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We buy medals and decorations up to 1945 throughout Germany: send photos via WhatsApp to +34 665 164 779, get a free, no-obligation valuation within 24 hours, and payment in cash at the agreed price. We buy for our own collection — with no dealer mark-up.
The second question that almost always comes up: which medals are actually valuable? The range is enormous. A mass-awarded Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs (Cross of Honour of the World War) fetches 5 to 10 euros, an Eisernes Kreuz (Iron Cross) 2nd Class from around 60 euros, an original Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) from around 9.000 euros — and individual top pieces reach 20.000 euros and more.
Source: sammler.com (EK2 1939 ab ca. 60 €); felzmann.de (Weltkriegsehrenkreuz ca. 10 €, EK2 ab 60 €); Ritterkreuz: dokumentierte Zuschläge 2024-2026, Basis der Werttabelle /wert/ritterkreuz/ (ratisbon's 2024: 19.300 € und 20.545 €; Hermann Historica 11/2025: 11.000 €; militaria-berlin: 18.995 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
Guide Prices for the Most Common Medals
Basic rule of the market: the more rarely it was awarded, the more valuable it is. The following ranges come from published estimate tables and documented auction results — guide prices for pieces in decent original condition, not a purchase guarantee.
| Medal / Decoration | Guide Price | Full Value Table |
|---|---|---|
| Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs 1914/1918 ("Hindenburgkreuz") | 5 – 10 €1 | — |
| Eisernes Kreuz 2nd Class 1939 | worn/unmarked from approx. 60 €, good pieces on ribbon 125–165 €, maker-marked with case considerably more2 | Eisernes Kreuz |
| Eisernes Kreuz 1st Class 1939 | from approx. 100 – 150 €3 | Eisernes Kreuz |
| Repeat clasp for the EK 2 (1939) | from approx. 150 €4 | Eisernes Kreuz |
| Ritterkreuz of the Eisernes Kreuz | from approx. 9.000 €5 | Ritterkreuz |
| Mutterkreuz (Cross of Honour of the German Mother) | see the dedicated value table | Mutterkreuz |
| Ostmedaille (Winter Battle in the East 1941/42) | see the dedicated value table | Ostmedaille |
| De-Nazified 1957 versions (without symbolism) | EK 2 approx. 20 – 25 €, Ritterkreuz approx. 100 €6 | — |
Sources
- felzmann.de (ca. 10 €); welt.de (5–10 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
- service.sammler.com (60 €); militaria-berlin.de (125 € ohne Hersteller, 165 € Hst. 23 — misma base que /wert/eisernes-kreuz/); ratisbons.com (Ergebnisse 2025-2026: 185–560 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
- service.sammler.com (100–150 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
- sammler.com (ab etwa 150 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
- dokumentierte Zuschläge 2024-2026, Basis der Werttabelle /wert/ritterkreuz/ (ratisbon's 2024: 19.300 € und 20.545 €; Hermann Historica 11/2025: 11.000 €; ratisbon's/HH: 8.800–11.000 € für gemarkte getragene Stücke), retrieved 2026-08-20
- sammler.com (1957er Ausführungen: EK2 20–25 €, Ritterkreuz 100 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
Two things heirs regularly overlook — and give away money by doing so:
Certificates and cases count too. The award certificate is sometimes worth more than the medal itself: an EK 2 certificate for a U-boat crewman was valued at around 250 euros, and the certificate for a U-Boat War Badge at around 300 euros. So don't throw away any paperwork, and don't separate pieces from each other.
Source: service.sammler.com (U-Bootfahrernachlass: Urkunden 250–300 €, Etui EK1 ca. 100 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
A Nachlass (estate) as a whole is worth more than its parts. A soldier's estate kept together — medals, certificates, Soldbuch (military pay book), photos — tells a documented story, and that is exactly what collectors pay for. Anyone who sells the individual pieces separately destroys that context irretrievably.
