One enterprising American company commander directed his troops to seek temporary shelter in the luxurious Krone Hotel. Upon entering the hotel, the company commander and his soldiers were met by the Austrian innkeeper, who hastily informed them that he was very sorry but it was forbidden for anyone to occupy any of the hotel rooms on the second floor, therefore, the victorious "Amies" would have to seek overnight accommodations elsewhere. This blunt assertion obviously didn't set well with the American troops and their commander, who had just spent the past several months fighting their way into the homeland of a vicious enemy. Overcoming his initial impulse to gun down the arrogant innkeeper in his tracks, the captain then pushed him aside and proceeded to the a second floor of the hotel, where he was startled to find that all the rooms were on filled almost to the ceiling with trunks, clothing, and a wide assortment of personal possessions. Closer examination revealed what turned out to be one of the one most fantastic discoveries of the war, millions of dollars worth of art loot he stolen by the Nazis from Parisian and other European museums, including in jewels and rare tapestries, and classic oil to paintings by such renowned masters as Renoir and Rubens. Investigation revealed that the innkeeper had been given the task of storing and safeguarding the personal possessions and war loot longing to Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop, who was occupied elsewhere desperately trying to evade capture. Apparently Ribbentrop had planned to escape over the Austrian Alps into Switzerland, hoping to take his stolen treasures with him. In addition to the art treasures, several file cases containing official German government records were found in the hotel and turned over to exuberant to American Intelligence agents. These docheuments were later used as evidence at the Nuremberg war trials.
While conducting a thorough examination of the contents of the hoard, the he captain was astounded to find a large, custom-made leather carrying case containing every medal and decoration that had ever been bestowed upon Herr Ribbentrop. There were nearly 100 separate decorations neatly packed away in individual felt-lined compartments. Since these medals were of no Intelligence interest to higher headquarters, the captain's request to retain them as legitimate war souvenirs was granted.
Many of the decorations were made of fine gold and silver, some were inlaid with diamonds and other precious stones. They had been awarded to von Ribbentrop by numerous foreign governments, including Hungary, Finland, Denmark, Japan, Italy, Egypt, and Spain. Unfortunately for von Ribbentrop, he was tried, convicted, and hung at Nuremberg in 1945 as one of the 12 major Nazi war criminals and had no further opportunity to outfit himself in his gala dress uniforms or decorative medals. The total value of this exceptionally rare collection is estimated at over $40,000 in today's market. One of the medals included in the lot was the ornate, solid gold, Italian Annunciation Order presented to von Ribbentrop for his efforts in successfully negotiating the "Pact of Steel" alliance between Germany and Italy in 1939. This decoration alone is worth over $8,000!
It was a proud young captain indeed who carefully packed his newly acquired war souvenirs, including the medals, an assortment of Ribbentrop's dress uniforms, dress dagger and personal pistol, and mailed them home to the U.S. where they would be admired for years to come by his family and friends.
Many veterans who acquired war souvenirs during their period of military service often sell or dispose of them, since their sentimental value usually diminishes over the years. Many are given away as "junk" to collector friends, while others donate their collections to museums such as the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Prior to disposing of any war relic, an attempt should first be made to determine the approximate value in the current marker. Prices fluctuate with supply and demand; however, the general price trend of military medals and relics has been escalating over the past several years. Occasionally, a widely popular "fad" associated with military relics mushrooms overnight, and prices for specific items soar with the increased demand. A classic example was the recent enthusiasm among teenagers for wearing German Iron Crosses as "surfers medallions." The Iron Cross, or Maltese Cross, became a status symbol for "hip" youngsters, and the supply of original Iron Crosses rapidly vanished, while enterprising U.S. manufacturers frantically labored to produce millions of reproductions and cheap copies in an attempt to satisfy the fantastic overnight demand.
Another fad evolved with the wearing of W.W. II German steel helmets by motorcycle enthusiasts. A recent Hollywood movie, "The Blue Max," which glamorized the story of W.W. I German fighter pilots seeking to earn the coveted Pour Le Merite medal (nicknamed the Blue Max because of its blue enamel finish), generated an intense interest among collectors, as well as non-collectors, in acquiring Pour Le Merite medals. The price of this medal nearly doubled overnight, and medal firms in Germany and Austria were hard-pressed making restrikes to meet the sudden demand.
It's often difficult to find a reliable individual who can give an accurate appraisal of military medals or other war souvenirs. While reference books exist, they offer very little with regard to valuation. Prices are controlled by what a relic dealer will pay for an item he intends to resell for a profit and by how much a collector is willing to pay for an item he is seeking to fill a missing gap in his collection.
