1940 Panzer Assault Badge, Hollow-Tombac by Wurster
Price: $650
BUY / RESERVE THIS ITEMDescription:.Panzer assault badge in bronze by Karl Wurster, Markneukrichen. Hollow tombac construction with the ‘organized grass pattern’ and typical Wurster pin set-up. The badge shows a very sharply detailed strike with a great age patina. 60.2 x 41.5mm & 15grams (right in the middle of the range (12-22) for these stamped badges). A scarce, highly sought after early Type-1 design.
Reference: “The German Panzer Assault Badge of WWII” by Phillipe De Bock, Pages 82-84.
Background: The Panzer Assault Badge in bronze was introduced by Generaloberst Walther von Brauchitsch on June 1ST 1940 for award to Panzer-Grenadier, medical, and armored car personnel who participated in three different armored assaults on three different days. The design of the badge was identical to the earlier instituted Panzer Assault Badge in silver for Panzer personnel except for the coloration. By June 1943 it was realized that the Panzer Assault Badge didn’t sufficiently recognize the number of assaults participated in by armored personnel, which resulted in the introduction of the numbered Special Grade of the Panzer Assault Badge in both silver and bronze versions June 1943. The numbered Special Grade of the Panzer Assault Badge were awarded with the numerals, 25, 50, 75 and 100. The numbered badges followed the basic design of their un-numbered predecessors but were larger and had the addition of an inset rectangular box with a numeral to the bottom of the wreath.