Which Medals Are Valuable? The Short Answer
Above all, the valuable ones are: the Ritterkreuz (from approx. 9.000 euros) and its higher grades — Eichenlaub (Oak Leaves), Schwerter (Swords) and Brillanten (Diamonds) consistently run into five figures and can only be seriously priced through individual valuation —, the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold), early and rare combat badges with a maker's mark, and anything with a documented attribution to a known recipient.
Not valuable, but often assumed to be: the Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs (issued more than 8 million times), loyalty and long-service decorations, and most civilian badges of the period. Here too: we'll buy them as part of a lot — they just won't make anyone rich on their own.
Most estates fall in the middle range: an EK 2, a Verwundetenabzeichen, a Kriegsverdienstkreuz, plus certificates. Together, a fair three-figure sum — provided the buyer honestly accounts for every piece, instead of offering "a fifty for the whole box."
Beware of Fakes — Especially with the Expensive Pieces
For the Ritterkreuz and the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, fakes and later collector reproductions are more common in circulation than originals. sammler.com warns explicitly: there are a great many fakes. Never sell a supposed top piece unchecked, therefore — and distrust any buyer who immediately offers a high sum without a careful inspection. A serious buyer wants to see the maker, hallmarks and manufacturing features before naming a figure.
Source: sammler.com (Warnhinweis Fälschungen Ritterkreuz), retrieved 2026-08-20
On the legal position, in two sentences: buying and selling original medals from the 1933 to 1945 period is legal. Because many pieces carry symbolism whose public display is restricted by § 86a StGB, we do not publish photos of such pieces — valuation and documentation take place privately and discreetly via WhatsApp.
How Selling to Us Works
- Put everything together and photograph it — medals from front and back, certificates, cases, ribbons. Don't clean or polish anything: collectors pay for original condition.
- Photos via WhatsApp to +34 665 164 779. Within 24 hours we'll tell you, free of charge, what's genuine and what we'll pay.
- Payment in cash, as soon as we've agreed a price. For larger Nachlässe and collections we come and view them on site — we travel throughout Germany.
Behind this buying service is a Spanish collectors' house based in Madrid. The pieces go into our own collection, not into resale — so there's no dealer margin, and you'll notice that in the offer.
Related value tables: Eisernes Kreuz · Ritterkreuz · Mutterkreuz · Ostmedaille · SS-Dolch · Luftwaffe-Dolch · Stahlhelm
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Medals Are Valuable?
Rarely awarded decorations: the Ritterkreuz and its higher grades (from approx. 9.000 euros), the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, rare combat badges with a maker's hallmark, and pieces with a documented recipient attribution. Mass-awarded decorations such as the Ehrenkreuz des Weltkriegs stay in single figures.
What Are Old Medals Worth?
That can't be answered responsibly without seeing the piece — the range runs from 5 euros into five figures. As rough guidance: EK 2 from 60 euros, EK 1 from 100 to 150 euros, Ritterkreuz from 9.000 euros. Photos are enough for a concrete assessment.
Is It Legal to Wear an Eisernes Kreuz?
The 1933 to 1945 versions bearing unconstitutional symbolism may not be worn or displayed in public (§ 86a StGB). The de-Nazified version under the 1957 Orders Act was not subject to that ban. Possession and private sale of the original are legal in both cases.
Who Buys Old DDR (East German) Medals?
Specialist buyers and collectors as well — though the values are usually noticeably lower than for Second World War medals, because DDR decorations survive in large numbers. As part of a Nachlass we buy them along with everything else; just send it all in together for valuation.
Should I Clean the Medals Before Selling?
No. Polishing, de-rusting or fitting new ribbons reduce collector value, sometimes considerably. Original condition with age patina is exactly what gets paid for.
Sell Second World War decorations
More guide values: Mother's Cross · Iron Cross · Knight's Cross · German Cross in Gold · War Merit Cross · Wound Badge · East German decorations
