Explore authentic SS rings from the Gettysburg Museum of History’s collection. The ring worn by members of the SS is one of the most recognized relics of the period, built around the Totenkopf, or death’s head, skull motif. This selection brings together original examples that fall into two distinct types: the official SS Honor Ring, and privately purchased Totenkopf death’s head rings. Every piece is an original period item, never a reproduction, and each was brought home by a U.S. veteran.
The SS Honor Ring, also called the SS-Ehrenring or Totenkopfring, was an award instituted by Heinrich Himmler and presented to members for service, engraved on the inside with the recipient’s name and a presentation date. It carries the death’s head alongside Germanic runes and oak leaves. Separate from these awarded rings are the widely worn private-purchase Totenkopf rings, the jeweler and “canteen” rings that soldiers bought themselves, several of which in this collection still retain their original presentation boxes. Each ring is individually documented and authenticated by the museum, with paperwork verifying its provenance, and new pieces are added as they come out of the archive.
These rings are one part of our wider WWII militaria collection of German badges, insignia, edged weapons, headgear, and hard-to-find Third Reich relics, all authenticated by The Gettysburg Museum of History.