The first step for any individual wishing to sell a war souvenir is to make an exact identification of what his relic is. This includes country of origin, period, and precise designation of whether it is a medal or decoration. Only after a war relic has been accurately identified can the value be established. Assistance may be obtained from reputable local collectors and dealers. Often, antique shops or historical societies can render assistance in locating a potential buyer. Military museums usually have a list of reputable national dealers in military artifacts and are normally most helpful.
"Kamerad, kamerad! Nicht schiessen!" (I surrender! Don't shoot!) 'This'was a'familiar phrase to countless thousands of victorious American and Allied GI's who fought across the hellish battlefields of Europe during WWI and WWII. It And this same frantic phrase has been uttered in their own Languages by'defeated Japanese, North Korean, Chinese and Viet Cong captives". Even before the bewildered prisoner has time to raise his arms above his head, 'the scrutinizing eyes of his captor rapidly shift from the Luger or Nambu pistol just removed from his defeated foe to the decorative medals worn on his uniform. Rather than leave such' choice "war booty" to his less deserving buddies in the rear area, who will further process the prisoner toward his ultimate destination in a POW camp, the GI immediately removes all medals and decorations and hastily puts them in the pocket of his field jacket. Days and often weeks after his unit is relieved from the combat zone and sent to an "R and R" camp, the proud captor mails his treasured war souvenirs home. Here they will probably remain forgotten, buried in obscurity in a battered GI footlocker, or perhaps later utilized as wall decorations for a den or family room. Often they are given to younger brothers and nephews as war souvenirs and traded off to admiring companions.
The oft-quoted axiom of war, "To the victor belongs the spoils" is highly appropriate when considering a topic of major interest to every soldier, regardless of nationality, who has ever seen combat. The topic? War souvenirs! It is a rare soldier indeed who fails to take advantage of every opportunity to acquire souvenirs of war and captured enemy equipment. Solders often take great personal risks in their attempts to gather souvenirs from the field of battle. In fact, the motivation is so intense that it has cost many GI's their lives, when they have thoughtlessly picked up a battlefield relic that has been booby trapped by a cunning foe.
The American soldier's obsessive seeking of war souvenirs has long been recognized by our enemies, who have demonstrated great skill in the art of rigging booby traps and explosive devices to tempting military items. During W.W. II, the Germans often wired explosive charges to the dead bodies of fallen German soldiers, whose uniforms were adorned with medals or other prized war booty such as binoculars or pistols. Large numbers of casualties resulted from unsuspecting troops eagerly attempting to remove these souvenirs.
Of course, not all such souvenirs are obtained at the risk of life and limb, nor are they all removed on the battlefield from captured high-ranking enemy officers. Often they are found in large quantities in storage depots and military camps which have been overrun or occupied after the fighting ceased.
Many intriguing tales can be told by ex-GI's who captured supply depots or quartermaster warehouses filled to the brim with unissued materials and equipment which included medals, daggers, firearms, and other highly desirable spoils of war. These items are not only sought after as souvenirs and conversation pieces, but also for trade or barter with servicemen who are not in combat and so cannot accumulate souvenirs. Frontline infantry soldiers learn early that their comrades assigned to rear areas will eagerly pay inflated prices for war trophies to send back home.
While most war souvenirs have much greater sentimental value than monetary worth, there are some items that are literally priceless treasures with historical or collector value placed at several thousand dollars. This fact is particularly characteristic of medals and rare decorations. Very few individuals, and even experienced collectors or dealers, possess a genuine knowledge of the value of foreign medals and decorations. One must have considerable background information before being capable of determining the difference between a common medal worth three or four dollars and a rare, presentation decoration or high order worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Practically every American veteran of W.W. I and W.W. II mailed home or brought back military medals and decorations awarded by a wide variety of European and Asiatic governments. German medals and orders comprise the greater portion of foreign decorations to be found today in the United States; however, numerous Japanese and Italian medals can be found in this country.
The hobby of collecting military medals, insignia, and other battlefield-related items has undergone unparalleled expansion in the past 10 years, with hundreds of new collectors joining the ranks of long-time collectors each year.
The increased demand from collectors seeking to buy pieces missing from their collections has driven prices higher and higher, particularly for the rare and finer quality specimens. The choice and most lucrative source for a collector to obtain foreign medals and decorations to fill gaps in his collection is by purchasing them directly from a veteran who no longer places sentimental value on his accumulation of war relics. Many ex-GI's have turned their war souvenirs into cash by selling them to dealers or collectors involved in this rapidly expanding field.
