What Is a Ritterkreuz Worth?

Updated: August 2026

Documented auction hammer prices in recent years range from 8.800 euros for a Juncker set to 20.545 euros for a Steinhauer & Lück cross with case and outer carton. But the decisive question with this decoration is not the price, but authenticity: the Ritterkreuz is the most frequently faked German decoration of the Second World War, and the majority of privately offered pieces do not withstand scrutiny.

Guide Prices by Version and Condition

All figures are guide prices based on documented auction and dealer prices (as of August 2026). For a piece in this price class, no table replaces individual assessment — it shows the order of magnitude.

Value drivers: fully intact original core blackening, the award case with velvet insert and silk lining, the uncut neck ribbon, the maker's outer carton and any solid documentation of provenance. An unbroken Nachlass context (documents, Soldbuch [military pay book], photographs of the recipient) can significantly increase the value — we always assess such ensembles individually.

Original or Fake? This Is Where Everything Is Decided

For an object whose original is priced in five figures and whose copy costs a few euros, the market is naturally full of fakes — from crude souvenirs to dangerously good reproductions with a genuine silver frame. Four hard checkpoints:

1. Only seven makers, clearly defined marks. The Ritterkreuz was manufactured by exactly seven firms. Permissible marking patterns: unmarked (only early Juncker and the so-called 3/4-ring cross), silver hallmark "800", LDO numbers L/12 or L/52, or Präsidialkanzlei numbers 2, 20, 65 and 4. A maker's mark outside these seven legitimate manufacturers is an exclusion criterion — the fineness hallmark in the jump ring, by contrast, can vary among originals (see point 2). Source: ratisbons.com (Herstellerübersicht Ritterkreuz: «von sieben Herstellern gefertigt... ungestempelt (frühe Juncker und 3/4 Ring Kreuz), mit Silbergehaltsstempel, mit einer LDO-Nummer (L/12 und L/52) und später mit der Präsidialkanzlei-Nummer (2, 20, 65 und 4)»), retrieved 2026-08-20
2. Hallmark on the frame AND jump ring. On marked pieces, the "800" hallmark sits on the upper frame edge of the reverse and additionally in the jump ring. If it is missing from the ring while the frame is marked, that needs an explanation. Important: on early originals, the jump ring can be hallmarked "935" instead of "800" — an original Steinhauer & Lück cross ("Micro 800", hammer price 11.500 €) sold by Hermann Historica in November 2025 carries a "935" ring. Source: veryimportantlot.com (Hermann Historica: Punze «800» links, LDO «L/12» rechts am rs. oberen Rand; Sprungring mit Feingehaltspunze «800») + militaria-berlin.de + Hermann Historica 07.11.2025, Los 4192 (S&L «Micro 800», Sprungring «935», 30,3 g, Zuschlag 11.500 €), retrieved 2026-08-20
3. Dimensions and weight. The Ritterkreuz is larger than an EK2: around 48–49 mm wide, about 55 mm high without the ring. The weight of documented originals, depending on maker, is around 27 to 35 grams with jump ring: Juncker production around 34 g (documented: 34,1 g, 34,2 g, 34,89 g), the lighter S&L "Micro 800" around 30 g (documented: 30,3 g). A weight clearly outside this range is a warning sign. Source: veryimportantlot.com (Hermann Historica: 48,2 mm, 34,1 g) + militaria-berlin.de (48 mm Breite, 55 mm Höhe, 34,2 g) + ratisbons.com (34,89 g mit Ring) + Hermann Historica 07.11.2025, Los 4192 (S&L «Micro 800» original, 30,3 g), retrieved 2026-08-20
4. Three-part construction, magnetic iron core, frame in 800 silver. The blackened core must respond to a magnet, and the frame is genuine silver with a naturally grown patina. For early pieces and transitional types, reference literature helps — the standard catalogue is Dietrich Maerz's "Das Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes" [The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross], whose typology reputable dealers use to classify every cross.

Our advice, without beating around the bush: never sell a possible Ritterkreuz unassessed — neither at the door nor on a marketplace. With this piece, the difference between copy and original amounts to the value of a small car. We pre-assess free of charge from your photos, tell you openly if features speak against an original, and consult the relevant reference literature in borderline cases.

Brief Historical Background

The Ritterkreuz of the Eisernes Kreuz was instituted on 1 September 1939 as a new, independent grade of the renewed Eisernes Kreuz between the EK1 and the Grand Cross, worn as a neck order on a red-white-black ribbon. It was awarded in a black case; private purchase was banned from October 1941 onward — which is also why documented pieces are so rare.

Unlike the EK1 and EK2, which were issued in the millions, the number of awards remained modest. This rarity, combined with the decoration's central role in the orders and decorations of the Second World War, explains both the price level — and the density of fakes.

On the legal position: possession, purchase and sale of an original Ritterkreuz are legal in Germany. The public display of the swastika in the central medallion is governed by § 86a StGB. We therefore photograph, document and hand over such pieces exclusively in a private, discreet setting.

Sell Without Risk

We are a Spanish collectors' house buying throughout Germany, and we buy for our own collection — with no dealer mark-up. For the Ritterkreuz in particular, that means: no auction buyer's premium of 22 to 25 percent, no months-long wait for an auction date, and no public listing of your piece.

This is how we proceed: send us photos via WhatsApp (+34 665 164 779) of the front, back, frame edge with hallmarks, jump ring and — if present — case and ribbon. You'll receive our free initial assessment within 24 hours. If it looks like a plausible original, we arrange a personal inspection at your location, anywhere in Germany, and pay immediately in cash as soon as we've agreed a price. Discretion is a matter of course for a piece of this class.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Orders Are Valuable?

At the top are the rare neck orders and combat badges with low award numbers — first and foremost the Ritterkreuz and its higher grades. Mass-issued decorations such as the EK2 or the Ostmedaille (Eastern Front Medal), by contrast, sit in the double- to triple-digit range. The spread within a single collection is often enormous.

How Do I Know If My Ritterkreuz Is Genuine?

Check the marking (only "800", L/12, L/52, 2, 20, 65, 4, or unmarked on early types), the hallmark in the jump ring ("935" is also documented on early pieces), dimensions of around 48–49 mm width and a weight, depending on maker, of roughly 27–35 g. If in doubt, send us photos — the preliminary check costs nothing, and we explain our verdict.

What Is a Ritterkreuz with an Award Document Worth?

Considerably more than the cross alone — a documented recipient turns the decoration into a unique historical object. Such ensembles cannot be priced across the board; we assess them piece by piece and show you the comparable prices.

Where Can I Safely Sell a Ritterkreuz?

To auction houses (with buyer's premium and waiting time), to dealers with a shop (who factor in a resale margin) — or directly to a collectors' house like us: free valuation via WhatsApp within 24 hours, personal inspection anywhere in Germany, payment on the spot.

Do I Have to Send In the Cross?

No. The initial assessment runs entirely on photos. If it might be an original, we come to you — you only hand over the piece once the money is paid.

Sell Knight's Cross

More guide values: Mother's Cross · Iron Cross · German Cross in Gold · War Merit Cross · Wound Badge · Second World War decorations · East German decorations