German WWII Cased German Cross in Silver-This is a rare beauty. It is a handsome, heavy, six rivet example (65.5) that is sometimes referred to as the long pin example. This is a textbook example of an early unmarked Deschler made piece. This is a desirable badge, with the majority of the finish remaining to the rays and starburst. It is fantastic! There is minor toning and wear to the back plate but the enameled swastika is excellent. The silver and red finish remains in place and has great tone. The rays emitting from the starburst show only light wear as well, they retain their silver finish. The pin assembly functions just as it should. This is a very good example by one of the best makers! This comes with its original black case of issue. The case is covered in a faux black leather that is textured to look like real leather. There are only slight scuffs to the case. The case is lined with white satin on the top, and black velvet flocking on the bottom with the correct cutout for the medal. The inside bottom of the case shows some wear, you can see moderate use to the velvet, but the case itself shows light use only. Overall, this is a gorgeous medal.History: The War Order of the German Cross was introduced by Adolf Hitler on September 28th, 1941 in two classes of Gold and Silver. The Gold Class was awarded to military personnel for exceptional acts of bravery or achievement in combat. The Silver Class was awarded for distinguished acts of service in the war effort. Criteria for bestowal of either Cross included that the recipient must first have been awarded the 1939 Iron Cross 1st class or the 1939 Bar to the 1914 Iron Cross 1st class.