In addition to possible monetary value, there is also a highly fascinating, historical association with military medals and decorations. Since they are representative awards of a national government, the majority of them are exquisitely crafted, beautiful works of art, worthy of display in a private collection or public musuem. Most major museums, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., possess outstanding collections of military medals, orders, and decorations.
Unfortunately, many beautiful pieces remain forgotten, hidden away in attic trunks, closets, and cellars where warweary combat veterans stashed them after the initial interest and pride of possession faded away. Without question, many rare and quite valuable medals brought back to this country after the war could now be converted into cash if their owners were aware of their value.
While most of the medals and decorations taken from captured enemy soldiers are of the more common, less valuable types, opportunities did arise whereby some extraordinarily lucky GI stumbled across a rare cache of highly valuable decorations and orders belonging to a ranking general or senior government official. Such was the case in 1945 when a young American infantry captain discovered all of the personal medals and high decorations awarded to Joachim von Ribbentrop, the infamous Nazi Foreign Minister appointed by Hitler. It was during the last days of W.W. II, when the victorious Allied armies were steamrolling through Germany and Austria in an attempt to deal the death blow to what remained of one of the most inhuman dictatorships in history. As the 44th U.S. Infantry Division seized and occupied the picturesque Austrian village of Umhausen, the problem of finding sufficient billets and sleeping quarters for the exhausted soldiers became critical. One enterprising American company commander directed his troops to seek temporary shelter in the luxurious Krone Hotel. Upon entering the hotel, the company commander and his soldiers were met by the Austrian innkeeper, who hastily informed them that he was very sorry but it was forbidden for anyone to occupy any of the hotel rooms on the second floor, therefore, the victorious "Amies" would have to seek overnight accommodations elsewhere. This blunt assertion obviously didn't set well with the American troops and their commander, who had just spent the past several months fighting their way into the homeland of a vicious enemy. Overcoming his initial impulse to gun down the arrogant innkeeper in his tracks, the captain then pushed him aside and proceeded to the a second floor of the hotel, where he was startled to find that all the rooms were on filled almost to the ceiling with trunks, clothing, and a wide assortment of personal possessions. Closer examination revealed what turned out to be one of the one most fantastic discoveries of the war, millions of dollars worth of art loot he stolen by the Nazis from Parisian and other European museums, including in jewels and rare tapestries, and classic oil to paintings by such renowned masters as Renoir and Rubens. Investigation revealed that the innkeeper had been given the task of storing and safeguarding the personal possessions and war loot longing to Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop, who was occupied elsewhere desperately trying to evade capture. Apparently Ribbentrop had planned to escape over the Austrian Alps into Switzerland, hoping to take his stolen treasures with him. In addition to the art treasures, several file cases containing official German government records were found in the hotel and turned over to exuberant to American Intelligence agents. These docheuments were later used as evidence at the Nuremberg war trials.
While conducting a thorough examination of the contents of the hoard, the he captain was astounded to find a large, custom-made leather carrying case containing every medal and decoration that had ever been bestowed upon Herr Ribbentrop. There were nearly 100 separate decorations neatly packed away in individual felt-lined compartments. Since these medals were of no Intelligence interest to higher headquarters, the captain's request to retain them as legitimate war souvenirs was granted.
Many of the decorations were made of fine gold and silver, some were inlaid with diamonds and other precious stones. They had been awarded to von Ribbentrop by numerous foreign governments, including Hungary, Finland, Denmark, Japan, Italy, Egypt, and Spain. Unfortunately for von Ribbentrop, he was tried, convicted, and hung at Nuremberg in 1945 as one of the 12 major Nazi war criminals and had no further opportunity to outfit himself in his gala dress uniforms or decorative medals. The total value of this exceptionally rare collection is estimated at over $40,000 in today's market. One of the medals included in the lot was the ornate, solid gold, Italian Annunciation Order presented to von Ribbentrop for his efforts in successfully negotiating the "Pact of Steel" alliance between Germany and Italy in 1939. This decoration alone is worth over $8,000!
It was a proud young captain indeed who carefully packed his newly acquired war souvenirs, including the medals, an assortment of Ribbentrop's dress uniforms, dress dagger and personal pistol, and mailed them home to the U.S. where they would be admired for years to come by his family and friends.
