Germany, Wehrmacht. An Extremely Rare Young Cossack School Badge of the XV Cavalry Corps

(Abzeichen der Jung Kosaken Schule). Constructed of hollow die stamped bronze, the obverse consisting of an oval oak leaf wreath, joined together at the bottom by a banner bearing an inscription of “ШК. ЮН. КОЗАКОВ”, in turn overlaid by a Wehrmacht eagle clutching a wreathed mobile swastika, topped by a pair of Cossack sabres, the reverse retaining both lugs, unmarked, measuring 41.13 mm (w) x 49.00 mm (h), weighing 5.5 grams demonstrating some tarnishing and loss of finish to the base metal, an exceptionally rare example of the only confirmed authentic variant of a badge issued to personnel of the School of Young Cossacks, attached to the XV Cossack Corps (itself subordinated to the SS), in better than very fine condition.