Germany, Kriegsmarine. An Early U-Boat War Badge,by C. Schwerin & Sohn

(U-Boots-Kriegsabzeichen). A U-Boat War Badge constructed of gilded tombak, the obverse in the form of a horizontal oval-shaped laurel wreath with a central motif of a stylized U-Boat traveling to the left (neither the bow nor the stern extend over the outer border), the badge is open above and below the submarine, the wreath is held together at the bottom with a stylized band, the top of the badge shows a national eagle with spread wings looking to the left (as viewed), sitting on a mobile swastika which in turn connects by its lower arm to the U-Boat conning tower, the reverse presents a vertical pinback with a block hinge soldered to the back of the badge and a slightly deformed catch due to wear, maker mark “SCHWERIN” and below “BERLIN 68,” measures 48.03 mm (w) x 39.00 mm (h), weighs 24.1 grams, very detailed stamping, from early war, Schwerin Variation 1, and in near extremely fine condition.