Many veterans who acquired war souvenirs during their period of military service often sell or dispose of them, since their sentimental value usually diminishes over the years. Many are given away as "junk" to collector friends, while others donate their collections to museums such as the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Prior to disposing of any war relic, an attempt should first be made to determine the approximate value in the current marker. Prices fluctuate with supply and demand; however, the general price trend of military medals and relics has been escalating over the past several years. Occasionally, a widely popular "fad" associated with military relics mushrooms overnight, and prices for specific items soar with the increased demand. A classic example was the recent enthusiasm among teenagers for wearing German Iron Crosses as "surfers medallions." The Iron Cross, or Maltese Cross, became a status symbol for "hip" youngsters, and the supply of original Iron Crosses rapidly vanished, while enterprising U.S. manufacturers frantically labored to produce millions of reproductions and cheap copies in an attempt to satisfy the fantastic overnight demand.
Another fad evolved with the wearing of W.W. II German steel helmets by motorcycle enthusiasts. A recent Hollywood movie, "The Blue Max," which glamorized the story of W.W. I German fighter pilots seeking to earn the coveted Pour Le Merite medal (nicknamed the Blue Max because of its blue enamel finish), generated an intense interest among collectors, as well as non-collectors, in acquiring Pour Le Merite medals. The price of this medal nearly doubled overnight, and medal firms in Germany and Austria were hard-pressed making restrikes to meet the sudden demand.
It's often difficult to find a reliable individual who can give an accurate appraisal of military medals or other war souvenirs. While reference books exist, they offer very little with regard to valuation. Prices are controlled by what a relic dealer will pay for an item he intends to resell for a profit and by how much a collector is willing to pay for an item he is seeking to fill a missing gap in his collection.
The first step for any individual wishing to sell a war souvenir is to make an exact identification of what his relic is. This includes country of origin, period, and precise designation of whether it is a medal or decoration. Only after a war relic has been accurately identified can the value be established. Assistance may be obtained from reputable local collectors and dealers. Often, antique shops or historical societies can render assistance in locating a potential buyer. Military museums usually have a list of reputable national dealers in military artifacts and are normally most helpful.
Several factors are very critical in determining the value of any medal or decoration. Rarity, of course, is the most important aspect. Condition also weighs heavily on the market value, since most high orders are delicately handcrafted of enamel or other fragile materials and damage devalues a specimen considerably. Cased medals command higher prices than those without cases. Also, signed award papers or documents certifying presentation of a decoration not only authenticates a piece but also enhances its value. Medals awarded to important historical personalities, when verified by documentation, always command a high premium. When considering values, a potential buyer should always first determine that a piece is genuine and not a reproduction or recent restrike. A word of caution at this point might prove to be invaluable to new collectors. Increased demand by collectors for foreign military orders and decorations has created a situation whereby many reproductions, as well as restrikes produced from original dies, are being turned out. Only an expert or experienced collector has the background and know ledge required to differentiate between an original piece and a reproduction, and even the experts often experience difficulry. Obviously, an original Pour Le Merite awarded to a German Air Ace in 1917 is worth much more to a collector than a recent reproduction. Reproductions of many rare, as well as most of the common medals and orders are being encountered with increasing frequency, and only years of experience or the expert guidance of a reputable dealer can preclude a novice or inexperienced collector from being misled. There is absolutely no objection to a collector buying a reproduction or restruck medal as a representative specimen for one that he can never expect to acquire in original form, providing he is informed by the seller prior to purchase that the medal is a restrike and not an original presentation award.
Condition also weighs heavily on the market value, since most high orders are delicately handcrafted of enamel or other fragile materials and damage devalues a specimen considerably. Cased medals command higher prices than those without cases. Also, signed award papers or documents certifying presentation of a decoration not only authenticates a piece but also enhances its value. Medals awarded to important historical personalities, when verified by documentation, always command a high premium. When considering values, a potential buyer should always first determine that a piece is genuine and not a reproduction or recent restrike. A word of caution at this point might prove to be invaluable to new collectors. Increased demand by collectors for foreign military orders and decorations has created a situation whereby many reproductions, as well as restrikes produced from original dies, are being turned out. Only an expert or experienced collector has the background and know ledge required to differentiate between an original piece and a reproduction, and even the experts often experience difficulry. Obviously, an original Por Le Merite awarded to a German Air Ace in 1917 is worth much more to a collector than a recent reproduction. Reproductions of many rare, as well as most of the common medals and orders are being encountered with increasing frequency, and only years of experience or the expert guidance of a reputable dealer can preclude a novice or inexperienced collector from being misled. There is absolutely no objection to a collector buying a reproduction or restruck medal as a representative specimen for one that he can never expect to acquire in original form, providing he is informed by the seller prior to purchase that the medal is a restrike and not an original presentation award.
