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of USM Inc. Those images and the text may be used by others ONLY AFTER completion
of a formal international licensing agreement and payment of a licensing fee!
GERMAN “GOLD FOR IRON” WATCH CHAIN
A GERMAN MAN’S “GOLD FOR IRON”
WATCH CHAIN FROM 1916
WATCH CHAIN FROM 1916
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This 1916 “Gold for Iron” patriotic item is
**SOLD**. We will be happy to ship abroad at additional cost. Please inquire. |
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This is a splendid old historical piece - a fairly plain 1/4 inch iron chain 18 inches long composed of half inch links, two 1 inch special links and karabiner or snap hook on each end. One of the 3/8 x 1 inch special links has a beautiful diestruck Kaiser eagle on both sides, and the other special link has the words “GOLD ZUR WEHR EISEN ZUR EHR” surrounding the date 1916.
The wording “GOLD FOR DEFENSE AND IRON FOR HONOR” means that the owner of this chain had traded a gold watch chain to the government for it. The government of Germany needed gold desperately to continue to wage World War I and people who handed in gold were given an iron token in exchange.
When times got better in Germany after the Nazis took over in 1933, these old “Gold for Iron” patriotic items were thrown away in favor of the real thing. Very good condition.