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Very well-preserved examples with a rare maker's mark reach 50 to 85 euros, and a complete Nachlass (estate) with award certificate and packet can be worth well over 100 euros. The medal was awarded more than three million times — so the individual value is limited, but condition, maker and accessories make the difference.
Guide Prices by Version and Condition
Guide prices based on real dealer and sale prices (as of August 2026). Whether your medal is a standard example or one of the sought-after variants, we can tell from two photos.
| Version | Condition | Guide Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ostmedaille, unmarked | worn, with ribbon section | 20–30 €1 |
| Ostmedaille, unmarked | very good condition, on ribbon | 30–50 €2 |
| Ostmedaille with maker's mark on the ring | very good condition | 55–85 €3 |
| Ostmedaille with award packet | good condition | around 55 €4 |
| 1957 version (without swastika) | as new | around 40 €5 |
| Nachlass with certificate, packet or recipient's photo | depending on scope | well over 100 €6 |
Sources
- trave-militaria.de (25 € getragen; «besonders gut erhaltene Exemplare werden selten über 35 € gehandelt») + militaria-berlin.de («einzeln nur selten einen Wert von mehr als 30 €»), retrieved 2026-08-20
- trave-militaria.de (Obergrenze 35 € Standard) + militaria-reisig.com (49,90 € «Top Condition»), retrieved 2026-08-20
- spessart-militaria.de (55 €, Hst. 98) + spessart-militaria.de (60 €, Hst. 15) + militaria-berlin.de (55 €, Hst. 127) + militaria-berlin.de (85 €, seltener Hst. 61), retrieved 2026-08-20
- trave-militaria.de (55 €, Tüte B.H. Mayer), retrieved 2026-08-20
- trave-militaria.de (40 €, Ausführung nach Ordensgesetz 1957), retrieved 2026-08-20
- militaria-berlin.de («Nachlässe mit Urkunden, Verleihungstüten, oder Trägerbildern können aber auch deutlich über 100 € wert sein»), retrieved 2026-08-20
The practical consequence for sellers: don't separate anything. The certificate bearing the soldier's name, the maker's paper packet, the field bar, the photo — together they form a documented ensemble; on their own, they are just small items.
Original or Fake?
For a piece that exists in the millions, faking it hardly pays off — even so, recasts and, above all, wrongly attributed pieces do circulate. Four features of an original:
- Zinc, not iron. The medal was made of zinc and does not react to a magnet. It measures around 36 × 40 mm (slightly tall-oval) and feels rather light for its size. Due to wartime conditions, zinc often shows a rough, aged surface — that is normal and not a fault. Source: militaria-berlin.de (Zink, ca. 40 mm Höhe); Wikipedia + Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek + lexikon-der-wehrmacht (36 × 40 mm, leicht oval; DDB katalogisiert 3,6 cm), retrieved 2026-08-20
- Blackening with a silvered rim. The original finish is fully blackened except for a roughly 2 mm wide silvered rim; the Stahlhelm (steel helmet) above the eagle and the stick grenade beneath it are also silvered. Pieces with an evenly silver-bright shine are either heavily worn or the 1957 version. Source: militaria-berlin.de (Beschreibung des Finishs), retrieved 2026-08-20
- Maker's mark on the ring — if present at all. Many originals are unmarked. Where a mark exists, it appears as a number on the ring: documented examples include 15 (Friedrich Orth, Vienna), 61 (Rudolf A. Karneth & Sohn, Gablonz ), 65 (Klein & Quenzer, Oberstein), 98 (Rudolf Souval, Vienna) and 127 (Moritz Hausch AG, Pforzheim). A hallmark on the medal itself instead of on the ring does not match an original. Source: militaria-berlin.de (Hst. 61, 127) + spessart-militaria.de (Hst. 15, 98) + mbertram.de (Hst. 65), retrieved 2026-08-20
- Reverse and ribbon. On the reverse, the raised lettering "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" above a sword and laurel branch, cleanly struck. The ribbon is red with white-black stripes. Blurred striking and wrong ribbon colours quickly expose reproductions.
Brief Historical Background
The "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" Medal was instituted in 1942 for those who took part in the first wartime winter on the Eastern Front. Among soldiers it was known sarcastically as the Gefrierfleischorden ("Frozen Meat Order") — a name that describes the circumstances of its award more bluntly than any certificate.
Around 2,5 million soldiers were eligible, with a further roughly 200.000 posthumous awards; the total is estimated today at more than three million. Only the ribbon was worn, in the second buttonhole of the uniform, while the medal itself usually stayed in its packet — which is why many examples have survived in German Nachlässe to this day, often in surprisingly good condition.
Source: militaria-berlin.de (Verleihungszahlen, Trageweise), retrieved 2026-08-20
On the legal position: the obverse bears the national eagle with a swastika. Purchase, possession and sale of the original are legal; § 86a StGB regulates the public display of such symbols. We handle photos accordingly discreetly and document purchased pieces only in a private context.
A detail for heirs: because the ribbon was worn in the buttonhole, Ostmedaillen are often found in two parts — the medal in its packet, and the ribbon section separately on the uniform or in a cigar box with other small items. Together, the two make up the complete piece for collectors. So keep even the unassuming ribbon offcuts before sorting through the estate.
Sell Without Risk
A single Ostmedaille rarely justifies a trip to a dealer in the nearest big city — but selling via WhatsApp is worthwhile anyway, and even more so for Nachlässe with several pieces. We buy for our own collection — with no dealer mark-up, and buying takes place throughout Germany.
Three steps: send photos of the front and back (plus the ring, packet and certificate, if you have them) to +34 665 164 779. Within 24 hours you'll get our free valuation with a concrete offer. If we agree, we pay in cash at the agreed price — for complete collections and house clearances we come and view in person, anywhere in Germany.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Can I Sell an Ostmedaille?
To specialist dealers, auction houses, or directly to a collectors' house. For single pieces and entire Nachlässe, sending photos via WhatsApp is the fastest route: a free valuation within 24 hours, immediate payment, and no need to send anything before a price is agreed.
What Do Old Medals Cost?
Mass-awarded decorations such as the Ostmedaille range from 20 to 85 euros, the Eisernes Kreuz from about 55 to 600 euros, and rare pieces such as the Ritterkreuz run into five figures. The range within a single Nachlass is often wider than sellers expect — which is exactly why an individual valuation is worthwhile.
My Ostmedaille Has No Swastika — Is It Fake?
Probably not: it's most likely the version made under the 1957 Orders Act, in which the obverse was altered. This version is original, may legally be displayed freely, and is worth around 40 euros as a guide price.
Is It Even Worth Selling a Single Medal?
Yes, as long as the effort stays small — two photos, one WhatsApp message. And there is often more than the Ostmedaille sitting in the box: certificates, badges, photos. Just send everything along, and we'll assess the whole find.
Does the Award Certificate Increase the Value?
Yes, considerably. The certificate connects the medal to a specific soldier and turns the mass-produced piece into a documented historical record. We always assess Nachlässe with a certificate, packet or recipient's photo as a whole.
More guide values: Second World War medals