For the purpose of clarity, it might be helpful to define the various categories of medals, decorations and orders. Medals are presented primarily to members of the armed forces for participating in a specific theater of operations or campaign, for wounds received or good conduce. Decorations are usually awarded as recognition for a specific brave or valorous ace. The Medal of Honor and the Silver Star are two examples of U.S. decorations awarded for single acts of extraordinary heroism in battle. Orders are bestowed upon a wide variety of individuals-heads of state, diplomats, royalty, senior members of the armed forces and scientists in recognition of performance of long and meritorious service.
In view of the fact that the majority of the medals brought back to this country by W.W. I and W.W. II veterans are of German origin, it might be worthwhile to briefly discuss the history of German military decorations.
During the period between 1871 and 1918, Germany formed a federation of states known as the Second Empire, and although vast quantities of medals and decorations were awarded during this era, none originated from the Empire but rather from the numerous separate principalities, kingdoms and dukedoms. Many variations from this period exist and a wide field is open for collectors.
Germany was a republic between 1918 and 1933 and no national decorations or orders were awarded; however, with the rise of Adolf Hitler to power, radical changes were made in the national policy of awarding decorations. In his new Third Reich, which was to last 1,000 years (it lasted 12), he initiated an intensive award program and created an entire new series of decorations and combat medals. Hitler realized that the citizens of the Fatherland rallied much more enthusiastically to a nationalistic cause when provided with splendorous uniforms and individual recognition through awards and decorations. On the first day that the war began, September 1, 1939, Hitler again re-established Germany's most renowned medal, the Iron Cross, which had its origin in" 1813. This symbol of German military involvement throughout the course of modern history had been modified in 1870 and again in 1914; therefore, tradi tion demanded that it be reborn with the creation of a new Nazi Germany. In fact, Hitler was personally decorated with the Iron Cross on two separate occasions while serving as a Corporal in W.W. I.
The Iron Cross is the most widely known of all German decorations, and likewise the most common. The Second Class, or lowest grade, is worth about $ 5 in today's market. The highest class of the Iron Cross, with oak leaves, swords, and diamonds set in gold, would be worth approximately $5,000 to a collector.
With the onset of the war, Germany created a vast new series of combat decorations and medals for all branches of the armed forces, in addition to proficiency awards and faithful service medals for non-military members of the Nazi Party. In 1938, Hiter founded the now famous "Mother's Cross" for the purpose of honoring German mothers who bore four or more children for the Fatherland. Women who had eight or more children were awarded the medal in the First Class, in gold. The combat badges, which were awarded by the millions, are quite plentiful even today, and only a very few are worth more than a couple of dollars.
As a service for the readers of SAGA, a member of the widely recognized Orders and Medals Society of America, who is also a reputable dealer in foreign military decorations and war souvenirs, has agreed to appraise, with out charge, the medals, decorations, or other war souvenirs of any reader who might wish to cake advantage of this opportunity.
See page 11 for complete details.
Undoubtedly, untold hundreds of GI's stumbled across rare finds of valuable enemy medals and war souvenirs, which were mailed back home and have lain forgotten for many years. Somewhere in this country, the jeweled decorations of Nazi Reichsmarshal Hermann Goering and other senior Nazi and Japanese military leaders are perhaps stored in the corner of a footlocker. Only recently the complete von Ribbentrop collection of decorations and uniforms was located and purchased for a very sizable sum.
While readers should keep in mind that about 95 percent of the foreign military medals they might have are not worth more than a couple of dollars, it is inevitable that numerous veterans still have in their possession captured decorations that could be sold for a small fortune. Now-take another look in those dusty attic footlockers, and desk drawers that haven't been opened in years. You might be surprised to discover that you own a rare war souvenir that can be converted into cash. These items are very much in demand, and dealers and collectors are always available, with money in hand, seeking to acquire your war souvenirs. While most have much greater sentimental than cash value, they should never be regarded as worrhless junk.
These medals and decorations represent a nation's highest recognition of valorous deeds or faithful service performed while exposed to great danger or stress. They are a very significant parr of history and grim reminders of the horrible tragedy of war.
Jim Atwood: "The Hunt for WWII Million Dollar Medals", "SAGA" 1967
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