I have just acquired a seond class iron cross on a recent trip to normandy. I bought the medal without the envelope but it was availible and I am just wondering how important is it to have the envelope?
You mean the original envelope in which it was delivered? Not that important but it always makes it a bit more special to have the envelope to go with it.
The original envelope for an Iron Cross Second Class is nice to have but in terms of value it generally doesn't add a great deal ( unless the original recipient has written his details on it ). Recipients usually lost/threw away the packaging. Iron Crosses with envelopes are often unissued ones ; the Second Class was produced in millions and many were found and 'souvenired' after the war from Wehrmacht offices, depots, etc.
I only have around 18 or so EK 2's in my collection and do not have the issue bag to go with any of them. I have been offered many times, an EK 2 w/ bag, thing is, is that im not going to pay an extra $30.00 to $50.00 just to have a paper bag with a stamp on it saying an EK 2 was issued with the bag. Another member here has I think around 50 EKs--and I think about 40 are EK 2's. I do not recall if he collected any that had the issue bags or not. Anyway, to have an EK 2 award bag and paying more than maybe $10.00 bucks; simply aint worth it.