Description
Product Description: A Numbered Juncker Panzer Badge in Bronze in overall excellent condition. Juncker is by far the most desired of all three manufacturers of the numbered panzer badges. This badge, constructed of two pieces of die-struck zinc, consists of an oak-leaf wreath with Reichsadler clutching a swastika, and a central panzer driving over logs and rough terrain. Nearly all of the bright bronze finish remains throughout the badge with only minor wear to the high relief areas. The number box is unfortunately missing. The Juncker number boxes were simply soldered in place. In some cases, it was not soldered enough to securely fasten the box to the badge and resulted in some numbered Juncker badges losing their box. The reverse hardware features textbook Juncker hardware consisting of a barrel hinge, needle pin, and round-wire “C” catch on a round solder plate. The hardware has no damage or repairs. Two textbook aluminum Juncker rivets, which protrude through to the obverse of the panzer, firmly secure the two pieces together. Overall a beautiful and very desirable Numbered Juncker Panzer Badge.
Historical Description: Instituted on June 22, 1943, the new grades of the Panzer Assault Badge were in a direct response to the increasing number of soldiers which had continued to accumulate “combat days” after they had met the initial requirements of the standard version. By 1943, the German High Command (OKW) realized the war would not be over as quickly as hoped for, and the need to recognize their soldiers at the front would require a new type of award and criteria. The four grades created by the German High Command were “25”, “50”, “75”, & “100”. The requirements for the Numbered Panzer Assault Badge were like the standard version with the main difference now being the number of combat days required corresponded to the number on the award. For example, the Panzer Assault Badge with a “25” box would have required the soldier to have 25 combat assaults on 25 different days. Many soldiers in the German Army did not live to see the required “combat days” for the higher grades. This especially holds true for the higher “75” and “100” grades of the award. The numbered grades used the same design pattern as the standard version. However, the new grades of the Panzer Assault Badge have more enhanced features such as enlarged eagle and wreath, with the addition of a number box at the bottom of the wreath to denote grade.
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