Description
This is a very early SA Sportabzeichen in bronze. It’s issue-number is #902.
It is what is alled among colletors a “‘Type I” badge, these were only in use from March 1934 to Januar 1935 and are the rarest badges to find.
The original first badges were also in one class only: bronze! Only after two years the silver and gold classes were added. The here offered badge is one of the earliest that was issued in only one class (bronze).
Marked on the back with the makersname: “L. Christian Lauer – Nürnberg – Berlin” and “Eigentum D. Chefs D. Ausbildungswesens”. Lauer only made the Type I SA Sportsbadges.
With typical early round catch and the long thin early needle.
The badge is overall in very good condition.
Finding one of the very first issued badges with a number under 1000 is very rare. Mind that these were almost all worn and the chance of the very earliest badges surving is thus very slim. Also the award was very prestigious, and many were called back, when it turned out a recipient was not fit anymore.
In total over 2,5 million SA sportsbadges were handed out, setting with this number in mind the rarity of one of the earliest numbered badges easily in perspective.
VERY RARE TO FIND!!!!!!!
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More background information:
The SA Sports Badge was instituted on 28 November 1933 by then SA chief Erst Röhm. It was originally only issued in bronze through the year 1935. On 15 February 1935, Hitler decreed that the badge be officially recognized. It was thereafter issued in three grades (bronze, silver, and gold). No longer was the physical fitness badge to be awarded only to SA members, but to youth of all German military and paramilitary organizations. Originally the badge grade was awarded on degrees of “proficiency”. Then in 1936, a points system was established. In 1937, the requirement for the holder of the award was upgraded; each recipient had to pass an annual proficiency test to retain the badge.
On 19 January 1939, Hitler changed the name of the badge from SA-Sportabzeichen (SA Sports Badge) to SA-Wehrabzeichen (SA-Defence Badge). Hitler challenged all able-bodied boys age 16 and up to compete for the award. Older military men were also encouraged to obtain it. The badge was one of the few political decorations that the armed forces allowed to freely be displayed on a military uniform. By December 1936, one million had been awarded, and by the end of 1943, over 2.5 million had been awarded.
