Germany, Wehrmacht. A Rare Panzer Assault Badge, Special Grade for 50 Engagements, by Gustav Brehmer

(Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber mit Einsatzzahl "50"). Constructed of silvered zink, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by a raised plaque bearing a raised and gilded number “50”, topped by a Heer-style German national eagle clutching a mobile swastika, surrounding a central Panzer IV rolling over logs and with its left tread extending beyond the edge of the wreath, the reverse with three visible hollow rivets utilizing hollow examples produced by Stocko, Wuppertal, as commonly used by this manufacturer, with a crimped hinge and vertical pinback meeting a flat wire catch emanating from a circular plate (an unusual but wartime-documented variant as examined in “The German Panzer Assault Badge of World War II: Volume II”, Philippe de Bock, 2021, page 927), maker marked with the logo of Gustav Brehmer, Markneukirchen, measuring 47.58 mm 9w) x 62.33 mm (h), weighing 26.0 grams, demonstrating near-total loss of silver finish throughout with additional bending of the catch, a rare example featuring Brehmer’s uncommon hardware in better than very fine condition.

Footnote: This example was retrieved by a United States serviceman in the field during the Second World War, and hails directly from his estate without previously being available on the collector market.